Why Ram’s new midsize pickup truck could change the U.S. market?

For the United States, the Dodge/Ram Dakota stopped being produced in 2011. Since then, the mid-size pickup truck segment has gained popularity in that country, but Stellantis was left out. Finally, though, Ram is working on a new midsize pickup truck, and as part of a $13 billion investment in the U.S., the automaker confirmed the pickup would begin production in 2028. Better late than never.

Stellantis confirmed it will build the midsize pickup truck at its Toledo, Ohio, factory, where it currently builds the Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator. This seems to confirm that the new pickup will have a body on a chassis, and not a unibody, like the Honda Ridgeline or Hyundai Santa Cruz. Ram is going after the heart of the segment – the Ford Ranger, Chevrolet Colorado/GMC Canyon and Toyota Tacoma.

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Source: Ram

The automaker initially planned to build this pickup at the recently closed Belvidere, Illinois, plant. Instead, Stellantis will reopen the factory in 2027 to build the new Jeep Cherokee and Compass, the latter of which was not initially confirmed for the United States. Stellantis also announced that it will build a new large internal combustion SUV and range-extended EV in Warren, Michigan, and that it will begin building a new Durango in Detroit in 2029.

“This U.S. investment – the largest in the company’s history – will drive our growth, strengthen our manufacturing footprint and bring more American jobs to the states we call home,” Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa said in a statement. “As we embark on our next 100 years, we are putting the customer at the center of our strategy by expanding our vehicle offerings and giving them the freedom to choose the products they want and love.”

The Brazilian Dakota will not be the pickup truck for the USA

Photo by: Ram

This is all part of Filosa’s plan to undo years of mistakes at Stellantis. Under his predecessor, Carlos Tavares, Stellantis canceled customer-favorite V8 models, launched lackluster electric vehicles and failed to move Jeep upmarket. Apparently it’s making all the right moves, and the reintroduction of the Ram 1500 V8 and the arrival of the Cherokee and Compass are big, immediate steps.

But the fact that the mid-size pickup won’t be released until 2028 and the new Durango is even further away shows how far behind this company is. It’s a long road ahead. Meanwhile, Brazil will have a Dakota, but based on the Fiat Titano, a Chinese project.