[CASD]

I thought this looked great............

 

[Walking Black Bear]

Looks like this one ... unofficial render of a "Ram 1000 Rebel" - Ram 1000 Rebel Unofficial Rendering Depicts A Maverick Competitor (motor1.com)

The Ram 1000 is absolutely a thing, sibling truck to the Fiat Toro. (The Ram 1000 Could Be Our New Compact Ram Pickup (motorbiscuit.com)) There's also a Ram 700 in some countries, smaller yet. It's just North America that frowns upon the mini-trucks/utes.

 

[ToadVine]

Well, well, well... so the Santa Cruz is not the last train to Clarkville after all.
And, it comes in Candy Apple Red -- yowza!

 

[Walking Black Bear]

No, not by a long shot - you just have to be in a global market where their main concerns aren't California or the bigger, more power mantra. North Americans are quite famous for our love of excess. "Sure, I don't NEED it - but I want it anyway!" #firstworldproblems

There are some really cool smaller truck/vehicles in general that simply don't exist in North America. One of the reasons I always loved watching Top Gear and seeing some of the European vehicles/brands that will never touch our shores.

 

[CASD]

Well just think your Cruz could look like that or close

 

[JMII]

There are some really cool smaller truck/vehicles in general that simply don't exist in North America.

For my job I was sent to work in Brazil for two weeks and small pickups, based on cars like the SC, were everywhere. People don't make much money and the cities are very dense... thus nobody owns a full-size truck down there.

 

[MrCruz]

Ram IS working on a smaller truck for the NA market, but I cant imagine it'll have anything to do with Ram 1000, Fiat Toro or Ram 700 or the Fiat Strada.
Im also inclined to believe that it will in fact be 100% Electric based on Stellantis' EV day a few weeks ago. I would expect the Dakota name to come back but its entirely possible something like Rampage or an electric-themed name comes into play. That said, expect a midsized truck...not something to compete with Hyundai SC or Maverick.

Looks like this one ... unofficial render of a "Ram 1000 Rebel" - Ram 1000 Rebel Unofficial Rendering Depicts A Maverick Competitor (motor1.com)

The Ram 1000 is absolutely a thing, sibling truck to the Fiat Toro. (The Ram 1000 Could Be Our New Compact Ram Pickup (motorbiscuit.com)) There's also a Ram 700 in some countries, smaller yet. It's just North America that frowns upon the mini-trucks/utes.

 

[Walking Black Bear]

There's been buzz about the Dakota name coming back for years. For a strictly truck brand, it's shocking that Ram really only has one model. (I don't count the new style and classic as two trucks.) If they wait for their electrification game, three years NOT in a segment is enough to give other brands time to build a reputation and push you out.

With a couple of players in the 'compact' segment now, and at least the Maverick generating a lot of hype (that Ford now has to hope it lives up to!), the Stellantis group really needs to act quickly if it becomes a hot commodity. Or they'll wait just long enough that nobody will care when they get there.

 

[MrCruz]

There's been buzz about the Dakota name coming back for years. For a strictly truck brand, it's shocking that Ram really only has one model. (I don't count the new style and classic as two trucks.) If they wait for their electrification game, three years NOT in a segment is enough to give other brands time to build a reputation and push you out.

With a couple of players in the 'compact' segment now, and at least the Maverick generating a lot of hype (that Ford now has to hope it lives up to!), the Stellantis group really needs to act quickly if it becomes a hot commodity. Or they'll wait just long enough that nobody will care when they get there.

