Ram CEO Would ‘Love’ A Ford Maverick Rival—But Don’t Hold Your Breath

Ram is lagging behind its competition. Even though a mid-size offering is finally on the way, the company hasn’t had an answer for the popular Ford Maverick, which continues to be a sales hit with little competition. Unfortunately, Ram still has no plans for a compact Maverick competitor right now—but CEO Tim Kuniskis is at least thinking about it.  

The automaker sells the Ram Rampage in Brazil, which rides on Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ Small Wide 4×4 LWB that also underpins the Jeep Compass. It’s a vehicle Kuniskis would ‘love’ to have in the United States, he says, but it’s unlikely to happen anytime soon.

In an interview with Mopar Insiders, Kuniskis said:  

‘Would I consider [the Rampage]? Absolutely. Do I think Rampage is awesome? Yes. Would I love to have it in the United States? Yes. That doesn’t mean that we’re going to do it.’

Before even thinking about a Maverick rival, Ram needs to get its mid-size offering on the market first. The new Dakota will enter production in 2027, and its success could determine if the brand launches a compact model. Kuniskis raised concerns about potential cross-shopping between the Dakota and a compact offering, and the brand first has to see where the Dakota is positioned in the market.  

Ram would also have to invest in homologating the Rampage for US roads. Kuniskis said, “There’s structure requirements, there are headlight requirements, there are crash tests. It is a huge investment.”

As much as we’d love a Ram rival to the Maverick, it’s not as simple as filing some paperwork.  

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Source: Ram

Motor1’s Take: The Ram Rampage is a cool compact pickup, but its sales success isn’t guaranteed. Ford Maverick sales continue to climb, up 18 percent last year, while Hyundai Santa Cruz sales fell 20 percent. If Ram is going to invest anywhere, focusing on a mid-size truck makes much more sense than bringing the Rampage to America.