Ram confirms the return of the Dakota name
Ram's new mid-size pickup truck for the North American market will arrive in 2027, as announced in September by Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa. Now we know it will be called Dakota.
Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis took advantage of a media event in Michigan this week—which The Car Guide attended—to confirm the return of the name that was abandoned in 2011.
This isn't really a surprise, mind you. The company would have been crazy to call it anything other than Dakota, such as 1200, which is the name of the mid-size pickup sold in Mexico and the Middle East. “Yes, we're going to call it Dakota. It's obvious, why not call it Dakota?” Kuniskis told reporters.
We still don't know when the unveiling will take place. However, we can tell you that the new Dakota will have a separate ladder frame (body-on-frame), will offer several engine options (including possibly a hybrid) and will be built in Toledo, Ohio, alongside the Jeep Gladiator. It will likely be a 2028 model.
The vehicle will not only fill a gap in Ram's lineup, but it will also attract buyers who find the full-size Ram 1500 too expensive, especially since the Ram 1500 Classic was discontinued. Kuniskis mentioned a base price of around US$40,000, but what about Canada?
In the shorter term, Ram is continuing its offensive. The return of the HEMI V8 in the Ram 1500 is so successful that supply cannot keep up with demand. In addition, the company is preparing an unveiling for January 1. Based on the short video posted online, we can expect the new Ram 1500 TRX. Follow The Car Guide so you don't miss a thing!
