Home / Motoring / SUVs & Trucks

The Toyota Tacoma May Be Getting a New Midsize Truck Rival

Ram Brazil has unveiled a striking pickup concept that recalls a long-dead name in the Dodge brand portfolio.

Close-up of a car's front left headlight illuminated with bright LED lights, featuring a sleek, modern design with a silver-gray body and a black grille partially visible on the right side. The background is dark, emphasizing the headlight's brightness and details.Stellantis
Gray Van Dyke headshot

By Gray Van Dyke

Published

·

Updated

Every product is carefully selected by our editors. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more

Thanks to its workhorse reliability and rugged off-road capability, the Toyota Tacoma dominates the midsize pickup segment in the United States. It’s a truck that’s truly versatile in its abilities, and it offers something for everyone because of its vast aftermarket support. 

Nevertheless, in more diverse markets around the world, other OEMs are trying to contest Toyota’s supremacy. The latest effort comes from Ram; oddly enough, however, it’s not bound for the US — yet.

A rugged, gray RAM pickup truck with a bold front grille displaying the RAM logo. The truck features large off-road tires, LED headlights, and additional lights on the hood and front bumper. The body has a textured pattern with the word "Dakota" visible on the side. The truck is shown against a dark background, emphasizing its aggressive and sturdy design.
Ram’s Dakota Nightfall Concept looks like a mini TRX in a lot of ways — especially the prominent grille branding.
Stellantis

Brazilian nightfall

The truck you see before you is called the Dakota Nightfall Concept, and it offers a preview of the all-new Ram Dakota midsize pickup set to launch in Brazil and South America for 2026.

While this means that it’s off-limits for buyers in the United States, the concept is still an intriguing vehicle, and CEO Tim Kuniskis has hinted at more trucks coming to the brand’s lineup in the future.

Close-up of the rear section of a black pickup truck with a geometric pattern on the body, featuring a mounted spare off-road tire with a rugged tread and a silver and black alloy wheel. The truck bed has a black roll bar, and part of the red tail light is visible. The background is dark and smoky.
The addition of a full-size spare in the bed, along with a Rambar, makes this truck concept’s off-road intentions clear.
Stellantis

In any case, just look at the styling. From the striking grille and illuminated hood intake to the rugged bumpers, fender moldings and tow hooks, it skews a lot like a mini Ram TRX.

And the truck doesn’t skimp on the equipment, either. In making the Dakota Nightfall Concept, Ram fitted the pickup with real-deal all-terrain upgrades like a front winch, beadlock wheels and underbody protection. Riding on some lifted Fox suspension and 33-inch tires, it’s a Tacoma-rivaling off-roader through and through.

Side view of a modern pickup truck with a geometric patterned matte gray finish, large off-road tires, and a spare tire mounted in the bed. The truck has tinted windows, black fender flares, and sleek LED headlights and taillights. The background is dark with a checkered floor and overhead lighting.
Ram could use an off-road-ready midsize pickup truck in its lineup to contest the Ranger Raptor.
Stellantis

Dakota pickup precedent

Even though it’s not slated for a North American release, the return of the Dakota nameplate makes for big news — the truck first hit the market in 1987, and it remained on sale in the United States until it was finally laid to rest in 2011 with Ram branding.

Enthusiasts have been calling for the truck’s revival for years now, so Stellantis could be testing the nameplate in another market before bringing the pickup back to the United States. It could use a midsize in its lineup to rival the likes of the Toyota Tacoma.

Front view of a gray RAM truck with illuminated LED headlights and a prominent black grille featuring the RAM logo. The hood has three amber marker lights, and the bumper includes metallic accents and fog lights. The background is dark with subtle smoke effects.
The illuminated hood scoop recalls some iconic Mopar trucks like the TRX and the Power Wagon.
Stellantis

That said, given the similarities to other models in the brand’s portfolio — like the Peugeot Landtrek  — as keenly reported by Carbuzz, it’s not likely that this particular version of the Dakota could make for a profitable stateside seller.

Regardless, with Kuniskis at the helm, Ram is a brand to be watching in the truck segment. Given the CEO’s 25-product announcement plan, his ambitious SRT initiatives and the recently confirmed return of the TRX, there’s no telling what’s going on behind the scenes.

Matte gray pickup truck with a geometric pattern on the body, featuring off-road tires and a spare tire mounted vertically in the truck bed. The truck has a double cab, black side steps, and a reinforced roll bar behind the cab. The rear lights are illuminated, and the truck is positioned on a dark, checkered surface with a smoky atmosphere.
Riding on some lifted Fox suspension and 33-inch tires, this Ram pickup looks ready to play in the dirt.
Stellantis

Forbidden fruit

While the Nightfall is only a concept, the Ram Dakota is slated for production, and Stellantis has announced that it will be providing more details soon.

Unfortunately for US readers, this truck remains forbidden fruit. When it goes on sale in South America, it will take on the Toyota Hilux (the Tacoma’s global sibling) and the Ford Ranger. If you’d like to learn more or stay updated, you can visit the Stellantis website.

About the Author: Gray is an associate editor at Gear Patrol, covering cars, motorcycles and anything else with wheels. When he’s not chasing the latest industry news, he’s probably wrenching on one of many projects. For better or worse, he believes classics make perfectly practical daily drivers.

Read More

,