2025 Dodge Dakota: Everything You Need to Know About Ram’s New Compact Pickup – The 2025 Dodge Dakota is one of the most-anticipated compact pickups. It looks like cutting-edge technology, a sleek new look, and excellent performance will bring the famous brand back to life. The Dakota was first released in 1987 as a medium truck that fit between small and large pickups. It had a roomy interior, a strong engine, and a bed that could be used for many things. Due to low sales, the Dakota was taken off the market in 2011. However, Ram is ready to bring it back as a small truck to fight with the Ford Maverick, Hyundai Santa Cruz, and Honda Ridgeline. Here is everything you need to know about the 2025 Dodge Dakota, including how it looks on the outside and inside, the different model levels, prices, and more.
Design: Exterior and Interior
The 2025 Dodge Dakota is likely to be built on the STLA Large platform, a flexible design that can work with a range of powertrains, from hybrid to fully electric. The Dakota and the Ram 1500 look alike. For example, the Dakota will likely have the same signature grille, LED headlights, and big sides. But the Dakota will also be unique. It will have a sleeker look, a shorter length, and a smaller size. The Dakota will have a crew cab with four doors and a five-foot bed, which is big enough for five people and their stuff.
The Ram 1500 will also affect the inside of the 2025 Dodge Dakota, which will have a nice dashboard, comfy seats, and lots of storage room. There will also be a lot of tech features in the Dakota, like a luxury sound system, a digital instrument panel, and a 12-inch touchscreen infotainment system that works with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. A lot of safety and driver-help features will be built into the Dakota. These include adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist, blind-spot tracking, back cross-traffic alert, and forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking.
Powertrain
The 2025 Dodge Dakota will have multiple engine choices based on the trim level and the market. It could have a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine that makes 268 hp and 295 pound-feet of torque. This engine is already in the Alfa Romeo Tonale and the Dodge Hornet. When paired with an electric motor and a battery pack, a 1.3-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine can produce 288 horsepower and 383 pound-feet of torque. This engine is part of the plug-in hybrid system that the Hornet and Tonale also have. Each charge of the plug-in hybrid system can give the car an energy range of up to 30 miles.
In some areas, the 2025 Dodge Dakota might also come with a diesel engine, like a 2.0-liter diesel engine that makes 170 horsepower. The Ram Rampage, a small truck with only one body sold in other countries, already has this engine. People who want more fuel economy and the ability to pull things behind them might like the diesel engine.
Most likely, all of the engines in the 2025 Dodge Dakota will be paired with an eight-speed automatic gear. The Dakota will also come with both front-wheel drive and all-wheel drive choices. The Dakota will also have different driving modes for different types of roads and styles of driving.
Release Date and Price
The 2025 Dodge Dakota will likely come out in late 2025 or early 2026 for the 2026 model year. The exact date will depend on several things, including how quickly the movie can be made, how much desire there is in the market, and how much competition there is. The Jeep Cherokee is already made at the Stellantis plant in Belvidere, Illinois, where the Dakota will be made.
The 2025 Dodge Dakota’s price will also change based on the market, the trim level, and the type of engine used. But the Dakota is expected to have a base price of around $30,000. This will make it a cheap compact pickup that is a better deal than its competitors. The Dakota will also come with several extra features and packages that can be chosen at additional cost.
The 2025 Dodge Dakota will be a great addition to the small pickup market because it will have a unique style, speed, technology, and usability mix. Some people want a smaller, more fuel-efficient truck than the full-size Ram 1500, but they still need enough power and skill for daily tasks. The Dakota will appeal to those people. It will also carry on the tradition of one of Ram’s most famous trucks, bringing back the spirit of excitement and new ideas that made it so prominent in the past.