Compare the2022 Ram ProMaster City TradesmanVS 2021 Mercedes Metris Cargo

The Ram ProMaster City Tradesman has a standard driver’s side knee airbag mounted low on the dashboard. The knee airbag helps prevent the driver from sliding under the seatbelts or the main frontal airbag; this keeps the driver better positioned during a collision for maximum protection. A knee airbag also helps keep the legs from striking the dashboard, preventing knee and leg injuries in the case of a serious frontal collision. The Metris Cargo doesn’t offer knee airbags.

Both the ProMaster City Tradesman and the Metris Cargo have standard driver and passenger frontal airbags, front side-impact airbags, side-impact head airbags, front seatbelt pretensioners, height-adjustable front shoulder belts, four-wheel antilock brakes, traction control, electronic stability systems to prevent skidding, daytime running lights and rearview cameras.

The ProMaster City Tradesman comes with free roadside assistance for 5 years 60,000 miles. Ram will send help if you run out of gas, need a jump-start, lock your keys in or need any assistance on the road. Mercedes doesn’t give free roadside assistance for the Metris Cargo.

The ProMaster City Tradesman’s 5 year corrosion warranty has no mileage limitations, but the corrosion warranty on the Metris Cargo runs out after 100,000 miles.

There are over 6 times as many Ram dealers as there are Mercedes dealers, which makes it much easier should you ever need service under the ProMaster City Tradesman’s warranty.

J.D. Power and Associates’ 2021 Initial Quality Study of new car owners surveyed provide the statistics that show that Ram vehicles are better in initial quality than Mercedes vehicles. J.D. Power ranks Ram first in initial quality, above the industry average. With 65 more problems per 100 vehicles, Mercedes is ranked 25th, below the industry average.

From surveys of all its subscribers, Consumer Reports’ January 2021 Auto Issue reports that Ram vehicles are more reliable than Mercedes vehicles. Consumer Reports ranks Ram 13 places higher in reliability than Mercedes.

On the EPA test cycle the ProMaster City Tradesman gets better fuel mileage than the Metris Cargo (21 city/28 hwy vs. 19 city/23 hwy).

To lower fuel costs and make buying fuel easier, the Ram ProMaster City Tradesman uses regular unleaded gasoline. The Metris Cargo requires premium for maximum efficiency, which can cost 20 to 55 cents more per gallon.

In its Green Vehicle Guide, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) rates the Ram ProMaster City Tradesman higher (6 out of 10) than the Mercedes Metris Cargo (5). This means the ProMaster City Tradesman produces up to 6.9 pounds less smog-producing pollutants than the Metris Cargo every 15,000 miles.

For better stopping power the ProMaster City Tradesman’s front brake rotors are larger than those on the Metris Cargo:

The ProMaster City Tradesman’s tires provide better handling because they have a lower 55 series profile (height to width ratio) that provides a stiffer sidewall than the Metris Cargo’s 60 series tires.

The ProMaster City Tradesman has standard front and rear stabilizer bars, which help keep the ProMaster City Tradesman flat and controlled during cornering. The Metris Cargo’s suspension doesn’t offer a rear stabilizer bar.

The Ram ProMaster City Tradesman may be more efficient, handle and accelerate better because it weighs about 650 to 700 pounds less than the Mercedes Metris Cargo.

The ProMaster City Tradesman is 1 foot, 3.3 inches shorter than the Metris Cargo Standard WB, making the ProMaster City Tradesman easier to handle, maneuver and park in tight spaces. The ProMaster City Tradesman is 2 feet shorter than the Metris Cargo Long WB.

The ProMaster City Tradesman has 6.4 inches more front headroom and 5 inches more front legroom than the Metris Cargo.

The ProMaster City Tradesman offers a remote vehicle starting system, so the vehicle can be started from inside the driver's house. This allows the driver to comfortably warm up the engine before going out to the vehicle. The Metris Cargo doesn’t offer a remote starting system.

To help each driver find a more comfortable driving position, the ProMaster City Tradesman has a telescoping steering wheel. Much better than just a tilt steering wheel or adjustable seat, this allows a short driver to sit further from the steering wheel while maintaining contact with the pedals. The Metris Cargo doesn’t offer a telescoping steering wheel.

To improve rear visibility by keeping the rear window clear, the ProMaster City Tradesman offers an optional rear fixed intermittent wiper with a full on position. The rear wiper optional on the Metris Cargo only has an intermittent setting, so in a hard rain visibility isn’t as good.

To shield the driver and front passenger’s vision over a larger portion of the windshield and side windows, the ProMaster City Tradesman has standard extendable sun visors. The Metris Cargo doesn’t offer extendable visors.

The ProMaster City Tradesman has standard remote mirrors. The Metris Cargo only comes with remote mirrors at extra cost. Without them the driver will have to roll down the windows and reach across the car to adjust the mirrors.

The Ram ProMaster City outsold the Mercedes Metris by 41% during the 2021 model year.