In a past that wasn’t so long ago, each of America’s Big Three offered an affordable mid-size pickup truck for folks who wanted to do hard work with a smaller truck. Yet, for a while, the only mid-size offering from Stellantis was the Jeep Gladiator. That’s finally changing, as Ram has confirmed that its new mid-size pickup truck will bring back the Dakota name, and it’ll be hitting the road in 2027. But what’s interesting is the suggested price, which isn’t too far off from a full-size truck.
The fact that Ram is gearing up for a mid-size truck revival isn’t anything new. A couple of months ago, we reported that Ram’s new mid-size truck will be built alongside the Jeep Wrangler and Jeep Gladiator in Toledo, Ohio. This is after Stellantis initially allocated the truck to the Belvidere, Illinois, plant. Stellantis is putting $400 million into this project, and it could also add 900 jobs to the area. The automaker also said that the new mid-sizer was coming in 2028.
… and that was pretty much it. No concepts or sketches were revealed to the public, the truck didn’t have a name, and no price was announced. We just knew that some sort of mid-size pickup truck was coming and that it would compete with the likes of the Ford Ranger, Chevrolet Colorado, and Toyota Tacoma.
Correction: Upon a second look, it appears that our peers in automotive media might have taken Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis’s quote out of context. It’s likely that Tim is suggesting that a volume trim of the Ram Dakota could be $40,000, not the base model. We have updated our story to reflect this, and regret the error.
The Dakota Is Back
Ram boss Tim Kuniskis has finally spilled the beans. The new truck is going to revive an old and beloved name with mid-size truck enthusiasts. Yeah, the Dakota is back! Tim kept bringing out the good news, saying that the new truck is now scheduled to come a year earlier in 2027, and as if things couldn’t get any sweeter, Tim then said that the new Dakota will have a myriad of propulsion options, including gas and plug-in hybrid versions.
If you stop here, this sounds like some of the best news to come out of Stellantis in a while. Ram abandoned the Dakota nameplate in 2011 when the third-generation Dodge truck bowed out. Since then, Ram hasn’t had any mid-size truck to sell in the United States, which has basically let Ford, Toyota, General Motors, Nissan, and Jeep enjoy the spoils.
Mid-size trucks have enjoyed a strong fanbase for several years. In 2024, Ford sold 46,205 Rangers. This year, Ford’s moved 62,864 units as of November. Chevy moved 98,013 Colorados last year, and the GMC Canyon added another 38,486 units into the GM pile. Nissan moved 69,813 Frontiers in 2024. Meanwhile, Toyota sent 192,813 Tacomas home to families last year.
All of that is great! Mid-size trucks are a great way to do truck stuff, but without having a beltline as high as the Pan Am/MetLife building. The idea that Ram is coming in swinging with an all-new Dakota with a plug-in hybrid option is exciting. But then, the rest of the news might raise a question.
Namely, per Car and Driver, Tim suggests that the new truck will start at around $40,000. However, Tim’s actual wording suggests that the price could be for a volume model, which might not be the base model, depending on which trim this truck launches with.
The reason why this matters is that if this truck launches for $40,000, it might face some headwinds. Currently, a Ford Ranger starts at $33,350, a Nissan Frontier is $32,150, a Chevy Colorado hits $32,400, a GMC Canyon is $38,900, and the Toyota Tacoma is $32,145.
Of course, all of these base prices are before fees that will drive the price up by a few grand or so by the time you leave the dealership. But, notably, most of these trucks are a pretty good bit cheaper than their respective automaker’s full-size trucks.
The odd one out is the GMC Canyon, which has a starting price that’s $900 higher than a GMC Sierra. However, the Sierra does have two lower trim levels that the Canyon does not have. Another exception is the Jeep Gladiator, which starts at $38,830. However, Jeep doesn’t have a bigger truck. Besides, the Gladiator is both a Jeep and a truck.
As of publishing, the Ram 1500 has a price of $41,575 before fees. Punching out the mid-size truck at $40,000 wouldn’t leave much buffer between it and the bigger truck.
