2023 Ram ProMaster Cargo Van

When you need to move lots of stuff around, you need a cargo van, and the 2023 Ram ProMaster Cargo Van is one of only a handful of similar products currently for sale in the USA. Its most obvious rivals are the Ford Transit Cargo Van and Mercedes-Benz Sprinter Cargo Van - both modern vans with the latest technology available. GM's Chevrolet Express Cargo Van and GMC Savana equivalent are in the running if you need V8 power and class-leading towing capacity and payload, but they're ancient products that hail from the '90s, and they're crude and inefficient by modern van standards. They come with virtually no standard driver assists, while the Ram ProMaster Cargo Van we review here has modern safety features such as driver-alertness monitoring, forward-collision warning, and traffic-sign recognition as standard. It's also better to drive, but it's more expensive to buy, so you trade some ability for civility. Unlike the GM twins' V8 option and the Transit's available turbocharged V6, you have to make do with a naturally aspirated 276-horsepower V6 in the ProMaster - the only available engine option. The ProMaster's less compelling package puts it at a disadvantage in this company.

With a $43,640 MSRP, the price of the 2023 Ram ProMaster Cargo Van is up by more than ten percent over last year's model. This is for the van in its most basic configuration: the 1500 with the 118-inch wheelbase and low roof. Opting for the 136-inch wheelbase will cost you $3,135, while adding a high roof adds another $550 on top of that.

The 2500 derivative is next in line, and the cheapest one is the 2500 with the low roof and 136-inch wheelbase at a price of $47,925. This can be upspecced to a high roof (+$1,230) and a 159-inch wheelbase can be specified (+$620). Then follows the 3500 derivatives, available only with high or Super High roofs and ranging in price from $50,215 for the high roof with the 136-inch wheelbase to $54,230 for the Super High roof with the 159-inch wheelbase. Remember that all of these prices are exclusive of the $1,995 destination charge.

In terms of the driving experience, the Ram ProMaster fails to impress with a rather harsh and unrefined unladen ride and vague steering. It's better than the GM vans but worse than the Transit and Sprinter. Its problems are exacerbated by the default FWD, and since no AWD is available, traction can be a problem in adverse conditions such as on upward gradients on dirt. Conversely, the FWD layout offers good traction in snow for a 2WD vehicle, where RWD can be a disadvantage, especially when unladen, so it's very much a matter of where you are going to use your ProMaster. Maximum towing capacity is less than its rivals but still decent at nearly 7,000 pounds. Power is adequate, and the nine-speed automatic transmission makes the most of the available torque. It's easy enough to drive, surprisingly stable on the highway thanks to the standard crosswind assist, and more maneuverable than most vans because of its tight turning radius.

The latest round of price increases has eroded the ProMaster Cargo Van's business case, and its base price is now higher than all rivals except for the Ford Transit. Yet, it doesn't offer the refinement of the Sprinter and Transit, nor the high-value sub-$40k pricing of the GM vans. The single engine option is adequate, but it's not available with a more powerful gas option like the GM vans or Transit, nor with high-torque diesel options like the Sprinter. Delivery trips off the beaten track are also curtailed by the lack of an AWD option. Still, it's an immensely practical van with a variety of body options and an available roll-up door, while the level of standard and optional driver assists is impressive. These pros are not enough to outweigh the cons, so it fails to make much of an impression on the class leaders at its higher 2023 prices.

As this is a utility vehicle, your choice will be dictated by how much you need to haul around. You're sure to find a body and wheelbase configuration in the lineup that suits your needs. While the basic driver assists include forward-collision warning, crosswind assist, trailer-sway damping, traffic-sign recognition, and driver-alertness monitoring, the Advanced Safety Group package costs only $1,500 and is well worth having with its surround-view camera, lane-departure warning, and blind-spot monitoring.