The ProMaster 2500 is the middle child in RAM’s commercial lineup, between the lighter-duty 1500 and the heavy-hauling 3500. The one I’m reviewing: High Roof, 159-inch wheelbase. That’s the configuration most buyers choose for its balance of standing room and cargo length without the extended-wheelbase overhang.
Base price is $50,860. This one hit $63,225.
The SLT Plus Package ($6,995) adds LED headlamps, a 10.1-inch Uconnect touchscreen with navigation, adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go, power-folding heated mirrors, remote start, and a 220-amp alternator. The Advanced Safety Group ($1,795) brought surround-view cameras, automated parking, lane centering, and a leather-wrapped steering wheel. RAM also fitted the optional wood cargo floor ($495), upper and lower side-wall paneling ($590), and a Class IV receiver hitch ($495).
Contractors buy these. So do delivery operators and the van-life crowd hunting for the widest conversion platform on the market. The ProMaster has always been the spacious choice. The 2025 model finally adds enough technology to keep up.
Key Takeaways
- The 2025 RAM ProMaster 2500 High Roof starts at $50,860 and tested at $63,225 with the SLT Plus Package and Advanced Safety Group
- 463 cubic feet of cargo space in the 159-inch wheelbase High Roof configuration, with a class-best 21-inch load floor height
- The 3.6L Pentastar V6 produces 276 hp and 250 lb-ft of torque, paired with a 9-speed automatic and front-wheel drive, the only FWD full-size cargo van in North America
- Best-in-class 36-foot turning diameter makes parking lot maneuvers manageable for a vehicle this size
- 75-inch maximum cargo width leads the segment, fitting standard pallets between the walls
- Reliability remains a concern; RepairPal rates the ProMaster 2 out of 5 for dependability
- No AWD option limits all-weather capability compared to the Ford Transit and Mercedes Sprinter
The Cargo Area Changes Everything
Six stand-up paddle boards leaned against the wall at SUP California in Rancho Cordova. The longest measured twelve feet. I backed the RAM ProMaster 2500 up to the loading area, swung both rear doors open, and started fitting boards into the cargo area.
The first pair lay horizontal against the wood floor. Two more stacked on top. The final two rested alongside. Six boards, zero negotiation with the space. The staff seemed impressed. I stared at the remaining cargo volume and wondered if we should have brought more.
Twenty minutes later I was on Lake Natoma, paddle in hand, the ProMaster parked in the lot above the boat ramp. Two days earlier, this same van hauled a boxed steel workbench home from Home Depot. By week’s end, I’d tested every tie-down ring configuration the cargo area offered. This was day three of a week with the 2025 RAM ProMaster 2500 High Roof, and somewhere along the way I stopped thinking of it as a work vehicle.
Stand inside the ProMaster 2500 High Roof and you understand the conversion craze. The ceiling clears six feet with room to spare. You work upright. That sounds minor until you’ve spent an afternoon crouched inside a standard-roof competitor.
Maximum width between the walls: 75 inches, the segment leader. Between the wheel wells narrows to 56 inches, still enough for a standard pallet. The optional wood floor transforms the cargo area from raw metal to something workable, its grain providing traction that keeps tools from migrating around corners. After a week of loading and unloading, the $495 felt like a bargain.
The workbench test happened on a Tuesday. I drove to Home Depot, bought a boxed steel workbench, and pushed it through the rear doors without tilting. The 21-inch load floor meant loading at waist level instead of hoisting overhead. Four tie-down rings, two ratchet straps, done. The wood floor kept the cardboard from sliding on the drive home.
Six twelve-foot paddle boards also fit. Room to close the rear doors.
That’s the range of this van. A plumber’s pipe collection, a florist’s delivery load, half a college dorm room. Once you start loading things in, the 463 cubic feet stops being a spec-sheet number and becomes a practical answer to most cargo questions.
The tie-down rings are well positioned, mounted at floor level and along the lower walls, spaced closely enough that securing odd-shaped cargo takes minimal strap creativity. They held the workbench rigid over Sacramento’s rougher roads and kept the boards from shifting on the freeway.
