Ram CEO Confirms Upcoming Midsize Pickup Will Be Called the Dakota

Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis confirmed to media this afternoon that the truck brand is working on a smaller pickup that will enter the expanding midsize segment. He also confirmed that, as has long been rumoured, it will be called the Dakota.

Speaking to media at a brand update in Michigan, Kuniskis said that the automaker is looking to add a more affordable pickup to its lineup. That will mean marketing a smaller truck that will likely compete with the Ford Ranger, Chevrolet Colorado, and GMC Canyon.

In confirming the truck, the CEO said that his brand is looking to hit a roughly US$40,000 price point (CAD$55,000). That’s an interesting figure, since consumer-oriented Rangers start at around US$35,000. The price is in line with non-work-truck versions of the Colorado, though.

Kuniskis called the use of the Dakota name a “no brainer.” Indeed, the nameplate has history with the brand, and was used by Dodge for its midsize truck between 1987 and 2011.

The Dakota went out of production because of the declining popularity of the midsize pickup segment in the 2010s and its relatively high price. By the end of its life, the midsize truck wasn’t all that much cheaper than the larger Ram 1500. Now, though, the midsize pickup segment is healthier and the automaker has stopped selling its last-generation 1500 — Ram sold the fourth- and fifth-generation 1500s simultaneously for a short period, offering the older truck as a lower-price alternative to the newer one.

Unfortunately, additional details such as launch timing and powertrain are not available at time of writing.