Used 2016 RAM ProMaster for Sale nearChicago, IL

Full-size cargo vans used to be heavy, clunky, styling-challenged gas guzzlers. The 2016 Ram ProMaster is none of those things. With its debut for the 2014 model year, the ProMaster Cargo Van joined such illustrious company as Ford’s Transit, Nissan’s NV Cargo, and Mercedes-Benz’s Sprinter in paving the way toward a new era in full-size workhorse vans. Offering seating for 2, a slew of loading configurations, a pair of roof heights, 3 wheelbases, 2 engine choices, and even an extended-length trim, the distinctly utilitarian ProMaster schleps its share of cargo and looks good doing it.

Beginning with the base half-ton 1500 118 (118-inch wheelbase), the ProMaster trim levels ascend in wheelbase, size, and capability through the 1500 136 (136-inch wheelbase), the 1500 136 with High Roof, the three-quarter-ton 2500 136, the 2500 159 (159-inch wheelbase), the 1-ton 3500 159, and the 3500 159 EXT (extended length). The 1500 trim level offers a standard roof height that’ll challenge your typical 6-footer, while the high roof, standard for 2500 and 3500 trim levels and available for 1500s, boast a stoop-less load and work area.

Look for the 1500 118 to run 195 inches (16.25 feet) in overall length, while the 136-inch-wheelbase trim levels pack 213.1 inches (17.8 feet) in overall length, and the 159-inch-wheelbase iterations to stretch out to some 236 inches (19.7 feet). The 3500 159 EXT, meanwhile, meanders on for 250 inches (20.8 feet) overall. Be advised that parking these behemoths may present some interesting exercises in geometry.

Cargo capacities, meantime, are similarly diverse, with the low-roof 1500 118 claiming 283 cubic feet of cargo space, the 136 (low roof) offering 353 cubic feet, the 136 with high roof featuring 406 cubic feet, the 159 (with high roof) boasting 456 cubic feet, and the massively proportioned 3500 159 EXT sporting a giant, economy-size 530 cubes of toting acreage.

Expect few, if any, changes in the ProMaster lineup for the upcoming model year, although a couple of tweaks to standard and available exterior perks, interior adornments, and techno-goodies may be in the offing when the 2016 edition of this workaholic goes on sale in the fall of 2015.

It’s certain, however, that the standard powertrain for the 2016 ProMaster will remain the tried-and-true 3.6-liter V6 engine mated with a 6-speed automatic transmission boasting hill-start assist. Again this mill is slated to put out 280 hp and 260 lb-ft of torque, while mileage figures remain unavailable, as the EPA historically resists evaluating these jumbo-size working-class heroes.

Also returning for the 2016 ProMaster is an available 3.0-liter turbodiesel inline 4-cylinder (I4) powerplant that throws down 174 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque under the management of a 6-speed auto-manual transmission. Again, EPA mileage numbers are unavailable, but consider that turbodiesels are generally good for a few extra miles per gallon over their gasoline-burning brethren.

As is traditional with hardcore work vans, appointments in the 2016 ProMaster Cargo Van are Spartan at best. Look for such standard features as 16-inch steel wheels, auxiliary transmission cooling, and a passenger-side rear sliding door to return, along with cloth upholstery, power windows and door locks, keyless entry, air conditioning, and a telescoping steering wheel that currently offers no tilt feature.

Entertainment-wise, expect an AM/FM radio with MP3 capability, 4 speakers, and an auxiliary audio input to remain standard for all trim levels.

Should you desire a bit more in the way of looks and creature comforts, optional equipment includes alloy wheels, a driver’s-side sliding rear door, various window configurations, rear parking sensors, a rear-view camera, cruise control, a heated and swiveling driver’s seat, a double passenger seat, and power-folding outside mirrors. Further available perks include an upgraded audio system complemented by Chrysler’s Bluetooth-interfaced Uconnect infotainment with a 5-inch touchscreen, GPS navigation, and satellite radio.

A few options packages are also scheduled to return in the 2016 ProMaster stable. The Premium Appearance package offers a few of the above extras in, well, package form, while the Interior Convenience package and the Cargo Convenience group boast such extra-cost add-ons as an overhead shelf, under-seat storage, a cargo net, and sidewall tie-down points. And, last but not least, an available towing package allows up to 5,100 pounds of towing capacity.

Finally, standard safety equipment, lineup-wide, includes 4-wheel antilock brakes (ABS), traction and stability control, front side-mounted airbags, and head curtain airbags. Meantime, front fog/driving lights are optional, as is a security alarm. Again, because of its heft, the 2016 ProMaster is not graded for impact testing by either the government or the insurance industry.