- Ram’s CEO has suggested the days of full-size trucks costing less than $40,000 are over.
- The brand will return to sub-$40,000 pricing when it launches its Dakota successor.
- Ram has more than 25 product announcements planned through the end of 2026.
Between tariffs and inflation, vehicle prices have skyrocketed in recent years. The average transaction price of a new vehicle was $48,699 in April, and that’s up from $36,843 in April 2019. We’ll save you the math: that’s an $11,856 increase in six years.
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More: Hemi V8 Finally Returns To The 2026 Ram 1500
While there are still a handful of affordable new vehicles, including the Chevrolet Trax and Nissan Kicks, Ram CEO Tim Kuniskis recently revealed that the days of affordable full-size trucks are over. Speaking at a media event in Michigan, the executive said don’t expect prices to drop below $40,000.
The 2025 Ram 1500 starts at $40,275, and even that sounds like a relative bargain. However, the truck began at $31,695 in 2019 and had a lower destination fee to boot. That’s a sizable increase over six years, but Kuniskis is technically wrong as you can score a 2025 Ram 1500 Tradesman for as little as $38,340 thanks to a $1,000 incentive as well as employee pricing for all.
Even with that caveat, Kuniskis made it clear: affordable full-size trucks aren’t coming back. However, it isn’t all bad news as Ram’s boss said their upcoming mid-size pickup will enable them to return to sub-$40,000 pricing. The executive wouldn’t say when the model will arrive, but effectively stated ‘We have to have a mid-size truck, we’re a truck brand.’
Michael Gauthier
The lack of a mid-size model makes Ram the odd man out as Chevrolet, GMC, Ford, Nissan, and Toyota all offer one. Even their colleagues at Jeep have the Gladiator, which starts at $38,100. Of course, that’s higher than rivals as it comes with a removable roof as well as standard four-wheel drive.
Mid-Size Truck Incoming?
When exactly we’ll see this new Ram mid-sizer is still a mystery. But the company has more than 25 product announcements lined up between now and the end of 2026. That makes it entirely plausible we’ll catch a glimpse of the truck late next year.
Whenever it does arrive, it’ll be entering a field stacked with competition. We’re looking forward to seeing how it stacks up against rivals like the $31,900 Chevrolet Colorado and the $33,330 Ford Ranger. If Ram can hit the right price with the right specs, it could finally give the brand the contender it’s been missing in this space.
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