Dodge Nitro Review

In general, small-to-midsize SUVs are pretty conservative in terms of their styling and design. One exception, however, is the Dodge Nitro. Mechanically, the Nitro is related to the rather pedestrian Jeep Liberty. It's a unibody design, but the non-independent rear suspension, standard rear-drive configuration (with four-wheel drive optional) and large-displacement 3.7-liter and 4.0-liter V6 engines all point to the platform's truckish roots. Yet the Nitro has a retro look that's all its own, with a high waistline, big wheels and aggressively flared fenders. Unfortunately, this Dodge's beauty is only skin deep. Its handling is subpar and its interior disappoints due to a lack of quality.

Current Dodge Nitro
The Dodge Nitro is a five-passenger midsize SUV based on Jeep's Liberty. The Dodge is tuned a bit more for on-road use and offers a large, optional V6 engine, but otherwise, they are very similar.

The Nitro is available in three trim levels. The base Heat model comes with a 210-horsepower 3.7-liter V6 paired to a four-speed automatic. Rear-wheel drive and four-wheel drive are available on all Nitro models, with the latter being a part-time system with high- and low-range gearing. The Detonator and Shock get a 4.0-liter V6 good for 260 hp paired to a five-speed automatic.

The base Nitro Heat comes standard with features like 20-inch chrome-clad wheels, foglamps, tinted windows, keyless entry, air-conditioning, a six-speaker stereo, stability control and a full complement of airbags. An optional Heat 4.0 package adds the bigger V6, a stereo upgrade and Bluetooth. The Detonator includes all of the above plus flashier exterior trim and a power driver seat, The Shock gets leather upholstery, heated seats and a sunroof. A package containing a navigation system and other high-tech items is the lone option.

In Dodge Nitro reviews, we found acceleration to be disappointing with the 3.7-liter engine, but adequate with the 4.0-liter V6. There isn't much of a fuel economy penalty with the bigger V6, either -- city and highway estimates for the two engines are almost identically mediocre. Customers interested in extracting maximum performance from their Nitros should gravitate toward this power plant. However, handling and ride quality are below average. Inside, the Nitro has a somewhat industrial feel, though faux aluminum accents brighten the place up a bit. Materials quality is unimpressive for this class, and a few plastics stand out as unacceptably low-grade.

Used Dodge Nitro Models
The Dodge Nitro was introduced for the 2007 model year. Originally, the base trim was called SXT and it came standard with a six-speed manual transmission; the uplevel trim was the SLT. Both trims came standard with the 3.7-liter V6. In order to get the 4.0-liter V6, you had to get the R/T package for the SLT, which also added 20-inch chrome wheels, firmer suspension tuning and trim items. The SXT's name was changed to SE for '09, and then the current trim level lineup was introduced for 2010.

There were other changes made to the Nitro over the years. Prior to 2010, the SLT had a slide-out cargo floor with tie-down points known as Load 'n Go. For '09, Dodge tightened up the handling and brakes a bit in response to criticism of earlier models, and the six-speed manual transmission was dropped.