We keep hearing about millennials not driving or in some cases not even getting driver licenses. But in many ways, millennials are the most coveted demographic. They’ve got the money to burn and haven’t yet decided to invest in middle age. So, they’re buying up toys and stuff and need a way to tow them around. In a recent study, Ram pickups were discovered as the most in-demand pickups by people 18-34 years old. Really? This is the truck young buyers want? While the Ford F150 is still the leader in pickup sales millennials are passing them up for Ram trucks.

While truck enthusiasts know the Ford F-150 is the king of pickups millennials don’t care

We know there is no more brand loyalty when it comes to cars and trucks as there once was. So while enthusiasts know that the F150 has been number one for hundreds of years-or is it thousands, younger buyers don’t care. For domestic pickups data collectors, IHS Markit found that millennials bought 43,282 Ram pickups. Ford sold almost 41,000 F150s with Chevy coming in last at a hair over 39,000. 

How Ram was able to snag those 18-34-year-olds was with the Ram Classic. That’s the previous generation of pickup that Ram sells alongside its Ram 1500. When Ram came out with the all-new Ram 1500 it was in a unique position to continue churning out the Classic. Data indicated the Classic was the target of the young buyer’s eyes. Since Ram combines 1500 and Classic numbers it was determined that the Classic was the one millennials were after. Why?

Ram Classic is the cheapest full-size pickup today

It’s because the Classic is the cheapest full-size pickup on the market right now. That old tooling for the Classic was paid off years ago which means Ram can crank them out with lots of profit. So it can also lower the price figuring it will make up the difference in volume. And that’s what is happening.

Ram decided that since it doesn’t offer a midsize pickup it could make the Classic’s price similar to midsize truck prices. It helped that the plant the Classic is built at didn’t need to convert to the new 1500 pickup. That’s because the Ram 1500 got a brand spanking new assembly plant. While the old Ram pickup plant waits for its next assignment it blissfully cranks out Classic pickups that compete with Ranger, Tacoma, and Colorado, to mention a few. 

The base price for a Ram Classic is $27,295

Granted, the Ram Classic is still priced a bit more than a Colorado or Ranger; its base list price is $27,295. But there are so many options that the average price of a Ram Classic is $39,121. As a comparison the average price for a Ram 1500 is $48,753, so you’re looking at an almost $10,000 difference.

All of this is good news for Ram into the future as millennials will in most cases go back to Ram for their next vehicle. And Ram will be glad to sell them a new 1500 when they come back. So they have an appealing “next step” for the young return Classic buyers. And those buyers didn’t have to compromise their first truck purchase with a midsize truck. They got a true full-size truck at a midsize price.