The midsize pickup market is going strong, but it’s missing one of America’s hometown automakers. Stellantis brand Ram hasn’t offered a truck in the midsize segment since Dodge discontinued the Dakota after the 2011 model year. That’s reportedly changing, though it likely won’t happen until the 2028 model year at the earliest.
Ram confirmed the move earlier this year, but we don’t yet have a name. The automaker will reportedly use body-on-frame construction for the truck, similar to the Jeep Gladiator, which would make it beefier and more rugged than competitors like the Honda Ridgeline.
Given Stellantis’ recent struggles with electrification, it’s unclear if the company would pursue a hybrid option for the truck, but some expect gas engines to include four- and six-cylinder mills, which aligns with the turbocharged engines seen in the rest of the segment.
Ram hasn’t talked pricing yet, but the new truck would have to land somewhere in the mid-$30,000 range to be competitive. Of course, Toyota charges almost $70,000 for the Tacoma TRD Pro, so Ram has some room to play with pricing. The automaker has confirmed that the truck would launch in 2027, and the UAW’s 2023 agreement with Stellantis showed that it will be built at the company’s Belvidere Assembly Plant in Illinois.
[Images: Ram/Stellantis]
Become a TTAC insider. Get the latest news, features, TTAC takes, and everything else that gets to the truth about cars first by subscribing to our newsletter.
