I think I finally found my next Dodge Dakota. For some odd reason they are now calling it a Ford Ranger. But it seems to be the perfect replacement.

It is about the same width and height but about eight inches shorter which I like. The bed is a smidge shorter which I'm good with but it does have more interior room. Not as much power as my 4.7 but the gearing in the 10-speed auto is WAYyyyyy better than the 545rfe and should easily compensate for the difference in torque. And that 2.3 turbo is probably just a tune away from 325hp and 400 ft/lbs anyway so it should be a rip around town.

I'm certain I'll miss my Dakota but thinking the replacement will comfort me well enough to forget.

 

Or...stick around. There will be a 2022 Dakota when it comes back.

Personally, I'm not too sure about Ford's trend of small, hot engines. Seems like a recipe for wearing out faster. But, a ten-speed transmission would be nice.

 

Is it actually going to be called the Dakota? Everything I have says they are calling it the Mini-Ram for right now.

 

The new Dakota, if they decide to make it, will most likely be a uni-body AWD like a Honda Ridgeline. Hardly worthy of the Dakota name....

 

"unibody", and "truck", do not belong in the same sentence.

 

Last i heard they where planning 2 new trucks a compact unibody( subura baja sized) and a midsize sharing pretty much everything with the new jeep pickup

 

The Jeep Gladiator is a closer match, and like said above they may change a couple things and call it a Dakota also.

That Ranger would be nice for the MPG's. I bet that 4 cylinder is going to wipe the competition in this area just like in the past.

 

Last articles I saw stated that the name was still TBD. But, it will NOT be a unibody. It is planned to be a body-on-frame mid-sized truck.

https://jalopnik.com/ram-is-planning...ght-1826484340

https://www.motortrend.com/news/fca-...idsize-pickup/

https://www.cnet.com/roadshow/news/2...on-frame-jeep/

 

Thanks for the links philipat, sounds like it's coming. I'll probably be ready by then, hopefully my bank account is also. My wife refuses to go back to a full size, especially since they keep getting bigger and taller.

 

That's kind of where I am. I have refused to buy anything bigger or less capable which basically ruled out everything up until now. I'm seriously hyped that the Ranger is a smidge smaller than my 2011 quad cab but basically matched the capability with modern amenities and fuel economy.

If Ram can do the same without making it Pro Master ugly then I'll be back.

The Gladiator is intriguing but am guessing it will carry a Jeep $$$ penalty so my interest faded quickly. And I couldn't care less about off road capability anyway so the Jeep brand and design intent do not appeal to me. It be more partial to something like a pickup version of a Hellcat Charger. I want something that hauls *** just as well as it hauls lumber.