Ram confirms mid-size ute for 2027
Ram is preparing a run at the mid-size ute market, with Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa confirming a new model will debut in 2027 to take on the likes of the Ford Ranger and Toyota Hilux.
Speaking at the Kepler Cheuvreux Autumn Conference in Europe, Filosa said he had recently seen a full-size clay model of the truck at Ram’s Detroit design centre, describing it as “beautiful” and “amazing.” While short on technical detail, he promised the ute would arrive with “very good” specifications.
The new model will mark Ram’s first entry into the mid-size segment since the Dakota was discontinued in 2011 in the US. Unlike that truck, the newcomer will reportedly sit on a shortened version of the STLA Frame platform – the same architecture underpinning the Ram 1500 Ramcharger range-extender. That means it should be capable of supporting petrol, plug-in hybrid, and full electric powertrains, though exact options remain unconfirmed.
As for the badge, the Dakota nameplate is off the table, with Ram reusing it for a separate South American-market model launching next year. Reports indicate the 2027 ute could be offered exclusively in Double Cab configuration, targeting US buyers who demand four-door practicality.
Pricing is tipped to start in the low-to-mid US$30,000 bracket, positioning it directly against Chevrolet’s Colorado and Toyota’s Tacoma in North America. If the new Ram ute eventually makes its way to New Zealand, it would give buyers another option in a segment dominated locally by Ranger, Hilux, and the increasingly popular GWM Cannon.