Now, this could be harmless. Maybe, like the GMC Canyon, the new Ram Dakota will be a ‘premium’ truck even in base trim, with no cheap work truck version on offer. Sadly, since Stellantis isn’t really saying much yet, there is also the possibility that this truck will come at a similar level as a base Ford Ranger or a base Chevy Colorado, but at a Ram 1500-like price.
I should note that GM does sell a work-spec mid-size truck, so it’s not a big deal if GMC doesn’t have a cheap version. But if Ram launches the Dakota as a premium mid-sizer, it could be leaving money on the table, letting fleet sales go to Ford and GM.
Or, maybe my worrying is entirely unwarranted, and the new Ram will sell like hotcakes even without a lower-cost trim level. It’s possible, likely even, that the truck launches for under $40,000 and the $40,000 model is just a higher trim. It’s also entirely possible that, given rising car prices, mid-size trucks in general could start at around $40,000 in 2027, making the Ram Dakota’s price right on target. I sure hope not.
Time will tell. Either way, it’s awesome that America is getting another choice for a mid-size pickup truck. I also love that it sounds like Ram is putting in a good effort on this one, too. This seems like a win for everyone! We’ll have to see if it all adds up to something folks are going to scoop up.
Top graphic image: Ram
I’m somewhat convinced the clowning around at Stellantis can only be the result of the Chinese paying some high ups more then they realized they could make if they actually did their job so the Chinese can buy what they want especially the north American assets and they can get a golden parachute plus whatever under the table deal. Because there is no other logical conclusion for a person or group of people to have their head so far up their posterior to make the decisions they are making.
Love the “Nobody is dumb enough to do this bad of a job accidentally.” You are sadly probably correct. Nobody C-suite level ever gets poor from doing a bad job.
Stellantis, please listen to me.
You know all those Hornets and Tonales you have languishing on the dealer lots? Stretch the length and wheelbase a bit, whack the roof off the cargo area, build a bed in there, price the base model at $28k, and EAT THE FORD MAVERICK’S LUNCH all day, every day and twice on Sunday.
Edit: Call it the Rampage.
They already have the Rampage in southern countries, but to chicken sh!t to bring it here
That Rampage won’t pass safety standards.
Rumor says that’s happening after the Dakota comes out.
By that point in time, it’ll likely be on the overly bloated STLA-centric platforms. It’s mind blowing they didn’t bring it over sooner, especially since the Rampage is actually directly based on the Compass, of all things.
Granted, they’ve had hybrid Compass’s for about 6 years now, in Europe…. the same system that the Hornet and Tonale use, which helps to show how incompetent they really are.
I wager it will be on the upcoming Renegade EV/Hybrid platform.
If that’s still gonna be a thing. I betcha you’ve been the only person to speak about that since the year started…. and I mean at Jeep too!
You’re probably right. I haven’t checked the Mopar/Jeep forums lately
I await the new $78,000 Neon Tungsten.
Just another of the many reasons that most are better served by having a trailer, not a truck.
Absolutely! My utility trailer hides under my deck for the 4 times a year or so I need it.
Or, by having a cheap old truck sitting around. There are other choices between a trailer and a $40k+ truck.
A trailer is not as desirable according to sales numbers.
Yeah the Gladiator has been selling so well at that higher price point lately this totally makes sense. Yea that is sarcasm.
Why are so many of you buying Gladiators?
https://youtu.be/GHgN6yqWQWg?si=0mgEcflLjL9fvqNy
TFL Truck has recently posted a video asking why sales for the Gladiator are jumping all of a sudden.
Chrysler prices their products like furniture – inflated MSRP and always having a “sale”.
The Kohl’s of car makers.
“Thanks for trading in your Honda, here’s a coupon for 15% off any full-priced domestically built model available in our inventory (TRX and Power Wagon excluded) and if here is another $1,000 in RamCash that can only be used on TRX and Power Wagon and it all expires in 7 days. And no you can’t have your Honda back, our manager is already driving it.”
COTD, I literally LOL’d!
Hey! Kohl’s mom is kinda hot in a desperate housewife way.
Unquestionably!
