2018 Ram ProMaster City Review
Price Range:Â $9,990 - $13,995

Edmunds' Expert Review

by Kurt Niebuhr
Senior Vehicle Test Editor
Kurt Niebuhr has worked in the automotive industry since 2005. A automotive photographer by trade, Kurt is now one of Edmunds' high-performance test drivers. He's driven and photographed hundreds, if not thousands, of vehicles all over the world, so Kurt's library of automotive experiences would certainly make for a good book. When not dreaming about getting his racing license or trying to buy out-of-date film for his cameras, Kurt can usually be found cursing at his 1966 Mustang.
Pros
- Higher payload rating than most rivals
- Large and versatile cargo area
- Engine delivers respectable power and efficiency
Cons
- Occasional clunky shifts from the transmission
- Tends to lean a lot when going around corners
What's new
- A 5-inch touchscreen is now standard
- Bluetooth and a rearview camera are also standard
- Part of the first generation of the ProMaster City introduced in 2015
Ram offers the 2018 ProMaster City as both a two-passenger cargo van and a five-passenger variant. Although you can't stand upright inside this van as you can in the full-size ProMaster van (reviewed separately), it's still plenty useful. The interior is spacious, and it beats most competitors when it comes to maximum cargo volume. The ProMaster City's payload rating of 1,886 pounds (or 1,760 pounds for the passenger version) also surpasses most rivals.
For sale near Boston, MA
15 listings
- $12,785great price$2,213 below market
- 90,605 miles
- No accidents, 3 owners, corporate fleet vehicle
- 4cyl automatic
- 495 Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram (22 mi away)
- Back-up camera
- Bluetooth
- Tire Pressure Warnin...
- Parking sensors
- Trip Computer
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Located in Lowell, MA
Please call for more information.
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: Yes
Personal Use Only: No
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Clean Title
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: No
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: No
Features and Specs:
24 Combined MPG (21 City/28 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: ZFBERFAB7J6L15295
Stock: 4942
Certified Pre-Owned: No
Listed since: 12-31-2024 - $15,900fair price$773 above market
- 88,124 miles
- No accidents, 4 owners, corporate fleet vehicle
- 4cyl automatic
- Tony Mangino Mitsubishi (142 mi away)
- Back-up camera
- Bluetooth
- Tire Pressure Warnin...
- Trip Computer
- Rear Bench Seats
Close
Located in Clifton Park, NY
From home to the job site, this White 2018 Ram ProMaster City Cargo Van Tradesman muscles through any terrain. The rugged Regular Unleaded I-4 2.4 L/1...
AutoCheck Vehicle History Summary
Accident Free Vehicle: Yes
Personal Use Only: No
History Provider: AutoCheck
Title Details: Clean Title
Salvage Vehicle: No
Frame Damage: No
Theft History: No
Lemon Status: No
Free History Report: No
Features and Specs:
24 Combined MPG (21 City/28 Highway)
Listing Information:
VIN: ZFBERFAB5J6L85846
Stock: D11466
Certified Pre-Owned: No
Listed since: 01-15-2025
All ProMaster City versions come with a 178-horsepower 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine. Acceleration and fuel economy are both respectable for the class. On the move, the ProMaster City rides well enough for a commercial van, but its tall, narrow profile means turns should be navigated with some caution. This is one reason we don't consider the ProMaster City Wagon a great alternative to a five-passenger crossover SUV. A noisy cabin and limited safety features are other reasons.
For passenger van duty, the similarly priced Ford Transit Connect is a better option. It has lower payload limits, but it comes in two different wheelbase lengths. The passenger version also has additional amenities, including seven-passenger seating and leather upholstery. You might want to check out the Mercedes-Benz Metris, which we like because of its above-average interior space. Overall, though, the ProMaster City is a solid option if you need an affordable and capable cargo van for your business or organization.
Edmunds' Expert Rating
The 2018 Ram ProMaster City is a light-duty compact van ideal for commercial use in the city or for businesses that don't require a full-size van. It's small, but it offers room for five passengers or enough space for cargo, plus it has an impressive cargo rating.
Trim tested
Edmunds has not yet driven any version of this vehicle, but we have limited experience with a pre-production model. The following is our first take on what's significant about it and what you can expect.
Driving
There's a suitable amount of pep driving around town. But once on the highway — especially if fully loaded — the ProMaster City starts to feel slow. The nine-speed automatic's shifting can be a bit clunky at low speeds. When driving around turns, the van leans heavily.
Comfort
Vinyl seats can be had in Cargo and Wagon configurations, but the SLT trim gets heated front seats with height adjustment and lumbar support.
Interior
It's built for practicality and utility, but the ProMaster City is still roomy and comfortable. Forward visibility is good, and rearward visibility is helped by a rearview camera and optional rear parking sensors.
