DETROIT — Stellantis’ Ram brand is eying white space in the commercial-vehicle sector with the revival of its ProMaster City van.
The market gap, created when automakers abandoned the small commercial-van sector in the U.S. three years ago, saw sales of more than 100,000 vehicles annually at its peak, according to Stellantis. Now, Ram is looking to recapture a chunk of that volume with a model that’s targeted to sticker for less than $40,000.
The new ProMaster City is likely to be a better fit for the North American region than the previous-generation van because of its slightly bigger dimensions that increase cargo room to 167.1 cubic feet and extend the floor dimensions so to allow a standard sheet of plywood to fit easily, a key demand of commercial fleet operators, Stellantis executives told journalists at an unveiling event in March. And with more than 48 inches between the rear wheel wells, the ProMaster City can accommodate a standard U.S. pallet.
Although Stellantis builds both short- and long-wheelbase models for world markets off its Global Midsize Platform (also known internally as the K0 platform), the U.S.-bound Ram ProMaster City is built solely on the longer 129.0-inch wheelbase.
The unibody van is powered by 1.6L direct-injected turbocharged 4-cyl. rated at 166 hp and 222 lb.-ft., driving the front wheels through an Aisin-supplied 8-speed automatic transaxle. The North American-built 1.6L is from the same engine family that is the basis for the hybrid powertrain offered in the new Jeep Cherokee. Towing capacity is targeted at 2,000 pounds and payload capacity is expected by the automaker to exceed that level.
The Global Midsize Platform underpins a variety of vehicles, including passenger models, with capacity for hundreds of thousands of units annually at five plants, so the automaker has the critical mass required to keep costs in check on the ProMaster City and the production heft to fill the pipeline if demand takes off, Stellantis executives said. The commercial-vehicle version of the platform has supported more than 1.5 million units sold globally.
The U.S.-market van will be built at Stellantis’ Tofaş joint venture with Koç Holding in Bursa, Turkey. Although they would be subject to the 25% U.S. “Chicken Tax” on light-duty trucks, Stellantis will circumvent the tariff by importing the vans with seats installed, classifying them as passenger vehicles and then reconfiguring them to cargo vans per customer orders.
Any upfitting required will be performed at the company’s FCA US Baltimore Transformation Center, Stellantis said. There are also a handful of other differences with the North American-market model, such as exclusive headlights and mirrors needed to meet local regulations and specific Ram branding.
Production is expected to launch in fourth-quarter 2026, with sales to begin in Q1 2027. The long lead time is needed, said Dave Sowers, director of Ram Professional Operations at Stellantis, to allow commercial-fleet operators time to familiarize themselves with the new model and spec out orders. The vehicle will be sold in all three North American markets of the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
The van will be offered in multiple configurations, with seating for two, five or eight and with options for solid side panels, windows, or caged windows. Two trim levels will be featured, Tradesman and SLT, with both available in cargo and passenger-van configurations. The Tradesman, targeted more directly at commercial applications, is expected to account for 75% of the mix, Sowers said.
The 2027-model ProMaster City is equipped with a digital rearview mirror, an adjustable steering column, heated front seats, a 10-inch instrument cluster, and a 10-inch infotainment display with navigation, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto. Safety features include second- and third-row side-curtain airbags (passenger models only), forward collision warning with automatic emergency braking, driver-attention alert, hill-start assist, a backup camera, rear parking sensors and a programmable speed limiter.
The new commercial van is sized for city use. It measures 76.7 inches high and is the only Class 2 van under 80 inches in the market, according to the automaker — a plus for tight garages — and it has a turning diameter of just over 42 feet. Rear doors can be barn style — opening at 90 and 180 degrees — or liftback.
Stellantis is targeting several customer sets with the ProMaster City, including traditional markets such as plumbers and electricians, hotel shuttles, and light-package delivery services, but also new segments of buyers such as ride-sharing fleets and data infrastructure support services. It sees a growing customer base with brick-and-mortar retailers that now are expected to offer home delivery, as well as retail buyers who want a conversion van for camping or other recreational activities.
The previous-generation ProMaster City was the last of the small commercial vans to exit the U.S. market, preceded by the demise of the Chevrolet City Express, Nissan NV200, Mercedes Metris and Ford Transit Connect. That exodus left a void, which customers tried to fill with ill-fitted larger vans, minivans and other passenger vehicles, or by hanging on to their existing small vans longer Stellantis executives said. Many of those small vans still on the road are said to be 18- to 20-years old, perhaps providing the automaker with an eager buyer base for the new model.
Small fleet operators “were left out in the cold,” Sowers said of the industry’s abandonment of the segment. “We’re on a mission to [meet the needs] of those small and midsize commercial customers.”
Stellantis didn’t provide a first-year volume target, but it will return to the sector where it left off, as the lone North American small commercial-van entry. Sowers pegs the sector worth $4 billion in annual revenue, so the automaker might not be alone for long if the ProMaster City gets any early market traction.
