FCA is in the mid-size truck segment. But, fans want Ram and experts believe this truck would be selling better. One nameplate is being mentioned pretty often. The 2023 Ram Dakota might be the truck under the spotlight for the new season. Yes, an old Dodge nameplate will be used to battle GMC Canyon, Ford Ranger, Chevy Colorado…
The company is pretty active in this segment. After Jeep Gladiator, the truckmaker launched the Ram 700 in South America. However, this one would be considered as the small pickup. It might be available in the US soon, if the FCA decides to go against Ford Maverick. Anyway, the 2023 Ram Dakota is the most interesting model. Enthusiasts want to see it as soon as possible.
What Kind of a Drivetrain the 2023 Ram Dakota Will Use?
This should be an easy question. Mid-size trucks are offering the best performance with a V6 engine. FCA is probably delivering the 2023 Ram Dakota with a 3.6-liter displacement. We’ll see what kind of figures this powerplant is going to offer with the new pickup. It might be tuned to 300 hp and 270 lb-ft of torque. That is something we expect from such a vehicle.
More important – what will be the towing capacity of the new 2023 Dodge Dakota? To be competitive, the truck needs to haul at least 6,500 pounds. Well, that is still far away from the best in the class records. So, engineers will do their best to bring the towing capacity over 7,000 lbs, which is good for a truck that uses a petrol unit.
Rear-wheel drive will be standard, AWD optional, and another possibility should be a kind of a four-cylinder engine. Those are not pretty popular, but truckmakers still keep them as the entry-level options.
2023 Ram Dakota Diesel
Unfortunately, the 2023 Ram Dakota diesel is not going to happen. FCA installed a big 3,0-liter turbodiesel into the Jeep Gladiator, which was a reason for critics. Nevertheless, it is the only alternative to the Chevy Colorado Duramax, since Toyota does not intend to add oil burners to their trucks. Even Ford is leaving the idea of Ranger diesel. A six-cylinder engine is available in a larger Ram 1500, so it is unlikely to see the most popular pickup sharing the drivetrain with smaller models.
Release Date in the US
The truckmaker has big appetites in the biggest pickup market in the world. The launching of the Ram TRX with Hellcat engine made Ford invest into more potent Raptor truck. Now, it is turn for the 2023 Ram Dakota to shake things up in the mid-size market. Jeep Gladiator drew a lot of attention. But, many experts believe that FCA wants more. The comeback of Dakota is already making the truck pretty popular. However, there is a lot more than the wish of buyers. The price is going to depend on the engine for the base model. With a V6, the MSRP should start around $28,000. With the growing interest in hybrid trucks, those vehicles should appear soon. FCA wants to be first in this segment as well.