2014 Ram 1500 Promaster high-roof cargo review

Attention to all self-employers, contractors, plumbers, electricians and handymen, the 2014 Ram 1500 Promaster is here. This week, we tested Chrysler’s new full-size truck, which is ideal for self-employed contractors or business owners who need to load a large amount of cargo in a safe truck body. The wide covering edges make it the perfect canvas for your business logo or logo. When you deliver goods or stop service, this van will become a mobile billboard driving around the city. Let's take a look at why this is a good choice for business owners.

What’s new for 2014?

Why choose the Ram Promaster?

On the road with Promaster

Front-drive configuration

Conclusion:

What’s new for 2014?

The 2014 Ram ProMaster is all-new for 2014 and this RAM cargo van comes to Ram showrooms by way of Fiat. ProMaster is not really new, but it’s new to the U.S. market. There are tons of them on the roads in Europe wearing Fiat Ducato badges. Ram ProMaster competes with the Mercedes-Benz Sprinter, Ford Transit, Nissan NV, Chevrolet Express, and GMC Savana.

Why choose the Ram Promaster?

As a former owner of an automotive wholesale business who made delivers in the auto chemical business, I was able to look at the Ram Promaster from a business owners perspective. The Ram Promaster with 136” wheelbase we tested ($30,520) came with the optional High Roof that makes it great for standing inside the cargo area. Inside, the Ram van can be configured with shelves and storage for carrying a multitude of items for any business need. It’s wide enough for a row of deep shelves on both sides with room to walk in the center isle.

The back doors swing open 260 degrees and its wide enough to slide a full-size pallet into the back, and this 136-inch wheelbase model could carry two pallets back-to-back. The rear load height is high enough to back up to an average loading dock for easily loading cargo. This Ram Promaster tester came with the optional wood floor ($395) that makes it ideal for carrying items where you need a softer platform.

The large outside panels make it a perfect place for a business to put large company signs, phone number and logo. This van would be a moving billboard for a business as they make their deliveries and service stops throughout the business day. And the Promaster comes in a multitude of exterior colors and not just white. Our Promaster was black and was a little bit too warm inside after sitting on hot pavement.

On the road with Promaster

Driving the Ram Promaster was a pleasant surprise. Although we weren’t loaded with cargo, the 280-hp 3.6-liter gasoline V6 had plenty of power, even at altitude, to get the cargo van where we needed to go this week. The driver has a commanding view of the road as you sit high up, and visibility is good with its large power-folding heated mirrors ($225). The steering wheel is telescoping, but the one complaint is that the steering wheel has no tilt function. This would be a welcome feature as most buyers will spend a lot of time behind the wheel. This cargo van has a very short front nose and driver visibility is excellent from behind the wheel.

Promaster is a big vehicle, and we would highly recommend getting the optional ParkSense rear park assist system ($250) and ParkView rear back-up camera ($230). It definitely helped this week as we navigated and parked the cargo van in the city. I did need help backing out of a driveway onto a busy street after making the mistake of not parking on the street. Most business owners will use this vehicle in the city, and the Hill Start Assist is a great standard feature so you don’t roll into someone while stopped on a hill.

Front-drive configuration

Ram Promaster is front-wheel-drive which would make the cargo van all-climate friendly. We didn’t get a chance to test the van in the snow, (thank goodness) but it will likely be good in wet or snowy climates. The six-speed Chrysler automatic transmission was smooth and gear changes were seamless. Promaster has a large 24 gallon fuel tank but no fuel mileage estimates are available on the cargo van yet.

This is a commercial vehicle and the ride is a bit noisy inside, but it looks like a solid panel could be added behind the driver and passenger to create a nice secure quiet cabin up front. Maneuverability in the ProMaster is a strong point, as the 136-inch length wheelbase is able to execute a U-turn in less than 41 feet. We were surprised at the ease of turning the cargo van in tight spots this week.

Conclusion:

If you have a rolling supply house that needs to transport goods, deliver goods, or need wheels, you need to look at the brand new 2014 Ram 1500 Promaster 136” WB High Roof Cargo van. It is ideal for self-employed contractors or business owners who need one or a group of vehicles to transport large amounts of goods in a safe van. The large covered edge makes it the perfect canvas for your business to promote when you work. p>