The Dodge Dakota was launched in 1987 as a middle sized truck used to pick up small cargo. It was designed to have the fuel efficiency of a small cargo vehicle and the load capacity almost equivalent to a large sized truck. At inception the company shared most of its parts with other vehicles in its stable so that the initial costs could be low. The steering of the Dakota was the first of its kind. The power for the vehicle came from either a V4 or a V6 engine. The gear system was 5 manual gears or 4 automatic gears. In 1989 Dodge introduced the pickup in a convertible model. Also that same year the Shelby Dakota came into the market. The following year the new model was introduced with seating for 6 passengers. Though adults seated in the back could complain for lack of space.

The Dakota came in its second form in 1997. The new vehicle had the same semi truck look and capacity, but in 1998 Dodge introduced The R/T model which was powered by a V8 engine. This was the first for any semi load carrier as most V8 engines were till then placed in large goods carriers. The vehicle got a new interior look in 2000, with a better dashboard, door sheets and better seats. In the year 2002 this model was phased out by Dodge.

The third form of the vehicle came in 2005. It was good for point to point pick ups and drops among the small and large trucks. The new Dakota has three engines from which a buyer could choose. There is a 210 horsepower V6, a 230 horsepower V8 or a 260 horsepower V8. The V8 engines are good to pull heavy weight. The Dakota is available in two forms, a big cab or a mini cab version. The small cab version is a perfect family vehicle but interior size is small. The latest Dodge Dakota still has the two sizes. The interior of the truck has been kept simple but the use of low cost plastics in the interior has left a lot to be desired.