2028 RAM Dakota: People are saying that Ram’s Dakota pickup truck, which is a mid-size model, is about to make a comeback. The Dakota was a big player in the mid-size truck class until it was discontinued after the 2011 model year.
Since then, the market has witnessed a boom in goods and consumer interest. There isn’t much information available, but we suspect Ram might put a turbocharged four-cylinder engine or even the Hurricane turbo inline-six under the Dakota’s hood.
We think the Dakota will use a body-on-frame chassis like the Chevy Colorado and Ford Ranger, which is more like a truck than a car. The styling will probably be similar to the full-size Ram 1500 pickup.
We’ll provide more details about this story when we learn more about the new Dakota.
Next-Gen Highlights
When the Dakota returns to production, it will be a new pickup truck. That date is at least a few years away, though.
2028 RAM Dakota Report
People say the 2028 Ram Dakota midsize pickup truck is built using the BOF. Many people miss the Dodge Dakota, which will be replaced in 2027.
For its last two years of manufacturing, it was called the Ram Dakota. The midsize pickup is expected to hit stores in the 2028 model year. Reports say it will have a body-on-frame setup.
Initially rumored to be built on the STLA Large unibody platform, the 2028 Ram Dakota would make sense with its body-on-frame foundations. Mopar Insiders said that the midsize truck will start being produced at Stellantis North America’s Belvidere Assembly Plant in 2027, but they don’t say who they are.
But it’s not clear why Stellantis North America can’t change the Gladiator’s look to look like a Ram. Still, the Ram truck brand knows how critical midsize trucks are, as the base price of half-ton pickup trucks keeps increasing.
The most basic half-ton pickup vehicles are getting closer to the $40,000 barrier. The 2025 Ram 1500 is already more expensive than that. Ram charges $40,275 for a rear-wheel-drive Tradesman with a Quad cab, 6’4″ box, and a V6 engine from the outset.
The Gladiator also has the 3.6-liter Pentastar engine in question, but it doesn’t have 48-volt support. The 48-volt system, which is sold under the name eTorque, replaces the old alternator with a motor-generator coupled to a lithium-ion battery with NMC cells and 430 watt-hours of power.
The Dakotas’ long-awaited return will probably steal something from the next-generation Wrangler, perhaps a battery-electric motor with an extensive range. The UAW-Stellantis hourly labor agreement from 2023 says that manufacture of the J70 series Wrangler will start at the Toledo Assembly Complex around 2028.
2028 RAM Dakota Nightfall
The 2028 RAM Dakota concept is exciting, especially considering the RAM Dakota Nightfall. Carbuzz says that this idea isn’t a pickup truck that will be made in large numbers.
On the other hand, the Ram Dakota Nightfall concept shows off the production truck that will bring back the Dakota nameplate. Even though it could be called a concept, this is the final production design, complete with different accessories and a unique paint job.
The last time the Dakota nameplate was used was in 2011 for the third-generation midsize pickup truck. But it hasn’t been active since then, and with calls for Ram to get back into the midsize market that the Toyota Tacoma dominates, it’s ready to come back.
The new idea seems suitable for the US in terms of style. It takes the design language of the bigger Ram 1500 and makes it look flawless. The grille has Ram’s distinctive bold writing and is flanked on each side by thin headlights. A full-width light bar sits on top. The sculpted hood has a top-mounted intake scoop with three LED lights, which are taken from the Ram TRX, which is the V8 super truck Ram has just confirmed will return.
Some extras are a sports bar with LED lighting, an electronic winch built into the steel front bumper, side stairs, and a spare tire installed on the bed. This idea has 18-inch alloy beadlock wheels with 33-inch all-terrain tires, by the way.
The Nightfall concept’s suspension is firm, though. It has a raised Fox suspension, typical of the TRX and other Ford Raptor off-road vehicles.
We don’t know for sure what engine this car has yet. Although the engine is crucial in this case, Ram hasn’t spoken about it yet. They also haven’t said if this automobile is constructed on a new platform or the same one that the rest of the Stellantis series uses.
We strongly suspect that the new Dakota is related to the Peugeot Landtrek (the silver car pictured), even though it’s not explicitly stated so. The greenhouse’s unique elements include the shape of the C-pillar garnish and the way the lower window line of the rear doors turns up.
The two are very similar, and if you look closely, the wrinkles on the doors are the same. This suggests that Dakota might use the same 2.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine from Mitsubishi, which makes up to 207 horsepower and 236 lb-ft of torque, which are good numbers for this vehicle class.
The Landtrek isn’t a Stellantis product; it’s a platform-engineered pickup vehicle based on the Changan F70, a Chinese mid-size truck. This immediately suggests that this version of the Dakota will never be sold in the US for two reasons.
The Chicken Tax would immediately make any truck made outside of the US subject to very high taxes. When you add in the over 100% tax on parts from China, these Dakotas would become quite expensive in the US.
We truly enjoy this idea.
That, along with a well-known and respected name among American consumers, would make this truck successful in the US. But this could only happen if the production version were changed significantly and made in the US.
We can’t rule out the idea because Kuniskis said the US needs a mid-size truck. But from where we stand, it’s doubtful that this is the Dakota we’ll see in the US.
2028 RAM Dakota Price
The 2028 Ram Dakota will cost between $35,000 and $48,000, depending on the trim and options. We don’t know yet what trims the Dakota will have or how much each one will cost, but we think Ram will follow the 1500’s rules and provide low-priced Tradesman and Laramie trims and higher-end Rebel and Limited trims.
| Models | Price MSRP |
| Tradesman | $35,000 (est) |
| Big Horn | $38,000 (est) |
| Laramie | $42,000 (est) |
| Rebel | $45,000 (est) |
| Limited | $48,000 (est) |
Verdict
The 2028 Ram Dakota will be one of the most exciting comebacks in the midsize truck market. With its bold appearance, body-on-frame construction, and promise of modern powertrain options, the Dakota is ready to take its place among the best pickups on the market again. There are still many facts that aren’t public, but the frenzy about its reintroduction illustrates how much the marque still means to both car fans and regular people.
We will continue to bring you the latest information, pricing data, and first glances at the Dakota’s production-ready model as new updates become available. To ensure you don’t miss any important news about the Ram Dakota’s voyage to showrooms, be sure to bookmark this site and check back often. The road ahead looks good, and you’ll want to stick with us for every mile.
