The Promaster City is Ram's smallest commercial vehicle, a tiny cargo van conceived to compete with the likes of Ford's Transit Connect and the Nissan NV200. Based on a European Fiat model called the Doblo, this little wagon came to North America shortly after Chrysler and Fiat tied the knot to create the larger company now known as Fiat Chrysler Automobiles.
The version you're reading about here is the two-seat cargo variant; there's a passenger model called the Promaster City Wagon that's covered in a separate buyer's guide entry. Changes are few for 2017: Ram says the shifter lighting is brighter the rear doors gain interior reflectors to improve visibility when they're open.
There's nothing ground-breaking about the Promaster City's drivetrain. Power is from a 2.4L four-cylinder engine making 178 hp and 174 lb-ft of torque; only the nine-speed automatic transmission is out of the ordinary for the compact commercial vehicle class. Ford's Transit Connect's specs are similar -- it uses a 2.5L engine instead -- but the Promaster boasts lower fuel consumption estimates at 11.2/8.3 L/100 km (city/highway).
You can colour us surprised compact vans like this have become as popular as they are in North America. Vans of this size are a European invention, conceived and designed to carry a lot of cargo in a compact car footprint: Ram says this little van can accommodate a four-foot pallet between the rear wheel wells.
Before the Promaster City and its competitors came along, the best you'd do for a cargo van that wasn't a full-size beast like the Ford Econoline or Chevrolet Express would have been a cargo variant of the Dodge Grand Caravan.
Ram says Promaster City's 862-kg payload and 907-kg towing capacity are both best in class, but you'll see more of these vans upfitted for commercial fleet duty and loaded to take advantage of that payload than towing anything larger than a utility trailer.
In the $29,245 entry-level SL trim, Promaster City cargo van standard features include air conditioning, steel wheels, cloth seats and vinyl flooring, power door locks and windows, four-speaker stereo with radio and media hub functions, black exterior trim, keyless entry and tire pressure monitoring with warning light.
An SLT model ($30,245) adds plastic wheel covers, body colour side mirrors and front and rear fascias, cruise control, height-adjustable driver's seat, Bluetooth, power-adjustable and heated side mirrors and Uconnect infotainment with five-inch touchscreen.
Options in both trims include a rear wiper/washer and defroster, backup camera, satellite radio and navigation. SLT models can be optioned with heated front seats and a lights and wheels group.
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