As commercial cargo vans shift to unibody from truck-based platforms, one wonders how robust these new vans are. During test drives, we discovered they come in efficient, spacious and comfortable packages yet still have room for refinement.
Last month, ENR took a spin in a Fiat Ducato-based 2016 Ram Pro-Master 1500 cargo van at the truckmaker’s proving grounds in Chelsea, Mich. With a 136-in. wheelbase and low roof, the $42,425 van sported Ram’s 3.0-liter, inline-four-cylinder EcoDiesel engine and six-speed automated manual transmission (AMT). This setup has a class-leading highway fuel economy in the low to mid-20s mpg, Ram claims.