Great points!
The hope, though, is that RAM builds a midsized truck, i.e. the Dakota, on the Gladiator's current platform but gives it some niceties that the 1500 has for ride comfort. The Gladiator is more comfortable than the wrangler due to its length, but its no Ram 1500 with air ride suspension.
The only problem with building the Dakota at the Gladiator plant is capacity. Hyundai owns the plant that builds the frame/chassis for the gladiator. After it is built, it goes through a passage into the FCA owned plant that previously build the cherokee. The plant next door makes the Wrangler (Toledo North and Toledo South). That Hyundai (Mobis) plant is pretty much at capacity because they build gladiators for other markets too. If demand for Gladiators slows, sure, throw in another model and spread the engineering and manufacturing costs a bit. They COULD build a dakota at SHAP in Sterling Heights Michigan but my guess is they will build the current ram and then the EV models side-by-side.
Stellantis wont shell out for another new plant, and connor assembly is too small. They COULD build a Dakota in Mexico at the Saltillo plant or even at Toluca where the Compass is made (and where the PT cruiser and fiat 500 were made).
If they were willing to do it, they should bring the RAM 1000 or Fiat Toro up to US Safety standards and bring that here. Problem there is volume.
Lots of options, and as you said, something worth jumping on now rather than later.
But FYI to everyone else, Santa Cruz and Maverick are NOT super offroad capable. The SC is based on the same CAR platform as the elantra, sonata, and Tucson (and I think santa fe but dont quote me on that). So it'll drive smooth and more like a car but good luck taking it to Moab. Same thing with Maverick. Ford's compact truck was a replacement for the Fiesta, Focus AND technically the Fusion. It even shares its platform with those smaller vehicles. So it too is a city truck first and a weekend warrior 2nd. In some ways, the SC is better in power than the Canyon and Colorado, but once you start talking ZR2 and Bison and AT4 off road, especially with the diesel, the SC falls short.

 

[JMII]

But FYI to everyone else, Santa Cruz and Maverick are NOT super offroad capable. The SC is based on the same CAR platform as the elantra, sonata, and Tucson (and I think santa fe but dont quote me on that). So it'll drive smooth and more like a car but good luck taking it to Moab. Same thing with Maverick. Ford's compact truck was a replacement for the Fiesta, Focus AND technically the Fusion. It even shares its platform with those smaller vehicles. So it too is a city truck first and a weekend warrior 2nd. In some ways, the SC is better in power than the Canyon and Colorado, but once you start talking ZR2 and Bison and AT4 off road, especially with the diesel, the SC falls short.

Bingo. The more car-like nature of the SC is what got me interested in it. Once it was revealed that it matched the Ranger in power I was pretty much all in. I love my Dakota size wise, its just the mileage and the ride quality that has me seeking a replacement. Plus I want more highway driving tech like radar cruise & lane keeping plus a more appointed interior for those long hauls to and from the boat ramp.

If a modernized Dak was available I would be interested for sure, but IF it happens (and that's a big if) it will be too late. The Ranger is close but its a touch bigger then I wanted, plus it still rides like a truck. In fact most reports indicate that the ride is sub-par to poor (on road). Several reviews and the Ranger forums confirm the stock suspension isn't great, like because its a world vehicle and wasn't tuned for American's preferences / expectations.

With the Jeep and new Bronco anyone who wants a true off roader has plenty to chose from. Plus there are also plenty of soft-roader CUVs on the market but none offer an open bed and that is where the SC and Maverick come in. There are some things you just don't want riding in the cabin with you since they are smelly or dirty.

 

[ToadVine]

... There are some things you just don't want riding in the cabin with you since they are smelly or dirty.

Yeah, I've also got a couple of friends like that.

 

[Rxturbo7man]

There's been buzz about the Dakota name coming back for years. For a strictly truck brand, it's shocking that Ram really only has one model. (I don't count the new style and classic as two trucks.) If they wait for their electrification game, three years NOT in a segment is enough to give other brands time to build a reputation and push you out.

With a couple of players in the 'compact' segment now, and at least the Maverick generating a lot of hype (that Ford now has to hope it lives up to!), the Stellantis group really needs to act quickly if it becomes a hot commodity. Or they'll wait just long enough that nobody will care when they get there.

If they do you know Stellantis will have a performance small truck, they put hemis in everything. Stellantis, not exactly a catchy name.

 

[Walking Black Bear]

Hemi's are like Frank's Red Hot ... they put that **** in everything!