A few years ago, Ford came up with the revived Maverick, with a small unibody pickup design that formed a completely new segment of affordable trucks. Of course, everyone expects rivals to follow the example, especially rivals from the Big Three. So, one of the rumored models is also the 2024 Ram 1200, which is expected to arrive already in the next year. It will follow the same design example, with a unibody design, compact size and efficient powertrain.
If we can trust rumors, the new model is already in development and it looks like it won’t have much in common with the previous Ram 1200, sold in South America, which was pretty much a rebadged Mitsubishi L200. This time the company will come with a completely new design, more compact and more comfort-oriented, ready to tackle the new class of small pickups.
Although the officials are still quiet, most sources suggest it could arrive already in the next year.
2024 Ram 1200 Design
As we’ve just mentioned, the overall design will be the most interesting aspect of this pickup. Instead of a classic body-on-frame layout, we will see a unibody pickup truck and it looks like the company will use one of the existing platforms. More precisely, the new pickup will be closely related to the Jeep Compass, a compact SUV that the company has been selling in its current form for a while.
The two models would ride on the same platform and the 2024 Ram 1200 would benefit in many ways. One of the first things that come to mind is the Compass’s 4×4 system, which offers various traction modes, low-range gearing and even a locking differential. That is something that would definitely help this model stand out from the crowd. A the same time, the new pickup would offer a refined suspension setup, which would ensure a smooth and comfortable ride.
Exterior
When it comes to the exterior design, we presume that the aesthetics will be based on Ram’s current design language. In other words, we expect to see a lot of similarities with the full-size Ram 1500, especially at the front, where we expect a very similar approach to the design of parts like headlights, grille etc.
As this will be a comfort-oriented pickup, we presume that the crew cab layout will be the only one on offer. At this point, it’s still early to talk about more precise measurements, but we presume that Ram engineers will aim at the same dimensions as Maverick. In numbers, that would be around 200 inches in total length and 120 inches in wheelbase. Ford’s pickup features a 4-foot 5-inch bed, so we presume that the new 2024 Ram 1200 won’t be significantly different in this aspect.
Interior
When it comes to interior design, we presume that a lot of inspiration will be taken from the Ram 1500. The full-size pickup has been well-known for offering pretty impressive cabin design, characterized by the great build quality, nice materials and lots of standards and available equipment. We don’t expect anything different from the 2024 Ram 1200, though the cabin probably won’t look as upscale as it looks in the full-size pickup. Still, we presume this might be one of the advantages over the Maverick, where the materials would be a little bit finer, and there would be more tech and convenience features.
In terms of passenger space, we already mentioned that the crew cab should be the only layout on offer. Therefore, all versions should be able to accommodate taller passengers in both rows. As we already mentioned, the cargo bed should be around 4-4.5 feet long.
2024 Ram 1200 Engines
Considering that the 2024 Ram 1200 will ride on the same platform as Jeep Compass, it may borrow the powertrain as well. In that case, the new pickup would use a 2.4-liter naturally-aspirated inline-four, which puts out around 180 horsepower. That engine comes coupled with a 9-speed automatic transmission.
Also, we could see the new pickup going for something more efficient, such as the smaller 1.3-liter turbo-four. This engine features similar max output but offers 210 pound-feet of torque, which is pretty impressive for its displacement. Finally, there is a possibility to see a plug-in hybrid powertrain. That system would also be based on a small turbo-four engine, with a max output of around 240 horsepower.
2024 Ram 1200 Release Date and Price
The new pickup is still waiting for official confirmation but various reports suggest it could arrive already in the next year. We estimate that the base versions could go around 25.000 dollars.
