New Dakota Is The Latest Entry Into The Mid Sized Truck Market

Martinjmpr

Wiffleball Batter
After living with the EB 3.5 for a month I have to wonder why more manufacturers are not going to smaller displacement turbo'd gassers. For example, a Gladiator with a turbo'd V6 gas engine would give V8-level power without being overweight and would likely return decent MPG numbers. Best of all, it would make an absolutely awesome tow rig: Tow your camper to the campsite, then when you unhook you have a rugged and capable 4x4 to hit the trails with.

The lackluster 3.6 is only going to be good at towing small trailers and/or towing on relatively flat ground and my guess is that a 5.7 V8 would be too heavy and fuel economy would be terrible.

But put a factory turbo in there and it's a whole different animal.
 

Kmrtnsn

Explorer
"Lackluster 3 .6"? Just which 3.6 have you been driving? 300HP and 269Ft/Lbs of torque is hardly lackluster. In comparison to my wife's 5.7 Hemi? Sure, compared to other normally aspirated V-6s, that's stellar.


After living with the EB 3.5 for a month I have to wonder why more manufacturers are not going to smaller displacement turbo'd gassers. For example, a Gladiator with a turbo'd V6 gas engine would give V8-level power without being overweight and would likely return decent MPG numbers. Best of all, it would make an absolutely awesome tow rig: Tow your camper to the campsite, then when you unhook you have a rugged and capable 4x4 to hit the trails with.

The lackluster 3.6 is only going to be good at towing small trailers and/or towing on relatively flat ground and my guess is that a 5.7 V8 would be too heavy and fuel economy would be terrible.

But put a factory turbo in there and it's a whole different animal.
 

chadwicksavage

Adventurer
Yeah, I just keep wondering, *WWJD?

*What Would Jesus Drive

I believe he drove a Honda right?

"For I did not speak of my own Accord, but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it." John 12:49

We know Paul was against Fiat Chrysler's vehicles, specifically Jeeps as he states "Take care that this Liberty of yours does not somehow become a stumbling block to the weak." 1 Cor 8:9

Though in the Old Testament they were fine so Paul was probably just rejecting them since they were seemingly part of the old Abrahamic covenant - "Only when the Ram's horn sounds a long blast may they approach the mountain." Exodus 19:13

There's more..but I'll stop.
 

jadmt

ignore button user
yikes this is what happens when an old avalanche and an old Ridgeline get left alone. Would have been cool if FCA would have made a power wagon version to compete with the mini raptor and ZR2. This is just milk toast. They had the Gladiator to base it off from so almost there already. I have a jkur with 3.6 and have owned 4 vehicles with 3.6's and I personally have had good luck with them but not the engine I would pick as my first choice in a pickup. 3.0 eco D for this one would be better :) or a 6.4L Hemi lol
 

Todd n Natalie

OverCamper
The demise of the 5.7 has been rumored just around the corner for years. That's not to imply it won't happen, of course it will one day go away but it's plainly still available today and will probably still be around for next year's trucks - the 6.4 might stick around for at least a few more years.

What's conspicuously absent as you point out is a clear replacement for it. There are two direct injection 3.0l turbo Pentastars rumored (by making it <2999.99cc they can slide under the bar for some European market regulations) that should be good for almost as much power as the present NA Hemi. Great for a midsize vehicle but I don't see "almost as many cylinders, almost as much power as last year!" a good marketing strategy for the fullsize category.
Ah okay. First I've heard of it going away.

I'd imagine they would want to hang onto the 6.4 for a while yet for the Power Wagons, Challengers and Chargers.
 
D

Deleted member 9101

Guest
"Lackluster 3 .6"? Just which 3.6 have you been driving? 300HP and 269Ft/Lbs of torque is hardly lackluster. In comparison to my wife's 5.7 Hemi? Sure, compared to other normally aspirated V-6s, that's stellar.

Compared to any of the EcoBoost offerings available in any truck its pretty underwhelming. Add larger tires, tow a trailer, or load up with cargo/people and that 3.6 suddenly has to rev too it's redline in order to keep up with traffic. A smaller displacement motor with a turbo will provide more power, use less fuel (most of the time), weigh less, and come a TQ curve that V8 and diesel guys would envy.

Look at where that 3.6 has to rev to make power... Not really all that impressive.
 

docwatson

Adventurer
What are the odd that they option the 2.0t from the JL in this? FCA puts the 3.6 in everything. I would love to see some creativity. Including lots of cubic inches in an R/T. While FI is awesome in its own right, something seems inappropriate about it as a replacement to the 5.9 Magnum in the R/T Dakota.
 

Grassland

Well-known member
Without trying to derail thread too much, we just bought my wife a 2019 Grand Cherokee with 3.6 and the 8 speed. Nothing sluggish about it. I also just drove my 2014 F150 with 3.7 NA motor on 3" larger than OEM tires, on stock gears, with 1000# in the truck towing a 2500# pop up trailer up mountains in BC. IE things that mid size trucks should excel at, and are probably the target market for a mid size.
If I had to routinely tow or haul large loads, i wouldn't be shopping in the mid size market, you know?
The 4.7 in the Dakota before it was discontinued doesn't out perform the 3.6 and especially the extra gears its now paired with. 3.6 spanks the 4.7 I had in my WJ, and doesn't gobble fuel like that combo.
 

GB_Willys_2014

Well-known member
The demise of the 5.7 has been rumored just around the corner for years. That's not to imply it won't happen, of course it will one day go away but it's plainly still available today and will probably still be around for next year's trucks - the 6.4 might stick around for at least a few more years.

What's conspicuously absent as you point out is a clear replacement for it. There are two direct injection 3.0l turbo Pentastars rumored (by making it <2999.99cc they can slide under the bar for some European market regulations) that should be good for almost as much power as the present NA Hemi. Great for a midsize vehicle but I don't see "almost as many cylinders, almost as much power as last year!" a good marketing strategy for the fullsize category.
Sometime ago, there were also rumors of an inline 6, "Tornado" engine, as a 5.7 replacement.

Maybe that died???
 

Forum statistics

Threads
185,533
Messages
2,875,601
Members
224,922
Latest member
Randy Towles
Top