2009 Dodge Dakota TRX Ext. Cab 4WD

The TRX trim for the Dakota line, which Dodge labels as its off-road trim, does not fit into any pattern with the other trims (base ST, midlevel Bighorn/Lonestar, and high-end Laramie), but rather combines features from all three. The 2009 Dodge Dakota TRX Ext. Cab 4WD does share a drivetrain with the other trims (a 3.7-liter, 215-horsepower V6 mated to a four-speed automatic transmission). It has the electric shift-on-the-fly two-mode four-wheel-drive system and gets 14 city/18 highway mpg, and it has a 1,540-pound maximum payload and 6,850-pound maximum towing capacity. The TRX also gets a 750-amp maintenance-free battery, power steering cooler, heavy-duty engine cooling, and 16-inch cast aluminum wheels with P265/70R16 on-/off-road tires.

The TRX Ext. Cab 4WD comes with foglamps; premium bolstered bucket seats with a 6-way power driver’s seat; driver’s manual lumbar support; power windows, mirrors, and locks; molded-in-color fender flares; one-year of Sirius Satellite Radio UConnect Studios package; TRX4 Off-Road badge; deep-tint sunscreen glass; a tilt steering column; a four-speaker AM/FM stereo with in-dash CD/MP3 player; and Sentry Key Anti-Theft Deterrent system.

By Tim O'Sullivan