Driving a Box Through Sacramento
The 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 makes 276 horsepower and 250 lb-ft of torque, all sent to the front wheels through a 9-speed automatic. Empty, those numbers move the van fine. Loaded with the workbench, the V6 strained merging onto Interstate 80. Determination rather than urgency.
Front-wheel drive is what makes the ProMaster structurally different from every competitor. No driveshaft tunnel means a completely flat cargo floor from bulkhead to rear doors. The lower center of gravity helps stability in crosswinds on Highway 99.
The 36-foot turning diameter matters more than any other number in this review. U-turn on a standard two-lane road? No three-point maneuver needed. The Ford Transit needs 41 feet. The Sprinter asks for 37. Five feet of advantage shows up every single day in parking lots and loading docks.
The 9-speed automatic shifts cleanly at steady speeds but hunts for ratios under inconsistent throttle. City driving exposed occasional confusion between fourth and fifth gear on moderate inclines. Highway cruising at 70 mph settled near 2,200 rpm.
Wind noise above 60 mph. Physics has opinions about flat-sided boxes. Road isolation falls short of the Sprinter but matches the Transit’s straightforward character. The ride is firm, built for loads rather than passengers.
Fuel economy averaged 19 mpg over 340 mixed miles on regular unleaded. RAM doesn’t publish EPA figures; commercial vans don’t require them. Nineteen combined is reasonable for what this is.
Living With the Technology
The SLT Plus Package overhauls the cabin. The 10.1-inch Uconnect 5 touchscreen is quick, runs wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and uses the same interface as RAM’s pickups. Navigation works. The screen reads clearly in direct sunlight. No learning curve.
Adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go earned its keep in Sacramento commute traffic. The system maintains distance, stops the van completely, and resumes when traffic clears. If you drive this van daily in stop-and-go, this single feature justifies the SLT Plus price.
The surround-view camera system (Advanced Safety Group, $1,795) is the feature that makes the ProMaster livable. It renders the van’s footprint as a top-down graphic with real-time feeds. You have zero rear visibility through the cargo area, so parking without it means guesswork. The digital rearview mirror switches between a traditional reflection and a camera feed, fixing the problem of a rearview blocked by whatever you loaded that morning.
Park assist works. Tried it three times, parallel and perpendicular. Nailed all three without correction.
What’s standard is the better story. Full-speed forward collision warning with pedestrian and cyclist detection. Post-collision braking. Traffic sign recognition. Drowsy-driver detection. Multi-collision braking. Electronic stability control with crosswind assist. RAM loaded the ProMaster with safety technology that competitors charge extra for, then buried it in the options sheet without fanfare.
What’s missing from our SLT Plus: blind-spot monitoring requires the separate Safety Group or SLT+ trim. For a vehicle with blind spots this expansive, that stings. The driver’s seat also lacks real lumbar support. After four hours, I noticed.
The Versatility Argument
The ProMaster’s case isn’t about any single capability. It’s about range.
Monday: a workbench from the hardware store. Wednesday: paddle boards to the lake. Recycling runs and cargo experiments filled the days between. Each task demanded a different configuration. None required modifying the van.
Front-wheel drive makes the ProMaster the default choice for van conversions. No driveshaft hump means the cargo floor sits at one level from wall to wall. A bed platform fits across the full 75-inch width. The High Roof accommodates anyone under six-foot-four standing upright. The van-life community figured this out years ago.
The Class IV receiver hitch ($495) adds up to 7,130 pounds of towing capacity. Deliveries during the week, a booth trailer to weekend farmers’ markets. That’s the buyer RAM built this for.
What the ProMaster won’t do: winter without chains. No AWD option exists. The Transit offers it. The Sprinter has four-wheel drive. If your routes cross mountain passes in January or hit unplowed job sites, buy something else. Front-wheel drive in a vehicle this heavy works on cleared roads. It falters on ice.
