There is only a single trim available for the RAM ProMaster 3500 Cargo Van, which offers a lot of features as standard. These features include a slew of safety and infotainment features apart from the comfort and convenience features. There are also two other models available which are the ProMaster 1500 and ProMaster 2500, but these will be reviewed separately. There are two roof heights to choose from for the 3500 and also a longer wheelbase variant, and you can also go for a window van option for the 3500. Few standout features available with the 2022 RAM 3500 are given in the table below.

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Since there is only one trim, there is no confusion about which trim to go for. According to your needs though, you can choose between 1500, 2500, or 3500 according to how much payload you need to carry around. You also get to choose between the high roof model which would be priced somewhere around $39,150(expected price) and the long-wheelbase model which is priced at $39,800 (expected price).

Release Date

Even though there is no major update on the release of the 2022 model, we can expect it to be available at the dealer lot around the end of this year.

Most of the other manufacturers install their biggest or most powerful option in the bigger vans, but RAM has just one engine on offer for all three variants, making choosing between the right van for the job an easy task as the power remains the same. Talking about the engine, the standard engine is a 3.6-liter V6 engine, which is mated to the new nine-speed automatic transmission. The new transmission is better than the previous 6-speed automatic and offers a smooth ride when towing something. The gear shifts have become smooth and the drive is less disturbed.

The engine has an output of 280-horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, which allows for a total towing capacity of 6,910 pounds, which is less than the segment rivals but is respectable enough to get the job done. When running without any load in the back, the ProMaster will reach 60 MPH in around eight seconds. With the change in body style and variants, the time might change due to the addition or reduction of weight. 

*2021 data used for reference.

Cargo vans have one purpose: transportation of goods, so comfort and an exciting drive are not something that one should be eagerly wishing for. Talking about how it is to drive the ProMaster 3500, the steering is light at low speeds. Going up to high speeds, the steering remains light, which requires correction at all times and also needs proper attention. Unlike other vans, the ProMaster comes with only an FWD drivetrain which works as a bane when it comes to overall towing capacity as it is not able to pull much load, but is a boon as it offers more grip and control to the van when it is unladen.

The ride is not as comfortable as we expected it to be, which might be because the sole purpose of the van is to carry heavyweight. The suspension has been tuned in such a manner that when riding unladen the ride is bouncy and not as comfortable as it is while the van is loaded. The Nissan NV has the most amount of torque on offer and is also the most powerful option in the competition. The van from Nissan is also the fastest van, followed by the RAM. The GM twins are the least powerful and are the slowest but offer better-towing capacity than RAM, thanks to the RWD system. 

EPA does not rate commercial vans, so there are no official ratings per se for the ProMaster, but a few reliable sources and real-world customer reviews suggest that it will deliver 15 MPG in combined driving conditions, while the expected figures might go up slightly, thanks to the new transmission. The 2022 Ram ProMaster 3500 will come with a 24-gallon fuel tank. It provided a range of 312 miles in the city and360 miles on the highway and in combined driving conditions, but we can expect slight growth in the figures, which we are expecting due to a new nine-speed automatic transmission in replacement of a six-speed one.

*2021 data used for reference.

RAM offers the best in class MPG figures, and even with less power, the GM twins fail to match those figures. However, with a bigger fuel tank, the GM twins manage to offer more range. The offering from Nissan lacks in this department, and even though it has a bigger tank than RAM, it still has less range. One can clearly see the domination of GM twins due to their class-leading fuel tank of 31 gallons.

Cargo vans are used more as commercial vehicles than private ones, which helps the manufacturer's cost cut by providing them with pretty basic and plain interior designs. Similarly, the ProMaster has a simple interior that has rugged and tough materials all around to keep the interior maintenance-free in the long run. While the 2021 model was basically a bare-bones model, the 2022 model comes loaded with few features and tech.

Seating can vary from seating for 2 or 3 people as the standard bucket seat for the passenger can be changed with a bench seat, allowing for a total capacity of 3. There is ample headroom and legroom, however, the optional bench seat takes up a little bit of shoulder room. With a four-way manually adjustable driver's seat, which can be upgraded to a six-way seat, along with a manually adjustable telescopic wheel, any driver can find the perfect driving position.

*2021 data used for reference.

RAM has the most space behind the two front seats, whereas the GM twins have the least space. The 2022 ProMaster 3500 is also the most spacious inside and has better headroom than the rest. The GM twins stay at the very back when it comes to cargo capacity, whereas the Nissan NV manages to take the second position after RAM with a cargo capacity of 323.1 cubic feet. A few of the noticeable interior highlights include:

• Vinyl or cloth upholstery
• Lumbar Support 
• Front bench seat 
• Swiveling seats
• Front bucket seats

What’s there to keep you entertained?