Utility
The Cargo version of the ProMaster City has 131.7 cubic feet of cargo space behind the front seats, putting it ahead of the Ford Transit Connect and the Nissan NV200 but behind the larger Mercedes-Benz Metris.
Technology
Standard equipment includes Uconnect with a 5-inch screen, Bluetooth and a rearview camera. Rear parking sensors are optional but recommended.
Which ProMaster City does Edmunds recommend?
Whether you choose the Cargo or the Wagon version will depend on your needs, but getting the SLT trim level is a good idea. It gets you heated seats, cruise control and a slightly upmarket appearance package. That said, both the base and SLT trim levels offer similar equipment, even if some of it is optional.
Compare 2018 Ram ProMaster City trim levels
Helpful trims summary and side-by-side comparison chart
2018 Ram ProMaster City models
The 2018 ProMaster City comes as a cargo van, the Tradesman Cargo, and a five-passenger version known as the Wagon. There are also base and SLT trim levels. The main differences between the base and the SLT come in the form of standard equipment, better seats and a less utilitarian appearance. Of course, the Tradesman Cargo Van version seats just two passengers and the Wagon seats five.
Both the Tradesman Cargo and Wagon use a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine (178 horsepower, 174 pound-feet). The engine is mated to a nine-speed automatic transmission and is only available in front-wheel drive.
Standard equipment includes 16-inch steel wheels, keyless entry, power front windows, cloth upholstery, air conditioning, a tilt-and-telescoping steering wheel, a front overhead storage bin, a 60/40-split folding rear seat (Wagon only), Bluetooth, a 5-inch touchscreen, and a four-speaker stereo with a USB port.
For the SLT trim levels, all of the above equipment comes standard along with body-colored mirrors and bumpers, power-adjustable heated mirrors, privacy glass, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, driver-seat lumbar adjustment, an auto-dimming rearview mirror, upgraded cloth upholstery and cruise control.
Available option packages include the Popular Entertainment group (second-row power windows, a six-speaker stereo, heated front seats), a Cargo Partition package, a Lights and Wheels group (16-inch alloy wheels and foglights), and a tow package with a Class III hitch.
Other ProMaster City options include roof rails, a rear window defroster and wiper/washer, remote start, rear parking sensors, a navigation system (in combination with the 5-inch touchscreen), window grates and satellite radio.

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Cost to DriveCost to drive estimates for the 2018 Ram ProMaster City Tradesman Cargo 4dr Minivan (2.4L 4cyl 9A) and comparison vehicles are based on 15,000 miles per year (with a mix of 55% city and 45% highway driving) and energy estimates of $2.95 per gallon for regular unleaded in Massachusetts.
Monthly estimates based on costs in Massachusetts
$153/mo  for ProMaster City Tradesman Cargo
ProMaster City Tradesman Cargo
vs
$199/mo
Avg. Midsize Minivan
See Edmunds pricing data
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Reliability Ratings by RepairPal
3 out of 5 stars3/5Average
#6 out of 24 among Commercial Vans
RepairPal Reliability Ratings are based on the actual cost, frequency, and severity of unscheduled repairs and maintenance on make/model data for select 2008-2022 vehicles. The reliability of a specific vehicle may vary depending on its maintenance and driving history, model year, trim, and features.
Cost
The average total annual cost for unscheduled repairs and maintenance across all model years of the Ram ProMaster City from 2008-2022.$821/yr
vs. $851/yr
for Average Commercial Van
for Average Commercial Van
Frequency
The average number of times this model is brought into the shop for unscheduled repairs and maintenance in a single year. RepairPal calculates this metric by tracking millions of unique vehicles over multiple years to determine an average number of visits per year (omitting small routine visits, e.g., oil changes).1.84x/yr
vs. 1.96x/yr
for Average Commercial Van
for Average Commercial Van
Severity
The probability that a repair will be a major issue, meaning the repair costs 3x the average annual repair cost for all models. This threshold will be higher for vehicles that have higher labor rates and parts costs (such as a premium brand).13.5%
vs. 17.8%
for Average Commercial Van
for Average Commercial Van
powered by RepairPal Based on RepairPal reliability data as of 8/23/2023. Ratings are provided by RepairPal and Edmunds is not responsible for their accuracy.
Ram ProMaster City Reviews
Owner Reviews
5(12%)
4(12%)
3(12%)
2(25%)
1(39%)
Most Helpful Owner Reviews
Trending topics
Very underwhelming after 2000 miles
2 out of 5 starsAceadman, 08/20/2019
2018 Ram ProMaster City Tradesman Cargo 4dr Minivan (2.4L 4cyl 9A)
I was looking for a simple small cargo van and after driving the Promaster City, Ford Transit Connect, and small Nissan van, I chose the Ram. I have to say that after 2000 miles of driving it, I am distinctly not impressed.