2025 RAM ProMaster 2500 High Roof Specifications
| Specification | Detail |
|---|---|
| Base Price / As-Tested | $50,860 / $63,225 (incl. destination) |
| Engine | 3.6L Pentastar V6 |
| Power | 276 hp @ 6,400 rpm |
| Torque | 250 lb-ft @ 4,400 rpm |
| Transmission | 9-speed automatic (948TE) |
| Drivetrain | Front-wheel drive |
| Cargo Volume | ~463 cu ft (High Roof, 159″ WB) |
| Max Cargo Width | 75 in. |
| Between Wheel Wells | 56 in. |
| Interior Height | 76+ in. (High Roof) |
| Load Floor Height | 21 in. (best-in-class) |
| Rear Door Opening | 60 in. wide, 260-degree swing |
| Sliding Door Opening | 49 in. |
| Turning Diameter | 36 ft (best-in-class) |
| Max Payload | Up to 4,750 lbs |
| Max Towing | Up to 7,130 lbs (Class IV hitch) |
| GVWR | 8,900 lbs |
| Fuel Economy | ~19 mpg observed (no EPA rating required) |
| Fuel Type | Regular unleaded (87 octane) |
| Wheelbase | 159 in. |
| GCWR | 12,000 lbs |
| Fuel Tank | 24 gallons |
| Battery | 95-amp (180-amp or 220-amp with packages) |
| Warranty | 3-yr/36,000-mi basic; 5-yr/60,000-mi powertrain |
Value and Verdict
At $63,225 as tested, our van included every option most buyers would want and some they wouldn’t miss. A base ProMaster 2500 High Roof starts at $50,860, roughly $1,500 less than a comparable Ford Transit 250 High Roof and more than $5,000 below a Mercedes Sprinter 2500 High Roof.
The advantages are measurable. Widest cargo floor in the segment. Lowest loading height. Tightest turning circle. A flat floor with no driveshaft intrusion.
The disadvantages are too. RepairPal gives it a 2-out-of-5 reliability rating. No all-wheel drive. The gas V6 can’t match the Sprinter’s diesel torque for heavy payloads or its highway efficiency. Interior materials trail both competitors, with wider panel gaps and harder plastics in spots you actually touch.
How the ProMaster 2500 Compares
Wider and more affordable than both the Ford Transit and Mercedes Sprinter, with the lowest load floor in the class. The Transit counters with AWD and more powertrain choices. The Sprinter offers diesel efficiency and a more refined cabin. Read our full RAM ProMaster vs Ford Transit vs Sprinter comparison for the complete breakdown.
Setting up for work? Our ProMaster cargo setup and upfit guide covers shelving, tie-downs, trade-specific configurations, and every interior dimension you need.
Buy this van if you need maximum cargo width on a moderate budget, load and unload frequently enough to care about a 21-inch floor height, or want the widest van-life conversion platform on the market. Works best in temperate climates and urban routes.
Look elsewhere if you need all-weather traction, want diesel fuel economy for long-haul routes, or prioritize cabin refinement. Fleet managers in northern states should cross-shop the Transit with AWD.
The Bottom Line
The 2025 RAM ProMaster 2500 doesn’t attempt to excel at everything. It commits to space and maneuverability, then lets you decide what those advantages are worth. In a week of hauling paddle boards, workbenches, and whatever else fit through those rear doors, the van proved that a cargo vehicle can serve double duty without compromise… provided the weather cooperates and the mountain passes can wait.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much cargo space does the 2025 RAM ProMaster 2500 have?
The 2025 RAM ProMaster 2500 High Roof with the 159-inch wheelbase has approximately 463 cubic feet of cargo volume. Maximum interior width is 75 inches, with 56 inches between the wheel wells. The extended-wheelbase model expands cargo volume to 524 cubic feet.
What engine does the 2025 RAM ProMaster use?
The 2025 RAM ProMaster uses a 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 engine producing 276 horsepower at 6,400 rpm and 250 lb-ft of torque at 4,400 rpm. It pairs with a 9-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive, making the ProMaster the only front-wheel-drive full-size cargo van in its class.
Is the RAM ProMaster front-wheel drive?
