It has been 10 years since Mitsubishi dealers had a pickup truck to sell, which — according to most dealers — is about a decade too long.

It is frustrating for a dealer to consistently write off customers simply because the desired product isn’t available. And with a pickup, no amount of salesmanship is going to convince buyers that they would really be better off with a Galant or an Eclipse.

So here comes the 2006 Mitsubishi Raider, which is really a re-bodied Dodge Dakota. This is only fair: For years, rather than build its own small truck, Dodge sold a Mitsubishi pickup as the Ram 50. Adding to the mild confusion, Dodge also once sold a version of the Mitsubishi Montero sport ute as the Dodge Raider.

The Raider comes in two basic models: an extended cab, with a pair of small front-to-rear-opening side doors, and a double cab, with four conventional doors. Either is 219.9 inches long, with the double-cab model having a shorter bed.

Engine choice is a 3.7-liter, 210-horsepower V-6, or a 4.7-liter, 230-horsepower V-8. Although the V-8 has only 20 more horsepower, it has 80 more pound-feet of torque, which is the measure of pulling power. Depending on the powertrain and other features, a Raider can tow from 2,950 pounds up to 6,600 pounds. The base transmission is a six-speed manual, but you also can get a four-speed automatic with the V-6 or a mandatory five-speed automatic with the V-8.

The test truck was an extended-cab DuroCross model, which is a midlevel designation carrying more standard equipment than the base LS, less than the XLS. It had the V-6 engine, an automatic transmission and was rear-wheel drive. Base price for the V-6 pickup is $19,180, but add the DuroCross stuff such as air conditioning, cruise control and remote locking, plus an optional premium sound system and shipping, and the total came to $25,930. Choose an all-wheel-drive XLS double cab with all the options, and it’s just more than $35,000.

If you need to use the rear seat for passengers, select the double-cab model; the little flip-down seats in the extended-cab version are uncomfortable for anyone older than single-digit age. The extra space is, however, great for groceries or miscellaneous cargo.

Mitsubishi and Dodge are to be commended for making the Raider look very different, both inside and out, from the Dakota. Few body panels are shared, and the Mitsubishi comes off as an edgier, more-trendy model. The DuroCross features 16-inch aluminum wheels with P265/70R-16 radials that help give the Raider a presence.

Inside, the Raider DuroCross has supportive front bucket seats and almost as much room as some full-sized pickups. Instruments and controls are properly placed. The premium Alpine stereo system is potent.

On the road, the Raider feels like a Dodge Dakota, which is fine. The 3.7-liter V-6 has adequate power and acceleration, and returns decent fuel economy, at 17 mpg in the city, 22 mpg on the highway, with regular fuel.

Mechanically, there isn’t much reason to favor the Mitsubishi over the Dodge — or vice versa — and pricing, feature for feature, is comparable. The difference is styling, and your brand preference. Either way, it’s a nice truck, and it’s good to see Mitsubishi rounding out the product portfolio.

Sentinel Automotive Editor Steven Cole Smith’s TV reports air Thursdays on Central Florida News 13.