W ith the Ram 1500 Classic finally taking the long dirt nap and gearhead Tim Kuniskis at the helm of Ram Trucks, the time is now for a mid-size challenger to the Toyota Tacoma and

After years of rumors and speculation, Dodge has confirmed that a midsize Ram truck is finally on the way. Here's when you can expect it to arrive.

Stellantis will move ahead with plans to build a midsize pickup truck—likely for the Ram brand—at its idled assembly plant in Belvidere, Illinois, in 2027.

The last small Ram pickup sold in the US was the Dakota. The truck shared a platform with the Dodge Durango SUV and was discontinued in 2011. In its final years, sales dropped from a high of 177,000 to just 12,000. The small truck market fell apart during that time, as the trucks were barely more efficient or cheaper than full-sized offerings.

"We’re a truck brand and we don’t have a compact, we don’t have a mid-size," boss Tim Kuniskis said. "Kinda disingenuous to call me a truck brand, isn’t it?"

Stellantis will reportedly reopen its plant in Belvidere, Illinois, to build the forthcoming Ram midsize truck. The facility has been idle since 2023.

Ram's been out of the midsize pickup truck game for over a decade, and the market is hot. As of last year, trucks like the Toyota Tacoma, Chevrolet Colorado, and Ford Ranger are all new, and now Ram has confirmed that it will reenter the segment in 2027.

And Ram is gathering hand-raisers for the 1500 REV and Ramcharger trucks as deliveries are pushed back. A new report from Motor1 claims Stellantis (and thereby Ram) have confirmed that an all-new generation of the midsize Dakota pickup truck will return by the end of the decade.

Ram is going big on small trucks. The automaker has confirmed with the United Auto Workers that it plans to build a new midsize pickup at its currently idled Belvidere Assembly Plant in Illinois, the union said on Wednesday.

An unpleasant surprise unfolded in Surprise, Arizona recently when a Ram truck rammed its way through at least two parked vehicles. The seemingly random act has left a homeowner with a big mess and insurance claim process,

Rumored for years and finally revealed in a leaked UAW memo, the smaller pickup is set to fill an obvious hole in Ram's lineup.