The pickup truck and van game in the United States is heating up at an unprecedented rate, and newly christened Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) is eager for part of the action.
Instead of developing a smaller pickup truck to complement the Ram 1500, the company has decided (for the time being) to import a European van favorite, the Fiat Doblo, and homologate it for the United States market as the Ram Promaster City-sitting alongside the larger Promaster.
We were recently among the first to sample the Promaster City in its natural environment, on the city streets and country backroads of Austin, Texas. Read below to see if the Promaster City lived up to our expectations as a van-of-all-trades.
What is it?
Call the Promaster City-nee Fiat Doblo-the smaller sibling to the full-size Promaster. It effectively replaces the Ram C/V Tradesman, a stripped-out Caravan minivan, and provides a much more durable chassis for those looking to do serious business. As such, the Promaster City will be available as a passenger van and a cargo van-with either panels or glass as rear windows.
With the exception of a few new body panels, including revised front and rear fasciae due to local regulations, the Promaster City is essentially a long-wheelbase Doblo. Dual sliding doors are standard, although you'll have to slam them shut yourself.
In fact, the only major differences between the European-spec van and the Promaster City that will soon roam city streets is the U.S.-market Promaster City's sole choice of powertrain: a familiar 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that also makes an appearance in the Jeep Cherokee, among other FCA products, and a 9-speed automatic transmission. The appealing diesel and manual transmission options remain on the Continent-for now, anyway.
The Promaster City has a value-added feature best described in its quirkiness: For all of its American-branded marketing, it's still very much a European van, and there are some eccentricities to its design. Look no further than the bolted-in, TomTom-based navigation system and mismatched fonts and colors on the instrument panel, to understand that the Promaster City is a recent immigrant.
How does it drive?
In short, the Promaster City drives like a car, although it happens to look and act like a van. The Promaster City is tall, sure, but it tackles corners with the grace of a vehicle much less tall. The 178-hp 2.4-liter four is more than competent in moving the Promaster City from a standing start, unladen and when loaded up, and wheelspin is a definite possibility. Notably, the engine is neither buzzy nor loud and coarse-a welcome respite from some of its competitors' powerplants.
We genuinely enjoyed driving the Promaster City, both on the open Texas highway at 80 mph and in town. Steering is communicative and reassuring, and braking is linear and lacks the tenseness of some of its competitors'. Ride quality is firm without being harsh.
Passengers in the five-passenger wagon may feel claustrophobic in the second row, but those in the two-passenger cargo van will feel as if there is room to spare.
What's its specialty?
The Promaster City excels at being a great all-rounder, in a way that the Nissan NV200 and Ford Transit Connect cannot. And unlike the seating position in the larger Promaster, which is Horace and Jasper-esque, the Promaster City offers chairlike seating rather than perches.
Neat, unexpected tricks abound in the Promaster City. See those two, swing-open doors at the rear? They'll open to a full 180 degrees if you unlatch a yellow stop in the door hinge, allowing for unparalleled access. Once open, the cargo bay is designed to hold-as FCA execs described it-a "standard U.S. pallet," which eases access from the forklift to the floorpan.
Where it falls short is in passenger-mode versatility, not offering a third row of seating despite the fitments already being in place, therefore taking it out of the realm of consideration for those seeking a seven-seater.
How's the competition?
When it arrives in the United States, the Promaster City will face a growing set of competitors, both homegrown and domestic. Ford is already in its second generation of the popular Transit Connect van, and Nissan has quickly escalated the game by putting its NV200 into service as a light van and taxi.
The Promaster City outclasses both of those vans in terms of its aforementioned driving dynamics and refinement, but the Ram brand has much less visibility in the small van segment than Ford and Nissan do. Ram will have some work to do to convince buyers in the segment that the Promaster City is worth a look-much the same way that they had to with the larger Promaster just a year ago.
The unlikely cross-shop is the midsize pickup truck, a space made contemporary by the excellent Chevrolet Colorado. However, with that truck's price edging closer to that of a full-size truck's, the argument for a midsizer quickly loses steam.
Overall
An excellent alternative to the quickly advancing pickup truck.
Highs
Carlike driving position, wide enough to accommodate a full-size pallet, plenty of power in all situations, communicative steering.
Lows
Unproven in the United States, no third-row option, can feel claustrophobic as a passenger van.
The ideal setup
Promaster City Tradesman Cargo ($24,125): The base model is also the most attractive deal, with endless options for upfitting and optional add-ons-plus slick, standard steel wheels.
By the numbers
MSRP: $24,125 (includes $995 destination charge)
Power / drive wheels: 2.4-liter, 178-hp four-cylinder engine / front-wheel drive
Transmission: 9-speed automatic transmission
EPA fuel economy: 21 city / 29 highway mpg
In showrooms: Now
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