Dodge was on to something when it first introduced the Dakota more than a decade ago. Since then, the Toyota Tacoma and Nissan Frontier have both upsized to the same class, and even Honda’s Ridgeline is in the same size category, more or less. With some actual competition these days, Dodge needs to keep its entry as fresh as it can. The restyle brings it into shape with the rest of the Dodge truck lineup (specifically the Nitro SUV), and the rest of the upgrades give it a distinct advantage, as it’s the only truck in its class with a V8 engine.