No reason it needs to get "only" the same MPG and even still like I stated earlier it is not just about MPG they are just too dang big for a lot of people. Even if it got the same MPG and was a little cheaper and a little more practical for me I would be happy.

The earlier Dakotas didn't get much better MPG for a few reasons, the one big one is they still had the same final drive ratios as the big truck but with shorter tires so they were spinning more RPM, they should have adjusted acordingly, they also were very hard to roll around, I don't know where it comes from but after having pushed a ton of them around the shop I can tell you they are some of the hardest cars to roll around. They also were not exactly a small truck, just slightly smaller especially by the time the 05 barf basket looking one came out. If they would have stuck with the original size, made em roll easier and fixed the final drive ratios they would have got significantly better MPG than a ram. Butt as I have tried to re-itterate many times, IT IS NOT MPG THAT KILLS IT FOR ME! I hate the huge size of the giant behemoths they have become period, I don't need it and it is aggravating and hurts my back, I have a real job and actually use my truck for truck things.