Did Dodge ever make a pickup car?
Yes. Dodge has a long history of building pickup trucks, dating from early 20th-century work trucks to the modern Ram-branded pickups that dominate the lineup today. In recent years, the Ram brand has carried the pickup tradition, while Dodge itself focuses on other vehicle categories.
Historical timeline of Dodge pickups
The following sections trace how Dodge's pickup offerings evolved from its earliest commercial models to the Ram lineup today.
Early pickups and Power Wagon era
The early era includes Dodge's first light-duty pickups and the introduction of rugged four-wheel-drive models in the postwar period, laying the groundwork for Dodge’s reputation as a practical, capable truckmaker.
- Early light-duty pickups were introduced as Dodge expanded into commercial vehicles in the first half of the 20th century.
- The Power Wagon platform emerged in the 1940s as a hallmark of off-road capability and heavy-duty versatility.
These early milestones established Dodge as a durable source for work trucks and off-roaders, a theme that would carry through decades.
D-Series era and Ram branding
From the 1960s through the 1990s, Dodge built the D-Series trucks and gradually integrated the Ram branding, strengthening the pickup’s identity within the brand.
- The D-Series family became the backbone of Dodge’s light-duty pickups for multiple generations.
- The Dakota midsize pickup broadened Dodge’s truck lineup in the 1980s, filling a niche between compact and full-size offerings.
- During the 1990s and 2000s, the Ram name became closely associated with Dodge pickups, foreshadowing a branding shift.
This period cemented Dodge’s reputation for robust, capable trucks and set the stage for a dedicated pickup brand.
Current status of Dodge and Ram pickups
Today, the Dodge nameplate no longer offers a standalone pickup model. Ram operates as a separate brand within Stellantis and continues to sell full-size and heavy-duty pickups such as the Ram 1500, 2500, and 3500, along with related variants. Dodge concentrates on cars and SUVs, while the legacy of Dodge pickup trucks lives on under the Ram banner.
Summary
Across nearly a century, Dodge did indeed make pickup trucks, evolving from early light-duty models to the rugged Power Wagon and the broad D-Series lineup, then transitioning to Ram-branded pickups in the 2010s. While the Dodge name no longer sells pickups, the tradition continues under Ram as the brand dedicated to light- and heavy-duty trucks.
