A new V8 and the midyear introduction of a crew cab model with four front-hinged side doors highlight Dakota's 2000 season. Dakota is sized between compact and full-size pickups and offers three cab styles.

Regular-cabs seat up to three. Extended-cab Club Cab models seat six, but have only two doors. The new Quad Cab rides the same wheelbase as the Club Cab and also seats six, but its cab is longer and has two front-hinged rear doors. Dakota and Nissan's Frontier Crew Cab are currently the only such crew cab compact pickups, although Ford's Explorer Sport Trac SUV has a similar configuration. The 8-foot-long cargo bed is no longer offered on regular-cab Dakotas; they now share a 6.5-foot bed with the Club Cab. The Quad Cab has a 5.25-foot bed.

Dakota's base engine is a 4-cylinder. A V6 is standard with 4-wheel drive models and on Quad Cabs. Optional on all is a 235-horsepower overhead-cam 4.7-liter V8 borrowed from the Jeep Grand Cherokee. It replaces a 230-hp overhead-valve 5.2-liter V8. A 250-hp 5.9-liter V8 is optional on Quad Cabs and is required with the R/T package. The R/T package is available on 2WD regular-cabs and Club Cabs and includes a sport suspension, 17-inch alloy wheels, bucket seats, and distinct trim. Dakota's 5.9 V8 comes only with automatic transmission; its other engines are available with manual or automatic.

The base 4WD system is not for use on dry pavement. The full-time system available with V8s makes Dakota the only compact pickup with 4WD that can be left engaged on all surfaces. Rear antilock brakes are standard; 4-wheel ABS is optional.