Some say it will be called Ram 1200, or Rampage, but others still expect the 2024 Dodge Dakota to be out in the compact pickup market. Definitely the company has the intention to enter the new market. Ford is already there with Maverick, and Toyota is about to announce the new Stout truck. Like for the Ram 1200 or Dakota, we can hear rumors about Chevy’s small pickup.
The 2024 Dodge Dakota will be a crossover-based truck with great agility and not-so-high towing capacity. This is a new breed of vehicles with a focus on fuel economy and deliveries on urban streets. The new Dakota will probably use the same platform as the Jeep Cherokee. Although the all-new crossover is coming out next year, the architecture won’t change. That is the FCA Compact Wide platform, also available for other cars and SUVs.
Comeback Rumors Are Not New
Truckers could hear similar rumors before. We can say that Dakota is a legendary truck with a 25-year history. The economy crisis made the company cut this vehicle. Every year since 2011 we could find some news about the return. Probably the loudest speculations were a couple of years ago when the company announced the development of the mid-size pickup. Enthusiasts were sure the company will use an old nameplate and revive the Dodge Ram lineup.
But, that truck was Jeep Gladiator. The new model became interesting but failed to impress. So many of those disappointed fans were still keeping hopes for the all-new Dakota. It looks like the waiting is over, but the pickup will be much smaller than anyone expected. On the other hand, the comeback of the Dodge truck is something very interesting. The truckmaker could also go out with the Ram logo on the Dakota truck.
Three Generations of Dakota
The nameplate had a debut in 1987 and the first generation lasted for ten years. A V6 engine worked perfectly, and Dakota even appeared as a convertible model in 1989. Until the end of the first run, the truck had a few modifications and upgrades. All the time, the new model was under development and finally launched in 1997. Some of the highlights were the new R/T trim, a V8 engine and the truck even had an international breakthrough. The third-gen Dakota was in production between 2005 and 2011. It shared the platform with Durango SUV. It won’t be the case now, since the 2024 Dodge Dakota is going to be smaller.
Slow sales killed not only Dakota, but a few other trucks as well. But we saw the comeback of the Ford Ranger, and FCA builds smaller trucks again. As one of the leading truckmakers in the market, and part of the US big-3, the manufacturer won’t give up from competing in the small pickup segment with Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz.
2024 Dodge Dakota Specs, Towing Capacity
As a small commercial vehicle, the 2024 Dodge Dakota won’t need spectacular towing capacity. Around 3,000 pounds would do the job. Maverick can do 4,000 lbs thanks to the turbo engine. Since the Dakota is about to share the platform with the Cherokee crossover SUV, those two vehicles could have the same engines.
A 2.4-liter naturally-aspirated mill is the base solution. It might be dropped in the near future. 180 horsepower is not too much, but can be enough for the new Dodge Ram Dakota. Everyone would like to see a turbo drivetrain instead. A 2.0-liter displacement is ready to burst 270 hp, 20 ponies more than the Maverick. With this configuration, the Dakota would be more than competitive. Cherokee SUV with this engine can tow 4,000 pounds. The same engine is delivering 200 hp for the Compass crossover and the towing is limited to 2,000 lbs. Engineers will have the final word, obviously. Anyway, the 2.0-liter turbo engine seems to be a logical choice.
2024 Dodge Dakota Spy Photos (Ram 1200)
The new Ram truck was spied a few times. The company still hides a lot of details from fans. The most recent spy photos show more than ever, but there are a lot of questions to be resolved. We know the project is called “291”. Images show only some details. For example, there is a horizontal-bar front grille, which is unusual for Jeep vehicles. So, write off the new truck in this family.
The main question about the upcoming model is its name. For now, the Ram 1200 seems like a favorite. The company is not confirming it yet. Many fans still call their trucks Dodge Ram – 1500, HD. The new pickup might get a more distinctive name. Dakota is an old legend and it will be more recognizable than Ram 1200. Still, it will be hard to see it as the Dodge truck. Ram is now the biggest rival to Ford and the competition will be carried over to the new class.