Hey now, Kohl’s house brand basic T shirts are fantastic.
I think once you start adding realistic options, the Dakota will end up 80-90% of the price of a comparable 1500, but even then — for most buyers who don’t need the slighly smaller size that’s just not a good value anywhere in the truck world. There are a few exceptions to the rule, like the Tacoma outselling the Tundra pretty handily, but that truck is more of a lifestyle accessory at this point. It’s reputation exceeds its sales.
I just want Stellantis to start being honest with themselves about where they are in the minds of most Americans.
I smell the 15% rebates coming a few months down the road
“Tim says that the new truck will start at around $40,000“
*Insert Tim Allen “AEUHHH?!?!”*
I don’t think so, Tim.
The name isn’t actually being revived, they came up with it when someone said “You mean it’s the same price as dakota ton truck?” and the mondegreen just stuck.
Nobody in the room had ever heard of the Dakota before.
They are just building in the inevitable incentives they will have to throw on the hood to move the paperweights they produce.
$40kish is where the mid-size volume sellers are at so thats not too surprising to me. I’m assuming since its Gladiator based it has standard 4wd as well.
Because Stellantis refuses to sit on their laurels and let Jeeps 4Xe be the only model in their stable with runaway recall rates! This is truly innovative stuff.
Ram dealer: “Look at the Jeep place next door! They’re always packed full of people, we want some of that action….”
Are there stores these days where CDJR aren’t all in one building?
Most I think. There are 3 by me and my favorite one is just Chrysler Jeep and has been owned by one family as a jeep dealership since the early 1960s.
Almost all the ones near me have Jeep in an adjacent building (same complex) because they literally have more inventory and traffic than the rest of C, D, and R combined 🙂
They’re all at least on the same lot, some locations don’t have enough room in one showroom and spread them out over 2 adjacent buildings
My first band new vehicle purchase was a 1999 Dodge Dakota, which I selected after about a year of comparison shopping against Ford, Chevy and Toyota competition. I Selected the Dakota based on it’s competitive price and slightly larger footprint, and was pretty happy with it overall. This new one seems to not meet those criteria. IT’s okay I’m not shopping for brand new anything let alone trucks anytime soo.
“Now, this could be harmless. Maybe, like the GMC Canyon, the new Ram Dakota will be a ‘premium’ truck even in base trim, with no cheap work truck version on offer”
So only over-optioned trims will be available to justify a sky-high MSRP.
*sigh*
I would not be surprised if it doesn’t meet sales expectations.
“Or, maybe my worrying is entirely unwarranted, and the new Ram will sell like hotcakes even without a lower-cost trim level.”
One thing of note… hotcakes don’t sell as well as they used to because hotcakes are essentially junk food with little nutritional value.
So yeah… this new Dakota may very well ‘sell like hotcakes’.
But these days, that’s NOT a good thing.
IHOP would like to have a word about trash talking hotcakes.
Well I, as someone who is at higher risk of diabeetus due to genetics, has three words… “Not Carb Worthy”
Glad you have better self control than my coworker.
Like Elaine’s sponge-worthiness criterion? Or is that reference too old?
It’s exactly like Elaine’s sponge-worthiness criterion.
That reference will NEVER be too old… at least not to me!
Whew
Good Lord just fire everyone already. This is not a serious company.
So Ram will just ram up the prices of the full size trucks?
This is exactly 100% what’s going to happen. They’re doing the same thing they did during Covid where they grossly overestimate their customers’ brand loyalty and jack their prices up to the moon.
It’s also the classic “oh we don’t have a midsized that has exactly what you want but we DO have a half ton that does, and Greg from finance has a deal for you that’ll only cost you another $75 per month if you sign on the dotted line in the next 6 minutes!”
BINGO
And people will do it. I’m stereotyping I know, and I’m sorry, but I truly feel that a lot (not all) of Stellantis buyers are not terribly clever when it comes to their own personal finances and are easily lead around by an attractive monthly payment and convincing marketing.
