Ram is Working On a Midsize Truck for 2028
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]
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Chris grew up in, under, and around cars, but took the long way around to becoming an automotive writer. After a career in technology consulting and a trip through business school, Chris began writing about the automotive industry as a way to reconnect with his passion and get behind the wheel of a new car every week. He focuses on taking complex industry stories and making them digestible by any reader. Just don’t expect him to stay away from high-mileage Porsches.
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By the time they get this out, the market will be different. Given the consistent popularity of mid-sized trucks, it's a bit mind-boggling it took them so long to make a decision. And it seems they still don't have a small pickup in their actual plans. And engineering them to last more than 80K miles would also help.
"Toyota charges $70,000.00 for their TRD Pro" That's because you have confidence that you will still be driving it after 200,000 miles! Stellantus can't even figure out the basic configuration of its vehicle... EV no, ICE no, both! What a joke. Somebody actually thought putting the "sound" of a V-8 into an electric car was a good idea! LOL! The once proud american brand (MOPAR Chrysler, Dodge & Plymouth) has been sold out and it is an embarrassment run by a bunch of Europeans that think they know our market! Hah! Jokes on them..