The second most noticeable and appreciated update that has been made to the ProMaster van is the addition of a bigger infotainment screen as a standard feature. It comes with a 7.0-inch touchscreen, which is now offered as a standard fitting, with an option to upgrade it further to a bigger 10-inch screen. Both the screens come with the UConnec5 software, which is the latest infotainment software from the company as of now. The sound duties are performed by a four-speaker sound setup, which is just satisfactory in terms of how music is played inside the cabin, and the low insulation of the cabin deteriorates this further as excess road and engine noise enters the cabin. Major infotainment features include:

• Apple CarPlay & Android Auto smartphone integration
• Bluetooth connectivity
• Voice Control
• USB audio ports
• SiriusXM Satellite radio
• Wireless charging 
• Wifi Hotspot
• Amazon Alexa voice assistant. 

If you are buying a van like the ProMaster, we expect you not to make the exterior design or looks of the van your priority as you will be disappointed. The looks and design are not something that a manufacturer masters when it comes to commercial vehicles like the ProMaster 3500. Starting from the front, it has a 'RAM' lettering upfront in chrome in the middle of the sports truck-like front grille. Apart from that, there is not much to talk about in terms of design as this is just basically a big steel box on wheels used to carry around stuff, so looks remain boring. While no van is a looker, there are better exterior designs from the rivals in the competition.

*2021 data used for reference.

The Nissan NV is the heaviest cargo van among the competitors, and the GM twins are the longest. Nissan NV is also the highest, which makes it more capable than the rest to store in goods. The GM twins have the highest ground clearance, which makes them slightly better at getting over bumps and potholes even with the cargo area filled up. Few highlights of the exterior include :

• Halogen front headlights
• Extended wheelbase option
• High roof option
• Fog lamps
• 16-inch steel wheels

Commercial vehicles like big trucks or vans are not crash-tested by the top agencies like NHTSA and IIHS, so there are no definitive ratings or scores on how safe the RAM ProMaster is on paper so it could be compared with the other vans. The 2022 ProMaster has a ladder frame and is mostly just a carry-over model from 2021 which was pretty tough. A steel body over a ladder frame not only helps to load in and carry heavy cargo but also helps to keep the occupants and cargo safe in any uncertain event. To further increase safety, the ProMaster is loaded with safety tech and features. Standard features like airbags, traction control, stability control, and ABS are already on the list but a lot of advanced safety features which are absent on most other vans and were a luxury in the ProMaster as well till last year are now available as standard on the RAM. Major safety features include:

• Blind Spot monitoring
• Forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking
• Rearview camera
• Rear cross-traffic alert
• Adaptive high beam assist
• 360-degree camera system
• Adaptive cruise control
• Lane keeps assisting

2022 RAM ProMaster 3500 Cargo Van vs 2021 GMC Savana Cargo Van 250

The GMC Savana manages to offer better towing capacity than the ProMaster but lacks in terms of fuel economy and interior space The ProMaster might not be a master in terms of reliability, but what makes it better than the GMC is that it offers more payload capacity, better and more modern features, and a more fuel-efficient engine. Between the two, we will go with the offering from RAM. 

2022 RAM ProMaster 3500 Cargo Van vs 2021 Chevrolet Express 3500 Cargo Van

The Chevrolet Express is the same as the GMC Savana in almost every way as both the vans come from the same parent company. Apart from having slightly different looks, in terms of performance or overall comparison, there is not much to say about the Chevrolet Express. In all, the comparison between RAM ProMaster and Chevy Express is pretty close to what we saw in the GMC-RAM comparison, thus we would suggest you go with RAM between the two.

2022 ProMaster 3500 Cargo Van vs 2021 Nissan NV Cargo 3500 Van S

While the NV has better looks, it costs more than the ProMaster which in turn comes loaded with tech and features something the Nissan lacks. Where it excels however is the high towing capacity thanks to a bigger and more powerful engine and the gearbox works fine with this more powerful engine making the ride smoother although it is seriously low in terms of fuel economy something that a lot of buyers of thee vans are concerned about which makes them more fuel-efficient ProMaster a better choice over.

The RAM ProMaster Cargo Van might not be the best van on offer for towing heavy loads, but it has its set of advantages, starting from the price at which you get a lot of standard features and a bigger payload capacity. Although it is not the best-looking one in the segment, there is barely any good-looking van. It is still a decent performer in the cargo van category, and with more standard features and modern safety tech that are a luxury in most other models, the 2022 RAM ProMaster 3500 comes out to be a decent option in the competition.