'Very strong': Ram's huge Dakota promise that should have the Toyota HiLux, Ford Ranger, BYD Shark 6 and Kia Tasman worried and shake up Australia's dual-cab ute market

The Ram Dakota has only just been confirmed by the brand's most senior American executive, but already the mid-sized monster seems locked in for an Australian launch to do battle with the Ford Ranger, Toyota HiLux and BYD Shark 6.

What's more, it's likely to be produced in right-hand drive from the factory, rather than remanufactured from left-hand drive in Australia.

That's the promise made by former Ram boss Mike Koval, who told CarsGuide back in 2023 that the new model would be "international in scope", while also confirming ICE and electrified powertrains.

When asked if the Dakota would be offered in left- and right-hand drive from the factory, Mr Koval replied: “It would always be the idea", before adding "I would be doing the team a disservice if I didn’t (offer ICE). I want to be able to sell it in every market around the world."

“When I got to the brand in 2016, I would say 96 percent of the engineering focus was on North America. That’s changing. Every new vehicle, starting with the (Ram 1500 REV), and everything beyond it, I will make it international in scope. Or I’ll try to," he told CarsGuide.

Mr Koval left Stellantis earlier this month, which means his promise to make a global impact with the brand's new mid-size ute falls on new Ram boss Tim Kuniskis and Stellantis CEO Antonio Filosa, with the latter confirming the Ram Dakota ‘mid-size’ pick-up for North American would go into production in 2027.

The company chief said the model had progressed past sketches and into the clay model stage, and was currently housed in the company's design studio.

"Two weeks ago, it was in our design center in Detroit, and I saw the (truck) itself, not only the sketches and designs but the clay model. And it’s just beautiful," he told the Kepler Cheuvreux Autumn Conference 2025.

"All the specs that we are imagining in the product briefing are very good in the segment. And so, by 2027, we will have a very strong Ram offer in that segment."

Diesel power would not be on the table for American truck, with petrol and plug-in hybrid models expected – making the Dakota a direct rival for vehicles like the Ford Ranger PHEV and the BYD Shark 6.

In fact, Mr Filosa also vowed to be "pioneers" in the range-extender plug-in hybrid space, telling the conference the tech would be an "absolute winner" for its pickup trucks.

"We will be pioneers in the introduction of range-extender powertrains for pickups in the US. So Ram 1500 will be the first large pickup with a REV, and this is just perfect - it's an electrified strategy, and it's coupled with a product that will represent the best choice for all performance and technical parameters," he said.

"The Ram 1500 REV will have best-in-class payload, best-in-class towing, best-in-class power, best-in-class torque, best-in-class fuel economy, because its a REV, and with a cost that is lower than a BEV.

"We believe that the value equation, coupled with the fact we are pioneers in this innovation, will be an absolute winner. And that will happen on the pickups."

The good news is that whether the Dakota is a factory right-hand drive build, or if it's reconfigured in Australia, it's a near-certainty for our market.

"We would love a mid-size pick-up and we have always said we have our hand raised if ever such a vehicle were to become available for our market," Ram Trucks Australia General Manager Jeff Barber has told CarsGuide.