Ram’s Midsize Truck Plan Spells Trouble For Tacoma

Ram’s upcoming midsize pickup just got much more exciting

We’ve known for some time that Ram intends to return to the midsize pickup segment, currently dominated by the likes of the Toyota Tacoma, Ford Ranger, and Chevrolet Colorado. Midsize pickups are a big deal in the U.S., so the fact that Ram doesn’t have one is surprising. The brand does sell a smaller pickup in the form of the Rampage in South America, but that’s more of a Ford Maverick-sized model.

One uncertain aspect of Ram’s upcoming pickup was whether it would use unibody or body-on-frame construction. Well, diehard truck fans will be happy, since a new report from Mopar Insiders suggests that this will be a proper body-on-frame pickup.

Towing And Off-Roading Should Match Tacoma And Colorado

Strong body-on-frame designs are superior for towing, while they can also absorb harsh impacts more effectively across uneven surfaces, so Ram’s pickup should be a good off-roader. At 7,700 pounds, the Chevy Colorado and GMC Canyon lead the class for maximum towing capacity, so this would be a good number for Ram to aim for. We also expect off-road-oriented trims, possibly smaller versions of the Ram 1500 Warlock, Rebel, and RHO.

Sources close to Mopar Insiders also confirmed that the new Ram pickup will only come in four-door Crew Cab form, so there won’t be something to compete directly against the Nissan Frontier King Cab. 

We don’t know what it will be called – the Dakota name could possibly be revived – but the new Ram will be built at the Belvidere Assembly Plant in Illinois, and production will begin in 2027.

Expected Pricing, Powertrains, And Unibody Rivals

The new Ram midsizer is expected to start at around $32,000, which would be around $8k cheaper than the current full-size 1500. Powertrains are unconfirmed, but previous comments from Stellantis suggest we could see gas, hybrid, and even electric versions.

The new Ram will also have to contend with a few smaller unibody pickups that won’t be as capable, but are more suited to lighter work and better to drive in the city. These include the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz; pricing of the upper trims of these models overlaps with the more affordable mid-size pickups. Elsewhere, the Honda Ridgeline is one of the most underrated pickups in America, but its unibody design holds it back against more hardcore rivals. There’s also the Slate electric pickup with its budget-friendly price, and all of these models will be vying for a slice of the truck market below the bulky full-size models.

Things are shaping up nicely for a midsize truck battle between Toyota (the top-seller in this segment) and America’s Big 3 truck brands.