The ProMaster falls in the middle of the Goldilocks zone. It’s big enough to have the best-in-class practicality, and small enough to weave through city streets. The low floor cargo bay goes easy on your back while loading and unloading your goods, and the 5.0-inch infotainment provides you support throughout the day.
But the real question is, can the Ram ProMaster compete against the newly introduced Mercedes Metris or the Nissan? With a boatload of competition to choose from, let’s see how the ProMaster fares.
Vehicle images are guides only and may not reflect the model's exact specifications/features– exact specifications/features should be confirmed with the seller.
Could you really ask for any more at an unbelievable starting price of $23,495? With an all-American Chrysler 2.4L I-4 under the hood, power is delivered to the front wheels through a 9-speed automatic. The SLT trim at $25,192, improves upon the interior, the infotainment as well as exterior.
2.0/10 Features
4.0/10 Engine and Performance
4.0/10 Fuel Economy
2.0/10 Exterior
2020 RAM Promaster City Features
2.0/10
The base level trim of the ProMaster Tradesman has a bare-bones interior, but offers a great value-for-money minivan. The higher SLT trim includes a few more optional features at a premium of about $2000. Apart from the Tradesman cargo version, the ProMaster City is also offered in a Wagon and Wagon SLT trim as a 7-seater..
Trim
Ram ProMaster City Tradesman
Ram ProMaster City Tradesman SLT
MSRP
$26,045
$28,192
Key Features
60/40 split rear doors.
Body colored front fascia and side mirrors
Low-Load floor height
5.0" touchscreen infotainment
Leather-wrapped steering
We Recommend
The SLT trim is the best bang for your buck, adding much needed features to your van if you're planning to spend your whole day at the driver's seat. The premium touch of leather seats and the 5-inch infotainment is highly recommended in the otherwise barebones minivan.
2020 RAM Promaster City Engine and Performance
4.0/10
"The engine has reasonable pep around town and on the highway, but it hesitates to downshift and seems even more confused at highway speeds." - Car Connection
Engine and Transmission
Equipped with Chrysler's 2.4L inline-4 engine powering the front wheels, the minivan revs like a small hatchback. In the city, the 178 hp engine feels punchy and responsive, but it feels underpowered once you reach the highway. Unlike the Ford, there is no turbo diesel engine available for the hauler.
Models
Ram Promaster City Tradesman cargo minivan
Ford Transit Connect cargo van XL
Nissan NV200 Compact cargo S minivan
Mercedes Metris Cargo van
Chevrolet City Express LS minivan
MSRP
$25,740
$25,295
$23,245
$26,570
$23,850
Engine
2.4L i4
2.0L i4
2.0L i4
2.0L i4
2.0L i4
Transmission
9 Speed automatic
8 Speed automatic
Continuously variable-speed automatic
7 Speed automatic
Continuously variable-speed automatic
Horsepower
178 hp@ 6400rpm
162 hp@ 6500rpm
131 hp@ 5600rpm
208 hp@ 5500rpm
131 hp@ 5200rpm
Torque
174 ft-lbs@ 3800rpm
144 ft-lbs@ 4500rpm
139 ft-lbs@ 4800rpm
258 ft-lbs@ 1250rpm
139 ft-lbs@ 4900rpm
The 9-speed automatic transmission is nothing out of ordinary, it's functional and gets the job done. The Mercedes Metris is a powerful alternative to the Ram, while all other minivans have much lower horsepower than the Ram like the Nissan NV200 and the Chevrolet City Express.
Acceleration
High speed acceleration is not really a minivan's forte, the only time you'd feel the dearth thereof is when you pull away from a stop light. Getting to a 60 mph is quite a task for the fuel economy focused minivan. Loading up the cargo bay would, you guessed it, make it even slower. However, the engine will get you going even if you put a 2000 lb trailer in the back.
