Stylish hauler moves stuff with ease
RAM PROMASTER: Cavernous van benefits from unique front-wheel-drive platform for lower load floor
Fred Penner famously sang The Cat Came Back. A lot of folks my age are now singing “The Kid Came Back” as our educated progeny return from university brandishing degrees, a bunch of crappy furniture and high hopes of finding employment. In the meantime, it’s easy sailing for them. And if your dad is lucky enough to score a 2017 Ram 1500 Promaster Cargo Van with 136” wheelbase, a pretty painless moving experience.
It wasn’t that many years ago when the only North American player in the full size, non-indigenous commercial van sandbox was the Mercedes-derived, diesel-powered Dodge Sprinter (now Mercedes-Benz Sprinter). The field has expanded to include the Ford Transit, Mercedes-Benz Metris, Nissan NV and this Ram Promaster. Built in Mexico, the Promaster is essentially a rebadged third-generation Fiat Ducato van — a workhorse that has been a mainstay in Europe for decades.
Unlike its competitors, the Promaster is front-wheel drive, giving it the lowest load floor and step-in height of the bunch. Dodge also claims best-in-class standard ceiling height at 1930 mm (76 in). Front suspension is of the strut variety while the back uses a beam axle with Hotchkiss leaf spring system.
The Ram Promaster starts at $29,695 for the Low Roof 118-in WB Cargo Van. This High Roof 136-in WB stickers at $35,695 and gets the standard 3.6L Pentastar V6 making 280 horsepower and 258 lb.-ft. of torque. It is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, and at each corner we find Brembo brakes. There’s also a $6,000 four-cylinder turbo-diesel engine upgrade, but that is off the menu until the 2018s start rolling in.
The list of available options is as lengthy as the day is long, and this white specimen is spec’d to $44,035 before the $1,795 destination charge. Some notable additions include $350 Cargo Partition Without Window (keeps that crappy furniture from bashing you in the back of the head), $750 driver suspension seat, $500 GPS navigation, $600 Uconnect 5-inch touchscreen with CD, $475 tow package (up to 5,100 lbs), $475 backup camera and $425 rear park assist — the latter two could be considered essential on this big beast.
Initial impressions from the driver’s seat are good. The dash is pleasing and well laid out with a trio of HVAC knobs, and the fabric seat feels ready for the long haul. The steering wheel (75 bucks for leather wrapping) doesn’t tilt but it will extend on its bus-like angle. There is a plethora of useful cubbies and cup holders, augmented here by the $200 interior Convenience Group that adds a locking glove box, a shelf above the windshield header and clip for documents on the dashtop.
The standard audio system is surprisingly good too.
As this tester looked to be fresh off this line with nary a day of honest work under its belt, we felt almost guilty having to put the first scuff on its load floor. Almost. After wrestling a few heavy items in, the “don’t scratch the new van” thing was done. The rear doors can be opened to 180 or 260 degrees — a nice feature when loading in tight spots, and the optional driver’s side sliding door ($750) came in handy. The Promaster swallowed my son’s furniture, detritus and cases of empties with ease, and we were soon heading back to the homestead. With its snub nose and high seating position you’re looking almost directly down at the pavement. It brags a best-in-class turning circle, making manoeuvring in tight spots surprisingly easy. The V6 powertrain is strong and smooth with brisk throttle tip in.
It’s surprising the number of jobs that materialize when you have a big van at your disposal. My neighbours had a gigantic wine fridge that needed to be returned to Costco. Piece of cake. We loaded up an old sectional, a bunch of Ikea book cases and lamps and dropped them at the Mississauga Furniture Bank which distributes to families in need in Halton, Peel and the GTA.
Unlike the other offerings in this segment, the Promaster is not configurable for passenger duty, making it industrial grade through-andthrough. So if you harbour dreams of ferrying the kids to hockey practice in this funky Italian transplant with the alien snout, you’re out of luck.