The small truck segment in the United States is currently limited to just the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz, which are both enjoying good demand from customers. It seems that Ram also wants a piece of the pie and is considering launching a small pickup truck for the US market. Nothing is set in stone at this point but there are strong hints coming from the brand’s CEO.
Autoblog had the chance to talk with Mike Koval, Ram’s boss, at the ongoing Detroit Auto Show and he had some very interesting pieces of information to share. He didn’t go into too many details but said the marque is “actively and aggressively” considering a small truck that would sit below the current Ram 1500. To our eyes, this is a direct competitor for the Ford Maverick and Hyundai Santa Cruz.
Gallery: RAM 700 (Fiat Strada) 2021
Not much other information was shared with the publication but it made an analysis of Ram’s potential platforms for this new truck. The Gladiator architecture seems like the most logical option as it is US-certified and is a traditional truck platform in terms of construction. Autoblog also sees potential in platforms from other brands under the Stellantis umbrella and French company Peugeot has the Landtrek small truck as a possible alternative.
Let’s not forget that Ram already sells a sub-compact truck in Mexico and South America. The Ram 700 is a good example with its 1,653 pounds (750 kilograms) of payload, 40.36 cubic feet (1,143 liters) of cargo space, and 882 pounds (400 kilograms) of towing ability. This Fiat-based small truck probably won’t meet Ram’s standards for refinement and performance in the United States, though.
The automaker’s CEO also hinted at big news coming from the Ram HD family in October. Koval didn’t go into detail but with a refreshed Ford Super Duty coming soon, it would make sense for Ram’s heavy-duty truck to gain some improvements, too. Last but not least, Ram will also show the Revolution concept a month later as a preview of the future all-electric version of the Ram 1500.
