Black isn't a great colour for the Ram ProMaster 1500, maybe not because black does not seem snappy, however a dark-coloured commercial automobile driven by uncommercial men like us is not a great thought. The ProMaster is meant for contractors, plumbers, along with other useful individuals who might otherwise obtain a pick up but would value the protection and allweather tidiness of hauling material below a roof.

Together with the mid size 136.0-inch wheel base and large-roof choice (shorter- and longer-wheel base variations are accessible), our evaluation van's footprint reflected that of our long term Ram 1500 pick up. The entrance tires are whirled by Chrysler's 3.6-liter Pentastar V 6, whose 280 hp can yank the ProMaster to 60-mph in a section-top 8.1 seconds. The front drive layout sets a bulk of the ProMaster's pounds on the front wheels, that'll make some motorists feel more safe in inferior-climate, reduced-grip situations.

Commercial Is as Business Does

The cockpit has the estimated practical appearance and tough plastics, even though Ram--er, Fiat (it is a re-badged Ducato)--at least modelled the soft paraffin into somewhat appealing contours. Our only gripe revolved around the driving place.

Passengers whined concerning how the dash falls away to fulfill the expansive windshield, providing the sense you can drop through the glass, but we enjoied the wide angle view out the entrance. Body-roll and excessive plunge, yet, are hallmarks, and journey movements were usually not well assessed. The 4909-pound (empty) utility carton took a long--by automobile standards--199 toes to stop from 70 miles per hour, and also the numb and extremely-sluggish steering (3.9 turns lock-to-lock) needed steady corrections in the main road and frenzied arm flailing in the town. A self-confidence-inspiring driving device the ProMaster isn't.

Redemption originated from loading up the gargantuan, 406-cubic foot cargo maintain having a lot of material and transferring that material from one spot to another. Annoyingly, the unlock button to the key fob simply opens the front doorways (a safety measure to help keep unwanted freight grabbers outside); a different button manages the buttocks, and also the sliding side entrance in our evaluation example did not close if closed using just the handle. Shutting it totally needed an additional hand pushing to the back area of the do or to engage the aft latch. Our evaluation van came just using a passenger-side cargo door; including a motorist-side cargo door costs additional.

For the $34,820 our mid-degree ProMaster controlled, we'd suggest purchasing a nicely specs'd Nissan NV2500 or, in case your company had a great year, stepping around the more pricey Mercedes-Benz Sprinter. Both of these large-box vans feels more rooted and maneuverable, whether being pushed by regular men past college zones or into a work site.

2014 RAM ProMaster 1500 video