So yes, this midsize feels like it’s being built so they can increase prices on their full-size trucks and try and push even more people into those. And when the midsize flops because it’s a POS and nobody wants it, those 900 manufacturing jobs they created will be lost and nobody at the top will even care.
Or like they did with nearly doubling the entry price of their full size sedan and coupe and then acting perplexed that hardly anyone is buying it
I am one of what seems like the few people in existence that started out with a compact truck, moved to full size trucks, and have now moved back down to a mid-size. I fully admit, I got caught up in all the ‘you gotta have a full sizer to be AWESOME’ when I was younger. And honestly, I did love my last one, a 2012 F-150 crew cab with the 5.0. But… I didn’t need it. It was too big, I couldn’t park it in my garage, and driving around the Heights in Houston where I lived for a short time was a nightmare. And after it unfortunately got totaled in a major accident, I ended up going to a crew cab Nissan Frontier. And I LOVE that little truck. Does any truck thing I need (I don’t tow, just weekend runs for mulch and building supplies), is comfortable, and has plenty of power in the 4.0 V6. And though it’s woefully out of date looking being a 2015 model, I upgraded it for Carplay so I’m a happy camper, and I am looking forward to finally buying some toys for it now that my son is out of day care (wooohooo got a raise hahaha)
Glad you’re ok from the accident.
Easy solution: New $48,995 starting price for 1500
My immediate question is whether they’re making this to be competitive in an already competitive class or if they’re phoning it in and are making it so they can upsell people into 1500s. I get that it’s a little tinfoil hat-ey but to me it’s almost always felt like the American manufacturers hold back with their midsizers because the half tons are the alpha, omega, and everything in between for their brands…and with the special financing all these companies have for their huge trucks they really do make it easy to lure less informed buyers in.
We’ll have to see. I’d lean towards they’re taking it seriously because RAM is one of the few branches of Stellantis that gets as many resources as they need and the RAM 1500 does seem to be the gold standard for that class at the moment, especially now that they’re shoving Hemis in them again (I’d still go Hurricane, don’t @ me).
Anyway despite my reputation as a Truck Hater I’ve actually toyed with the idea of getting a midsized truck. I have no use for a half ton in DC and the ridiculous size of the damn things would make them ridiculously cumbersome in the city to me and everyone around me. But a midsized? That would do quite well for dad duties. We love gardening, my family has jet skis that need towing every offseason, and muddy soccer cleats? Throw em in the bed.
My holdups (if anyone even cares lol) are the tiny backseats and the lousy fuel economy. It’s hard to get full sized humans and car seats to fit in them. The car seat safety ratings that cars dot com and other sites do basically say the Taco and Ford Fuckin Ranger are abysmal. The Colorado/Canyon pass with flying colors, but the legroom is somehow worse than in my fucking Kona. I mean…how? How do you even pull that off with a 5,000 pound vehicle that’s as long as a goddamn Suburban?
The fucking Turbomax also gets maybe 20 MPG combined in ideal conditions if you’re lucky. Again…how? GM dropped an insane amount of resources into that motor and it’s basically a V8 efficiency wise. It baffles me. Anyway, if RAM makes a PHEV that doesn’t suck ass (seemingly impossible) and has actual backseats with a manageable footprint I’d be interested!
But that won’t happen sadly. And guess what? All the companies have full sized trucks that meet all those requirements, they just conveniently cost $10,000 more and are the size of a small house! What a coincidence!
I’ve considered a mid-size pickup for similar reasons as a dad with 2 kids no longer in car seats, but have ultimately decided against it. The main reason is there’s nowhere for the dog to go, so if there’s anything lab sized in your future you might consider that. The third row in our Mazda5 works great for buckling her in for long trips and she can curl up just fine behind the back seat in my Mazda3 in a pinch, but the mid-sizers don’t give any room.
Other reasons: my girls are tall enough that they appreciate being able to recline their seats a bit instead of the vertical rear seatbacks of a lot of pickups. There’s not a great place to carry groceries or clean sports gear, luggage, etc, which I do a lot more than carrying muddy or wet stuff. Also tire costs lol.
