Production of the new midsize truck is expected to begin in 2027 at the Belvidere Assembly Plant in Illinois
July 9, 2025 at 12:30
- Ram’s midsize pickup will reportedly ride on a body-on-frame chassis like the Gladiator.
- To rival the Ford Ranger and Toyota Tacoma, prices need to start at around $33,000.
- The new truck will serve as a successor to the Ram Dakota that was axed in 2011.
After years of anticipation and industry speculation, Ram’s long-awaited midsize pickup for the North American market finally appears to be moving closer to reality. The idea has been under consideration since at least 2021, and last year, Ram confirmed that a new model would officially make it to market.
While key details are still under wraps, a recent report sheds light on one of the biggest questions surrounding the truck: its underlying architecture.
Read: Ram Boss “Desperately” Wants A Smaller Pickup
As Ram has remained quite tight-lipped about its mid-size pickup over the past couple of years, the internet has been left to speculate if it would serve as a rival to the Ford Ranger, Toyota Tacoma, Chevrolet Colorado, and GMC Canyon in adopting a body-on-frame design, or if it would be a unibody model, rivaling the Hyundai Santa Cruz and Ford Maverick.
Well, according to Mopar Insiders, it will be a body-on-frame rival to the Tacoma, Ranger, and others. It’s understood that the new Ram’s chassis will be similar to that of the Jeep Gladiator.
The report also notes that Ram plans to offer the new truck exclusively as a four-door Crew Cab. Production is expected to begin in 2027 at the company’s Belvidere Assembly Plant in Illinois. According to Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis, the model is intended to fill the gap left by the discontinued 1500 Classic, offering a more affordable entry point in the lineup.
What About Price?
For the new midsize pickup to be successful, pricing will be key. In the US, both the Ford Ranger and Toyota Tacoma start at around $33,000, setting a clear baseline that Ram would be smart to match. Offering a range of powertrains could also boost appeal, especially if a performance-focused variant is part of the mix.
One possibility might be the 3.0-liter twin-turbo Hurricane six, already in use across other Stellantis models, which could give Ram a credible answer to the Ranger Raptor.
The last mid-size pickup from Ram sold in the US was the Dakota, but it was axed in 2011. Ram currently sells two smaller pickups in overseas markets. The first is the Rampage, sharing its unibody underpinnings with the Jeep Compass and Commander, while the second is the 1200, featuring a ladder-frame design and serving as a sister model to the Fiat Titano and Peugeot Landtrek.
