2022 RAM Promaster City

There are only two trims available with the RAM Promaster City Cargo Van. The base Tradesman trim is expected to be priced around $27,500 and comes with basic features and safety tech with not much to talk about, it is basically a bare-bones cargo van, whereas the Tradesman SLT is a bit more practical and feature-loaded and also is slightly better looking than the base model. It is expected to come with an expected price tag of $28,500 and will feature more creature comforts than the base trim to make daily life easier.

Which trim should you buy?

If you desire comfort, then the Tradesman SLT trim is the one to go for as it is nicer and offers more features to help you feel relaxed at the end of a tiring day. The basic Tradesman trim is just a straightforward work van with very basic features on board best suited for fleet buyers looking for a true utilitarian vehicle. 

Release Date

With RAM already sharing the details of the ProMaster City and having recently launched the ProMaster, expect the City to be available at showrooms very soon in the final quarter of 2021 with deliveries beginning soon after that. 

RAM has just one engine on offer for all the variants, which is a 2.4-liter inline-4 engine, mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission, which has now also been added to the bigger cargo vans. The engine is given the name ‘Tigershark’ and produces 178 horsepower and 174-pound feet of torque. The transmission is not the best partner for the small powertrain, but it works well when the van is unladen. 

Getting off the mark, or while climbing a slope or an incline, and even while overtaking, the engine feels underpowered. On the other hand, the transmission, especially at low speeds, feels clumsy and sluggish. When running without any load in the back the 2022 RAM ProMaster City Cargo Van will reach 60 MPH in over 9 seconds, the time would change due to the addition of weight. Towing capacity stands at 2,000 pounds whereas maximum payload capacity stands at 1,890 pounds.

Cargo vans have one purpose: to transport goods. While this means that the drive is not fun, there is no lack of comfort as bumps, potholes, and small undulations are absorbed easily by the Promaster City. The steering has been well-tuned for city driving as it feels light, which allows making quick turns and maneuvering through traffic with ease. One thing that you will notice immediately is that there is a lot of body roll, when turning at slightly high speeds, and even high crosswinds can disturb the drive.

The Mercedes-Benz Metris is the most powerful van and is also the fastest to 60 MPH clocking 7.9 seconds, while these are not everyday track machines, the torque and power output are relevant for the towing. Metris also has the best-in-class payload and towing capabilities but is also pricier than its rivals by a huge margin. The Nissan NV200 is the most affordable of the lineup but it lacks both in terms of acceleration and towing performance, while the Transit Connect is pretty much on par with the ProMaster, albeit the lower payload capacity of 1,570 lbs. 

The Promaster City might not offer the best MPG in the city when compared to the likes of the rivals like the Ford Transit Connect Cargo Van, but it still offers decent fuel economy figures. It offers an impressive 28 MPG on the highway and offers 24 MPG in mixed driving conditions which are at par with the segment rivals. The fuel tank has a capacity of 16.1 gallons which is bigger than most other vans of the segment and allows for an overall range of over 350 miles.

The Metris is equipped with the most powerful engine and hence is also the least fuel-efficient, while the Ford Transit Connect has the best MPG figures overall of 26 MPG. The Nissan also offers decent fuel economy figures which are marginally higher than the ProMaster City but RAM offers the highest MPG on the highway, and also has a significantly bigger fuel tank. However, the Mercedes-Benz has the biggest fuel tank that can hold 18.5-gallons, and yet the Ford with its small gas tank offers the longest driving range of 411 miles.

The Promaster has a simple interior that has rugged and tough materials all around to keep the interior maintenance-free in the long run. The 2022 RAM ProMaster City Cargo Van comes with seating for up to two people and if you desire to seat more, there is always a choice to go for the passenger van, which takes away the cargo spaces and has seating for up to 5 passengers. The seating for the front driver and passenger is comfortable, there are no extraordinary features or materials as that would go against the purpose of a cargo van.

There is plenty of headroom and legroom on offer so there is no lack of space, and you would have a relaxing ride every time after working hard to load the van. The visibility up front is good, but when backing up or looking behind, you will realize that there are no windows but only window panels that offer zero visibility towards the back, and you have to rely fully on the rearview camera. The Rear windows are an optional extra in the van.

The Mercedes-Benz Metris has the most space behind the two front seats offering 182.9 cubic feet of trunk volume for hauling cargo. The Nissan NV200 Compact on the other hand has a spacious seating space but has the least cargo capacity. The Ford offers better headroom, while Nissan has the most legroom. Overall the RAM offers properly proportioned seats with ample headroom and legroom at the same time without compromising much on the cargo space at the rear.

