It’s well known that an all-new Ram Dakota midsize pickup truck is coming soon. It is now confirmed that it will be called the Dakota. The new production truck is further solidified since it was recently shown to dealers in a secret meeting in Las Vegas, Nevada. Here’s what to expect, and everything we know so far. Let’s dig in!
2028 Ram Dakota
Ram has stated that the new Dakota midsize pickup truck will be a substantial contender, and it will be built at the Toledo North Assembly Plant in Ohio. The current Jeep Gladiator is currently built at the same complex – the Toledo South Assembly Plant. Ram did not yet specify an exact Dakota start of production date, but many estimates peg it as starting in “late 2027”. We expect it to be a 2028 model.
Considering where it will be built – this leads us to believe that the next Dakota may have a lot in common with the current and the next Jeep Gladiator pickup truck. This means – a body-on-frame construction and a solid rear axle. We expect the Dakota to have an independent front suspension system. The Gladiator should continue to be a hard-core off-road model. The Dakota should offer a lower starting price, a better value, and compete more directly with the base models of the Toyota Tacoma, Chevy Colorado, Ford Ranger, and the Nissan Frontier (just to name a few).
Dakota pickup truck – what to expect:
- body-on-frame construction
- solid rear axle and an independent front suspension
- share many chassis components with the Jeep Gladiator
- offer 2WD and 4×4 drivetrains
- offer many trim levels (Tradesman, Big Horn, Laramie, and more)
- offer a distinct exterior look (not a smaller Ram 1500)
Powertrain?
What will power the new Ram Dakota? We don’t have any specifics from Ram at this time. Here are some choices.
- 3.6L Pentastar V6? It may continue as a base engine.
- New 2.0L Hurricane4 Turbo? It’s the new engine from the 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee.
- New Gas/Electric Hybrid? Stellantis just killed the 4xe plug-in hybrid, so it’s unclear.
- Hemi V8? This is unlikely.
- Range-Extended REV? This is unlikely.
- EV? This is unlikely.
The 3.6L Pentastar V6 is still a viable and durable engine option. It can offer 285-305 horsepower. It can also be a value option. The new 2.0L Hurricane4 turbocharged engine is using a high-tech injection and combustion system to produce 324 hp and 332 lb-ft of torque in the Grand Cherokee. This engine is designed to have improved emissions and impressive efficiency. This new turbo-4 is rated to tow up to 6,200 lbs in the Grand Cherokee. Everything else is a wild card.
Personally, I think Ram needs to also a gas/electric hybrid system in their midsize trucks in order to compete against the Toyota Tacoma hybrid and other upcoming hybrid powertrains (such as the new Ford hybrid and the Honda hybrid systems).
Capability?
The new Dakota needs to have between around 1,200 – 1,600 lbs of payload capacity to be competitive. It also needs to tow up to 7,700 lbs. These are the benchmarks set by the Ford Ranger, Chevy Colorado, and the Jeep Gladiator.
The Dakota also needs to be competent off-road. It should be able to go where the Tacoma TRD Pro, the Colorado ZR2, and the Ranger Raptor can travel. I am thinking about the Dakota Rebel and RHO variants coming in the future as well.
What do you think? Let us know in the comments below.
Join Kase and I below for a detailed discussion on this topic at our TFL Talkin’ Trucks podcast.
