Ram weighs return of midsize pickup

DETROIT — It's been 11 years since Ram offered a midsize pickup, and it appears the brand is considering getting back into the segment.

Before it makes a move, Ram wants dealers to get a look at its vision.

Ram CEO Mike Koval Jr. said he's considering showing retailers an early concept of a midsize truck in March "to gauge their interest." It's not clear at this point if the concept would be a rendering or a physical mock-up.

Ram hasn't competed in the midsize segment since 2011, when production of the Dakota — formerly a Dodge nameplate — ceased after a 25-year run. The category is dominated by the Toyota Tacoma, which logged 108,648 U.S. sales in the first half of this year, more than double the volume of its nearest competitor, the Chevrolet Colorado. Chevy sold 44,190 Colorados in the same six-month period.

"We've always said we know that on a global basis, probably the biggest area, the biggest white space opportunity for our brand to grow, has been the midsize pickup," Koval told Automotive News at the Detroit auto show. "We're looking at it, believe me, I am. We'll see, but I am thinking about bringing it and giving our dealers a sneak peek."

A Ram midsize hauler has been a source of speculation for years. Former Fiat Chrysler Automobiles CEO Mike Manley said in 2019 that the automaker was focused on a "metric ton midsize-truck solution." Although the company had just begun selling the midsize Jeep Gladiator pickup, Manley said the off-roader didn't fill the midsize hole because it served "a different mission." Reports then emerged in 2020 that FCA had trademarked the Dakota name again.

Randy Dye, chairman of the Stellantis National Dealer Council, said a smaller Ram entry couldn't just be a shrunken version of the 1500. He thinks the audience for a midsize truck would be younger and have different expectations.

Dye said it makes sense for the brand to rejoin the segment, but it will need to make sure the quality is equal to the standard that Ram has set with its full-size trucks.

Ram will have to "keep the brand identity," Dye said, and make sure it knows what the consumer is asking for in that space.

A new midsize Ram "would be a little more youthful version of our truck," Dye said. "Obviously, there's going to be some luxury associated with it. I think it's going to be more about being sporty and being youthful."

The Tacoma has been the best-selling midsize pickup in the U.S. for 17 consecutive years. The Ford Ranger ranked second in 2021 with 94,755 deliveries, followed by the Gladiator in third, at 89,712.

Kelley Blue Book Editor Matt Degen said Toyota's dominance has strengthened as other brands pulled out over the years.

The automaker kept making investments in the Tacoma, Degen said, and building a fanbase along the way thanks to the truck's longevity and reliability.

Degen said Ram has a strong blueprint with the 1500 that it can pull from for a midsize offering if it decides to get back into this space.

"Ram might even take a few lessons from its own 1500, which is a really nice truck," Degen said. "They offer a lot of different models, features. Maybe Ram can even do something like a TRX junior in the midsize segment to appeal to those folks who want something really, really capable that really stands out for that off-roading core."

Paul Waatti, an analyst at AutoPacific, said there are plenty of consumers who would like a pickup but not a full-size one.

He said midsize pickup buyers are often willing to pay full-size prices for a smaller truck because it better fits their needs.

"Whether Ram decides to go unibody or traditional frame with a midsize pickup to fill the hole in its portfolio, consumer preferences and interest in pickups suggest the midsize segment has more than enough room for another nameplate," Waatti said in an email.

"Ram has found a formula to capture increased market share with its latest generation trucks, and much of that is by offering near-luxury level interiors and tech," he said. "A Ram midsize pickup would undoubtedly follow this path, and given the trajectory of Ram and Stellantis as a whole, various forms of electrification should be on offer."