Yes. The RAM ProMaster is the only full-size cargo van sold in North America with front-wheel drive. This eliminates the driveshaft tunnel. The cargo floor is completely flat, and the load height drops to 21 inches. No all-wheel-drive or rear-wheel-drive option is available.
How does the RAM ProMaster compare to the Ford Transit?
The ProMaster offers a wider cargo area (75 inches vs. approximately 69 inches), a lower load floor (21 inches vs. 28 inches), and a tighter turning radius (36 feet vs. 41 feet). The Transit counters with available AWD, an optional EcoBoost V6 producing 310 horsepower, and slightly higher towing capacity at 7,500 pounds vs. 7,130 pounds.
Can you stand up inside the RAM ProMaster High Roof?
Yes. The High Roof ProMaster provides over 76 inches of interior standing height, enough for most adults to stand fully upright. It’s a popular choice for van conversions and mobile workshops where workers move around inside.
What is the towing capacity of the RAM ProMaster 2500?
The 2025 RAM ProMaster 2500 can tow up to 7,130 pounds when properly equipped with the optional Class IV receiver hitch ($495). Maximum payload capacity reaches 4,750 pounds depending on configuration and installed equipment.
Is the RAM ProMaster good for van life?
The ProMaster is one of the most popular platforms for van-life conversions. Its front-wheel-drive layout creates a flat floor with no driveshaft hump. The 75-inch width accommodates a full-size bed across the van. High Roof models provide standing room for most adults. The 21-inch load floor height eases entry and exit. The main limitation for van life is the lack of all-wheel drive for off-grid access.
How much does the 2025 RAM ProMaster 2500 cost?
The 2025 RAM ProMaster 2500 High Roof with the 159-inch wheelbase starts at $50,860 before destination. Our test vehicle, equipped with the SLT Plus Package ($6,995), Advanced Safety Group ($1,795), wood floor ($495), wall paneling ($590), and Class IV receiver hitch ($495), reached $63,225 including the $1,995 destination charge.
What is the fuel economy of the RAM ProMaster?
RAM does not publish EPA fuel economy figures for the ProMaster, as commercial vans are exempt from EPA testing requirements. In our week-long evaluation covering 340 mixed miles, the ProMaster 2500 averaged approximately 19 mpg on regular unleaded gasoline, with highway driving returning closer to 21 mpg and city driving dropping near 17 mpg.
Does the RAM ProMaster have adaptive cruise control?
Adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go is available on the 2025 RAM ProMaster through the SLT Plus Package ($6,995). This system maintains following distance, brings the van to a complete stop in traffic, and resumes automatically. Standard equipment includes forward-collision warning with emergency braking and a backup camera.
What trim levels does the 2025 RAM ProMaster come in?
The 2025 RAM ProMaster is available in three trim levels: Tradesman (base), SLT, and SLT+. The Tradesman includes a 7-inch Uconnect display, manual air conditioning, and push-button start. SLT adds LED headlamps, power-folding heated mirrors, and a chrome grille. SLT+ includes the 10.1-inch Uconnect 5 Nav, wireless charging, adaptive cruise with stop-and-go, and remote proximity keyless entry. Body styles include Cargo Van, Window Van, and Cutaway.
What colors does the 2025 RAM ProMaster come in?
The ProMaster offers 10 standard exterior colors including Bright White, Black, Ceramic Gray, Flame Red, and Patriot Blue Pearl. Fleet buyers can access 14 additional special-order colors including School Bus Yellow, Agriculture Red, Holland Blue, and Timberline Green Pearl, covering commercial branding needs across industries.
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Article Last Updated: February 17, 2026.
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Michael Kahn is the publisher of The Weekly Driver, serving as writer, photographer, and content creator. With a keen eye for storytelling and a passion for adventure, he specializes in uncovering the stories and experiences of automobile enthusiasts. Michael’s work is inspired by his love for off-the-beaten-path road trips, global exploration, and the pursuit of exceptional culinary experiences, all captured through the lens of a world traveler and automotive enthusiast.