The transmission seems VERY clunky especially at low speeds. With very light acceleration, at very low speeds, it often seems to almost "sputter" as thought it's … about to stall. For a truck designed for CITY driving, awkward engine performance at LOW speeds is a ridiculous flaw.
Motortrend said it has smooth transmission, but I beg to differ. It feels like it shifts 11 times when accelerating from 0 to 45 from a stop. really awkward and jerky. It really NEVER seems like it's in the correct gear, and I am constantly overriding the automatic transmission downshifting as a rule.
It has a very rough idle when in gear and stopped. I actually took it back to the dealer in the first week because it seemed broken, but they said that's the way it runs. To me, it shakes worse than my 2003 Subaru Forester, a 16 year old car with issues of its own. Putting it in neutral smooths out the idle but it is still worse than you'd expect in any vehicle in 2018.
Cargo space is good and exactly what I need, but it does seem a bit cheaply made. The box seems pretty flimsy when you close any door.
Much has been made of the awkward driving position, and I notice it, but it doesn't really bother me. I can adjust to it.
Air conditioner works well as does defroster. Haven't really used the heat yet.
Rubber gasket on rear door peeled off when pulling something out through the back. I got it back on, but I think that's a bad design.
Side doors work well.
The little "storage" details are all pretty lousy. But that's no big deal to me. Could EASILY be more ergonomic and usable with really minimal thought and work.
The rear brakes are crazy noisy, when it's empty especially. It sounds like they have no pads in the rear and are "scraping" on something rather than slowing the wheels. I thought it might "break in" but did not. If I hadn't had the same issue in the one I test drove, I'd think something was wrong.
All in all, the flaws are workable EXCEPT for the transmission/engine performance. It's really annoying and makes the vehicle NO FUN to drive. in 2018, everything should be fun to drive.
Very poor interior/exterior design
3 out of 5 starsSharon, 11/26/2018
2018 Ram ProMaster City Wagon SLT 4dr Minivan (2.4L 4cyl 9A)
Things I don't like: van is too narrow. gear shift & emergency break situated between driver & passenger, one very small cup holder, very useless indented places to put stuff, almost inaccessible over head shelf, controls for lights etc. in weird places; turn on/off high beams and turn signals come on, wipers only have 3 speeds, poor visibility, and over all construction VERY poor … quality- very light & tinny. This is after a week of owning this vehicle. I bought it for the cargo area for farm and art show use, and also needed to be able to carry passengers occasionally. This was the best of the Ford, Chevy/Nissan etc. from what I could find locally.
Underwhelming for business use
2 out of 5 starsDavid Stephens, 06/30/2019
2018 Ram ProMaster City Tradesman Cargo 4dr Minivan (2.4L 4cyl 9A)
I've owned this van for 4 months and 8000 miles. My vehicle is set up for cargo use with a partition between the front passengers and rear cargo. This van is to narrow. You are literally shoulder to shoulder with your passenger. At first look the van appears to have ample storage but the storage shelf above the passengers is shallow and useless. The door pockets are big enough but … between the seats is a small cup holder and 2 outlets (that died on me recently). Anybody taller than 6ft will have a difficult time finding a comfortable driving position. The engine is strong enough but very loud under moderate acceleration. Fuel economy has not been great. The entertainment system is fine and the back up camera is nice. Just recently the engine has had rough idle upon a cold start which is concerning. Overall I do not recommend this vehicle as I have serious concerns about the reliability.
Reliable
4 out of 5 starsNew England, 12/08/2019
2018 Ram ProMaster City Tradesman Cargo 4dr Minivan (2.4L 4cyl 9A)
Agree with points made previous 3 reviews. I'm in service industry and it has been flawless for first year/25k miles. The manual shift mode-very smooth - is a must to avoid the "clunky" performance. The transmission seeks the higher gears too quickly/stays in them too long. I have found the gear that gives you 2000 RPM is the one you want to be in.....5th gear as high as needed driving … up to 40mph...even highway driving at 70mph 7th gear ( out of 9 gears ) performs best.My seats are manual but still very comfortable.Plenty of cargo room - doing away with cage gives plenty of room in front cab for one person/extends leg room.
2018 ProMaster City Highlights
Tradesman Cargo
Base MSRP Excludes Destination Fee | $23,995 |
---|---|
Engine Type | Gas |
Combined MPG | 24 MPG |
Cost to Drive | $153/month |
Seating | 2 seats |
Drivetrain | front wheel drive |
Warranty | 3 years / 36,000 miles |
Safety
Our experts like the ProMaster City models:
- Electronic Stability Control
- Helps maintain stability and traction in extreme situations.
- Trailer Sway Control
- Works to correct a swaying trailer and stabilize the vehicle.
- Tire Pressure Monitoring
- Alerts the driver via a light on the dashboard to a possible flat tire.
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