A few of the noticeable interior highlights include:

• 6-Way Driver and 4-Way Passenger Seat w/Manual Driver Lumbar
• Premium Cloth Bucket Seats
• Vinyl Door Trim Insert and Urethane Gear Shifter Material
• Tilt/Telescoping Leather Steering Wheel
• Cargo Tie-Down Loops
• Cargo Space Lights

What’s there to keep you entertained?

The infotainment system of the Promaster City is not its most impressive aspect. The van comes with a 5-inch touchscreen display which comes installed with the UConnect3 software and the music inside the cabin is played via 4 speakers. While both the trims come with AM/FM stereo and an Aux jack as standard, there are no smartphone integration options in any trim. There are voice-activated controls on the Tradesman SLT and it also has steering-mounted audio controls. The system in itself is not as impressive and there are not many features, but it just has the necessities to keep you entertained throughout the day. Some of the notable features are:

• 5.0-inch touchscreen infotainment system
• 4-speaker audio system
• Voice Control
• USB audio ports
• SiriusXM Satellite radio
• UConnect3
• Auxiliary port

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 manufacturers master when it comes to commercial vehicles like the Promaster City. Starting from the front, the cargo van has a 'RAM' lettering upfront in chrome, just below the headlights in the middle of the front grille.

Apart from that, there is not much to talk about in terms of design, it has black plastic front and rear bumpers for the base trim, and SLT trim gets body-colored side mirrors and bumpers. Fog lamps are standard on both the trims with 16-inch steel wheels for the base trim and similar wheels with plastic covers for the SLT, while there is an option for a 16-inch alloy wheel for both the trims. Upfront you get regular halogen headlights and at the rear, you get LED taillights.

The Ford Transit is the heaviest due to its wide build. Mercedes is the longest and pretty wide as well and yet weighs pretty low, much lower than the ProMaster City that has a curb weight of 3,509 lbs. The Nissan has better ground clearance which allows for a better ride when loaded and also allows for an easier drive over rough roads and is also the most compact van in this comparison. The NV200 compact feels the most at home in city bylanes while the Metris is the one that would need three-point turns in most cases.

Few exterior highlights include:

• Halogen front headlights
• LED Brakelights
• Fog lamps
• Split Swing-Out Rear Cargo and Sliding Rear Doors
• Power Heated Side Mirrors
• Black Grille, Side Windows Trim and Front Windshield Trim
• Black Body side Moldings and Door Handles
• 16-inch steel wheels w/covers

Commercial vehicles like big trucks or vans are not mandated to be crash-tested by agencies like the NHTSA and the IIHS, so there are no definitive ratings or scores on how safe the RAM Promaster City is. To ensure the safety of passengers the 2022 RAM ProMaster City Cargo Van is loaded with safety tech and specifications, standard features like airbags, traction control, stability control, and ABS are already on the list but a lot of advanced safety features are absent like adaptive cruise control, blind-spot monitoring and other driver aid features, which are available in the Ford Transit van.

Few distinctive safety features of the Promaster City include:

• Roll Stability Control (RSC)
• Hill-start assist
• Trailer sway damping
• Tire pressure warning system
• Rearview camera
• Rear Parking sensors

2022 RAM Promaster City Cargo Van vs 2022 Ford Transit Connect Cargo Van

Ford and RAM both have their own advantages, the Transit Connect Cargo Van looks better and also has a better infotainment system thanks to the optional SYNC3 system. The RAM Promaster City has a better payload capacity and offers more power, but in most other aspects, both the vans are almost identical whether it is fuel efficiency, comfort, or the list of available standard features.

2022 RAM Promaster City Cargo Van vs 2021 Nissan NV 200 Compact Cargo Van

The Nissan NV200 might not be the best-looking cargo van, but it has more safety features than the RAM and better and more advanced infotainment features. It also has Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. The Promaster City on the other hand has more power, better payload capacity, and also looks better than the Nissan. The Nissan also has a better warranty coverage than the RAM.

2022 RAM ProMaster City Cargo Van vs 2021 Mercedes Benz Metris Cargo Van

Mercedes-Benz is not the usual name that we see in the commercial vehicles segment, and while the Metris costs significantly more than the Promaster, for the extra amount you get a lot more advanced safety features and slightly better infotainment features, and a more powerful engine, in fact, it is the most powerful among all the rivals. The RAM on the other hand offers more fuel efficiency, better space for the occupants, but Mercedes-Benz Metris takes over in terms of maximum payload capacity as it has a larger cargo area.

A decent investment for your new business, the 2022 RAM ProMaster City Cargo Van has a lot of cargo space, offers decent fuel economy, comes with basic necessary features, and is also priced accordingly. While it lacks a few advanced safety features and the transmission feels like a nuisance at times, there are a few cons you will have to overlook. If these don’t bother you as much, the 2022 RAM ProMaster City cargo van might just as well be the most appropriate companion for your business.