Models
Ram Promaster City Tradesman cargo minivan
Ford Transit Connect cargo van XL
Nissan NV200 S minivan
Mercedes Metris Cargo van
Chevrolet City Express LS minivan
0-60 MPH
N/A
10.1
10
N/A
N/A
Quarter mile
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
Engine
2.4L i4
2.0L i4
2.0L i4
2.0L i4
2.0L i4
Emission
(Tons/yr of CO2 Emissions @ 15K mi/year)
N/A
N/A
N/A
8.4
N/A
Ride and Handling
Along with a hatchback-like engine, the driving dynamics of the minivan also mimic one. The nimble and swift handling in the city makes the ProMaster City Tradesman a sensible choice as a fleet vehicle, and a better alternative to the hefty Mercedes-Benz Metris is competes with.
However, if you try taking a corner at speeds higher than 20 you will definitely notice the body roll which follows. The tall, narrow minivan is not designed to handle high speed corners and nor does the soft suspension support it. Aside from that, the minivan rides smooth in city and absorbs most of the bumps and jerks from rough roads, thanks to the bi-link coil suspension in the rear.
Braking
The Ram ProMaster still hasn't upgraded the rear drum brakes, but it really doesn't need to. For a minivan they work perfectly and you won't experience any brake fade up on continuous usage. However, the suspensions have a hard time keeping up with sudden braking and loading up the cargo bay makes the disc brakes feel like a necessary upgrade.
Model
Ram Promaster City Tradesman cargo minivan
Ford Transit Connect cargo van XL
Nissan NV200 S minivan
Mercedes Metris Cargo van
Chevrolet City Express LS minivan
Brake Front (in.)
12
12.1
N/A
11.8
N/A
Brake Rear (in.)
10
12.1
N/A
11
N/A
Curb Weight (lbs.)
3509
3650
3273
4222
3260
60-0 MPH (ft.)
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
2020 RAM Promaster City Fuel Economy
4.0/10
In terms of efficiency, the Ram ProMaster is not the sharpest tool in the shed. Chrysler has sacrificed a few mpgs to keep the engine powerful and ahead of other minivans. In the city the Ram manages 21 miles to the gallon while the highway mileage is much better at 28 miles to the gallon.
Model
Mercedes Metris Cargo van
Ford Transit Connect cargo van XL
Nissan NV200 S minivan
Ram Promaster City Tradesman cargo minivan
Chevrolet City Express LS minivan
MPG (city)
21
24
24
21
24
MPG (highway)
24
27
26
28
26
MPG (combined)
22
25
25
24
25
Range (miles) (city/highway)
N/A
379/427
348/377
336/448
348/377
In comparison, almost every minivan apart from the Merc manages a mileage of 24 in the city and about 26 mpg on highways. The Metris with the extra power has similar economy to the Ram ProMaster.
2020 RAM Promaster City Interior
"Offered in two-seat cargo and five-seat passenger versions. The maximum payload of the cargo variant is 1,885 lbs (855 kg), while the cargo volume is rated at 131.7 cubic feet." - Motor1
Seating and Comfort
The high seating position aids the excellent visibility, essential for navigating and parking. The interior is bare-bones but spacious and well-laid out. Ram has prioritized functionality over luxury. For long journeys, the seating may not be the most comfortable place to be in. The plastic-clad interior is far from premium, but you can't expect premium at the price point. Getting the SLT variant adds cloth-bucket seats, leather-wrapped steering to your interior.
Model
Ram Promaster City Tradesman cargo minivan
Ford Transit Connect cargo van XL
Nissan NV200 S minivan
Mercedes Metris Cargo van
Chevrolet City Express LS minivan
Passenger capacity
2
2
2
2
2
Front (Head/Shoulder/Leg) (In.)
46.0/59.3/40.8
46.9/57.7/41.5
41.7/54.1/42.6
39.6/NA/35.8
41.7/54.1/42.6
Second (Head/Shoulder/Leg (In.)
-
-
-
-
-
Infotainment System
The ProMaster minivan, surprisingly, has a quite a responsive and crisp 5.0-inch touchscreen, in the SLT trim, available with Uconnect and integrated voice command, although navigation system is an optional extra. The 4-speaker setup is mediocre at best.
Cargo Capacity
Contrary to what you might think, the smaller footprint of the ProMaster does not translate to a smaller cargo bay. After the Metris, the ProMaster boasts the biggest cargo storage in its class. The low loading floor and 60/40 split rear door make it easy to load and unload. With the smaller door on the curb-side, 180-degree door can swing open even in cramped spaces. The cargo bay includes six tie-down anchors to prevent your stuff from moving around.
