Photo by Vince Taroc.

Photo by Vince Taroc.

I have an affinity for all things vans these days. While I prefer a passenger variation to shuttle around my small horde of children, there are times when a cargo can fit the bill, and then some. As most of you with a family of five or more know (there are six of us, including my wife and myself), stores like Costco and Sam's Club can help stretch constantly tightening budgets. This is how I put this sterling white ProMaster to the test.

The vehicle, like others in the same class, doesn't handle like a full-size van. It took to the streets of Long Beach quite comfortably, as well as through the constantly crammed parking lot of our local Costco. It turned more than a few heads on my way in and out of the lot, especially when it easily parked in a spot that some compacts have trouble maneuvering into.

The inside of the van is cavernous, especially when it's empty – on the trip to Costco. When I clapped my hands after jumping into the driver's seat, the sound reverberated like a bear cave. Settling into the saddle, which keeps you high above traffic after only a minor step up into the van, I was able to easily reach all the bells and whistles, including the artic-temp A/C and the easily understandable sound system. I've been in one or more new vehicles lately that have required a manual to get to the basic radio settings.

Photo by Vince Taroc.

Photo by Vince Taroc.

After making my rounds through the warehouse maze of Costco, and bought much more than what was on my list (Damn those delicious food sampler booth stationed throughout the store!), I made my way back to the ProMaster. In the past, even my Suburban has had a little trouble fitting everything that my carts could carry out of the store. This was not an issue with the ProMaster. I had more than enough room after attempting to fill the 283 cubic feet of cargo volume, and I could still make my way to the front seat after shutting the rear doors from the interior. And the rear doors' ability to open up to 260 degrees made loading and unloading easy.

The ProMaster is definitely a hauler, and even with a cargo area filled with an assortment of Costco treats, as well as some necessities. It moved quickly from zero to cruising in no time flat.

Related:

PHOTOS: Ram's 2014 ProMaster Cargo Van

Originally posted on Automotive Fleet

About the author
Stephane Babcock

Stephane Babcock

Former Managing Editor

Stephane Babcock is the former managing editor of Heavy Duty Trucking.

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