2017 Ram Promaster City Review

Compact passenger and commercial vans have long been popular in Europe, particularly for businesses needing vehicles that can operate in tight, urban settings. Now these petite-sized vans are becoming more popular in the United States, too. A representative model is the 2017 Ram ProMaster City. With its European heritage (it's related to Europe's Fiat Doblò), the ProMaster City will appeal to companies interested in a more maneuverable and fuel-efficient light-duty hauler than the typical full-size van.

Ram offers the 2017 ProMaster City as both a two-passenger cargo van and a five-passenger "wagon." Although you can't stand upright inside this van as you can in the full-size ProMaster van (reviewed separately), its interior is spacious, and maximum cargo volume is larger than in most competitors. The ProMaster City's payload rating of nearly 1,900 pounds also surpasses most rivals.

All ProMaster City versions come with a 178-horsepower, 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine, a much larger engine than its Fiat counterpart. Acceleration is quite respectable for this class, as is fuel economy. On the move, the ProMaster City rides well enough for a commercial van, but its tall, narrow profile doesn't do its handling grip around turns any favors. This is one reason we don't consider the ProMaster City Wagon a great alternative to a five-passenger crossover SUV. A noisy cabin and limited safety features are other reasons.

For passenger van duty, the similarly priced Ford Transit Connect is a better option. It has lower payload limits but comes in two different wheelbase lengths. The passenger version also has additional amenities, including seven-passenger seating and leather upholstery. You might want to check out the Mercedes-Benz Metris, too. It's more of a midsize van and costs more, but you also get quite a bit more space and capability, including a 2,500-pound payload rating. At the other end of the range, you'll find the Nissan NV200 and Chevrolet City Express. These mechanically similar vans can't haul as much as the others, but if you don't carry heavy loads, it's hard to beat their rock-bottom pricing.

Overall, though, the ProMaster City makes a lot of sense if you need an affordable and capable cargo van for your business or organization.

Standard safety equipment on the 2017 Ram ProMaster City includes antilock brakes, traction and stability control, front-seat side airbags, side curtain airbags, a driver knee airbag, hill start assist, trailer sway control and rollover mitigation. A rearview camera and rear parking sensors are optional. Tech-based driver aids, such as blind-spot monitoring, aren't available, however.