Model
Ram Promaster City Tradesman cargo minivan
Ford Transit Connect cargo van XL
Nissan NV200 S minivan
Mercedes Metris Cargo van
Chevrolet City Express LS minivan
Cargo Volume (ft.3)
131.7
103.9
122.7
183
`122.7
2020 RAM Promaster City Exterior
2.0/10
"ProMaster City gets a grille more in line with the rest of the Ram brand. A "RAM" badge is emblazoned across the small van's face instead of the Dodge-esque crosshair grille." - Car Connection
Design and Dimensions
For 2020 Ram has revised the front grille replacing the cross with huge letters RAM, making the awkward minivan slightly more bearable to look at. The bulging headlights on a duck-like snout followed a boxy compact minivan is a departure from the aggressive styling on the Ram pickup trucks.
Model
Ram Promaster City Tradesman cargo minivan
Ford Transit Connect cargo van XL
Nissan NV200 S minivan
Mercedes Metris Cargo van
Chevrolet City Express LS minivan
Curb weight (lbs.)
3509
3650
3273
4222
3260
Length(in)
187.1
173.9
186.3
202.4
186.3
Width(in)
72.1
72.2
68.1
75.9
68.1
Height(in)
74.2
72.6
73.7
75.2
73.7
Ground clearance (in)
5.2
6.0
6.1
4.4
6.1
Wheelbase (in)
122.4
104.8
115.2
126
115.2
Track width (in) F/R
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
N/A
The longer, wider and heavier Metris carries the inherent bulkiness of a large van, which the ProMaster has decidedly tried to avoid. The minivans from Nissan and Ford follow suit with a small footprint rather than the orthodox approach.
2020 RAM Promaster City Safety
There are plenty of features in the RAM and a few of them are listed below:
Electronic Stability Control (ESC) And Roll Stability Control...
ABS And Driveline Traction Control
Side Impact Beams
Dual Stage Driver And Passenger Seat-Mounted Side Airbags
Low Tire Pressure Warning
Dual Stage Driver And Passenger Front Airbags
Airbag Occupancy Sensor
Driver Knee Airbag
Rear Child Safety Locks
Outboard Front Lap And Shoulder Safety Belts -inc: Height...
Back-Up Camera
2020 RAM Promaster City Competition
Ram ProMaster City Tradesman vs Mercedes-Benz Metris
The Mercedes Metris is larger than a common minivan but not up to full size van standards. Compared to the Ram ProMaster City Tradesman, the Metris is a much more expensive option, but for that price, you get a better drivetrain, bigger cargo bay and more facilities in the cabin. At a tighter budget the Ram is a perfectly viable alternative with a smaller hauling capacity.
Ram ProMaster City Tradesman vs Ford Transit Connect
The Ram ProMaster is the toughest rival the Ford Transit Connect faces, it comes with more power and a larger cargo bay the basic necessities of an effective hauler. However, the Ford makes up for that with a better cabin and a high-tech infotainment. Ram also lacks a diesel engine which Ford introduced for 2020. The turbodiesel adds punchy torque to the lower rvs and increases the payload capacity significantly, making it a better choice for you.
Ram ProMaster City Tradesman vs Nissan NV200
The Nissan NV200 is essentially a Chevrolet City Express with the front grille replaced with a Nissan badge. As underpowered as the Chevy, the NV200 with the 131 hp engine stays true to its name, it works well in the city but fails to deliver on highways. The interiors are much better in the Ram ProMaster City Tradesman and the infotainments feel from different decades. The Ram is the obvious choice between the two.
2020 RAM Promaster City Final Verdict
The Ram ProMaster City Tradesman is a dependable minivan with comfortable interiors and a tech-rich cabin. However, in terms of practicality i.e. cargo capacity, the Ram lags behind the rival minivans. Apart from that, the Ram is a very modern and powerful minivan which can handle any obstacle you throw at it. The prime highlight of the ProMaster is the amazing ride quality and handling in the city.
