Would you drive a $25,000 midsize pickup truck with a turbodiesel engine, a six-speed transmission, a 6,600-pound tow rating, and a higher payload capacity than any Ram 1500? Ram sells this exact vehicle. Unfortunately, the Ram 1200 is only available in Mexico.

Ram 1200 out-hauls the Ram 1500

One of the most intriguing features of the Ram 1200 is its low-cost chassis cab configuration and high payload rating. It has stiff springs and a low curb weight. As a result, it can carry 2,645 pounds. That tops the 2025 Ram 1500’s maximum payload of 2,370 pounds. It’s far more than some Ram 1500 configurations that are rated to haul just 1,520 pounds.

It follows a similar formula to the popular Ram 4000 for the Mexican market. That heavy-duty chassis cab has big overload springs and is available with the 5.7-liter Hemi V8 and a stick shift to save gas. It’s a truck you can outfit with anything from a delivery box to a small bus body. Its short wheelbase also makes it perfect for mountain roads where a semi-truck or long-wheelbase truck wouldn’t fit.

Why Ram won’t sell the 1200 in the U.S.

The truck uses a body-on-frame design based on the Chinese-built Kaicene F70/Changan platform. Stellantis also sells the model in other markets as the Fiat Titano and Peugeot Landtrek. The 1200 badge makes sense for Mexico because Ram is already a well-established brand there.

Because of the uncertain tariff landscape, Stellantis probably won’t risk importing a Chinese-built truck to the United States. But U.S. buyers may see some features of the Ram 1200 again when the company launches the 2028 Ram “Dakota,” which it plans to assemble in Toledo, Ohio.