I really like the current mid-size options. I was admiring my coworker’s Ranger just yesterday and there’s a Canyon in my neighborhood I like. We also camp and do a lot of outdoor stuff and home improvement projects. But pickups are still just too compromised for me with the bed, and I have a trailer for when I really need the space.
I’m not a fan of the turbomax, but my ’16 Colorado, with a 2″ level and 33″ AT tires got 17 mpg combined. So, there is some improvement there.
I just need to know one thing. Did you order your Burpees catalog?
This thing is DOA if they can’t get their hybrid act together.
Is it though? I’m not sure given the Ram demographics.
Opportunity for Stellantis to split it like GM has with GMC/Chevy
Ram as the “work” version where you can get a base model without power windows
Dodge as the luxo-margin version that starts half-way up the foodchain
With Stellantis’ latest marketing for the USA, I could see them marketing them as His/Her trucks.
That’s a good idea, I was one of those that never understood breaking Ram out into it’s own brand in the first place, it was always a Dodge to me. But making them two brands like GM? That’s brilliant
The theory I remember seeing was that when Chrysler was heading for bankruptcy, it would give them a way to spin off the truck line as a separate brand and sell it to a manufacturer who wanted to get into the truck business without the development costs.
Yeah, that was it, coming out of the restructuring, there were still concerns that the bailout wouldn’t take and Chrysler Group LLC (formerly known as CarCo Acquisition LLC) would wind up in bankruptcy again, splitting off RAM was supposed to make the light truck business easier to unwind from the rest of the company and sell separately if that occurred
Wow, I had never heard this. For the first time, it actually makes sense.
Hmm, I could see this, but I don’t think Dodge being the “premium” to Ram makes sense. But a non-Gladiator Jeep or Chrysler pickup doesn’t make a whole lot of sense, either.
GMC is kind of a unique anomaly of a brand where they’re specifically a luxury brand for trucks. Not even a Cadillac Colorado/Canyon makes much sense.
Everyone: We love the Ford Maverick with it’s size and affordability!
Stellantis: Hold my $40,000 beer.
Jeep: Please accept our apology letter for getting the Jeep Gladiator Royale with Cheese which may or may not self-combust.
The apology letter comes with a coupon for $1 off a Jeep Gladiator Royale with Cheese, with the purchase of another Jeep Gladiator Royale with Cheese.
Limited time offer; you now have 30 seconds accept and click the “ok” button* on-screen.
*Button available only on Gladiator Royale with Cheese, and enabled only when on major roads during peak traffic hours. Please do not attempt with any outstanding recall to limit risk of fire.
To be fair Ford also did away with the affordability part REAL quick. As soon as they saw how much demand there was for it they casually raised the price about $10,000 and hoped no one would notice.
My ’24 Mav XLT Hybrid was $30,100 tax, tag and shipping.
The 2026 Maverick XLT Hybrid with zero options starts at $30645 plus $1695 destination and $695 acquisition fees equals a base MSRP of $33035. Add tax and you will be at $35K plus most likely.
Remember when it started at $20,000? Pepperidge Farms remembers….
Your price may vary with the number of Fords you have owned and by your negotiating skills.
For real, I’d seriously consider a base Ranger (which is not as base anymore) instead of a base Maverick. It’s only about $4K more but it offers much more power, towing, features and interior quality
Please someone, anyone, take the PHEV mantle from Stellantis. I’m begging you
I understand their pricing, this is right where Ridgeline is. However, Honda doesn’t sell a lot, for several reasons. Really, they should offer a low-spec version for $29,995 and let people option it up.
For better or worse, the Ridgeline is also a crossover more than a “truck.” You can slap together an inexpensive mid-sizer with a simple frame and leaf springs, but a unibody costs more to get right. Compared to the Pilot starting price, the Ridgeline “Pilot with a bed” is a reasonable deal. Still, it’s a bummer they can’t get it to a more competitive price in the segment.
The real problem with the Ridgeline is twofold – 1 It looks like a Pilot with a bed (could double sales overnight if they just grafted the new Passport front end to it) and 2 It offers barely any fuel economy advantage over the more powerful and capable full-sizes with their respective mid tier engines