Ram ProMaster van gets a load of new safety tech for 2021
It's still a big, anonymous box on wheels but now it's safer than ever.
It's big and square and rugged and now safer than before, what more can you ask from a work van?
The odds are pretty good that if you don't own a small business or aren't a fleet manager of some kind, you probably haven't given the Ram ProMaster van a lot of thought. I mean, sure, you might see one driving around and think, "Hey, that's a weird-looking van," but beyond that, it's likely out of sight, out of mind.
On the flip side, if you are a small business owner or a fleet manager, then you'll probably be pretty stoked to see that the ProMaster is getting some meaningful updates for 2021. It's not getting the Hellcat treatment or anything, but it is getting a ton of new safety equipment, though most are optional features.
The big addition to standard safety -- and one that's welcome if you've ever tried driving something like a box truck or a Sprinter on a windy day -- is Crosswind Assist. This basically counter-steers for you to help keep you going straight.
Other optional safety equipment includes blind-spot monitoring with rear cross-path detection, forward collision warning with emergency brake assist and ambient/courtesy lights. It's not exactly Tesla Autopilot or Cadillac Super Cruise, but they're all nice to have in a work vehicle.
Also neat is the optional 9.2-inch rear-view LCD screen that can replace the standard mirror. This is especially useful in cases where the cargo load in the rear makes seeing through rear glass impossible.
As before, the ProMaster is available in 1500, 2500 and 3500 variants with all kinds of body styles including chassis cabs, vans with high and low roofs, cutaways and window vans, etc. It's also still front-wheel drive and powered by the venerable Pentastar 3.6 liter V6, which produces 280 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed automatic is the only transmission offered, though it would be nice to see FCA move to an eight-speed here to help with fuel consumption.
