Mid-size SUV is practical and distinctive.

Introduction

The 2008 Dodge Nitro is a mid-size sport utility vehicle distinguished from other SUVs by its squared-off styling with exaggerated fender flares. Nitro shares its platform with the Jeep Liberty. It is 22 inches shorter than the Dodge Durango full-size SUV. 

The Nitro looks and feels larger than its size, with a high seating position that SUV owners like, and good cabin space. It features Load 'n' Go, a cargo storage system whereby the rear seats and front passenger seat fold totally flat in seconds; additionally, the cargo floor slides rearward out over the rear bumper, and can hold 400 pounds, making the loading of heavy objects much easier. It could prevent back injuries. 

The Nitro comes with either two-wheel drive or four-wheel drive, with a choice of V6 engines. The newer 4.0-liter V6 is better than the old 3.7-liter, with 50 more horsepower and fuel economy that's only one or two miles per gallon less. However the 4.0-liter engine only comes in the top-of-the-line R/T model, which costs about $3200 more than the most popular SLT. But a five-speed automatic also comes with the R/T, and that transmission is also better than the standard four-speed in the SLT. Surprisingly, the R/T has a more comfortable ride, as well. 

There are three types of upholstery: basic cloth, a handsome stain-repellant cloth, and beautiful perforated leather. No matter which covering, the seats are very comfortable. The cabin is quiet thanks to heavy use of sound deadening material, and visibility out the rear and to the front corners of the Nitro is excellent. 

For a base price of $19,595, a Nitro owner gets many safety features that are usually optional on other vehicles, such as side curtain airbags, an electronic stability program with traction control and brake assist, electronic roll mitigation and a tire-pressure monitor. 

The Nitro was introduced for the 2007 model year and it gets only minor changes for 2008. The only notable updates are standard Trailer Sway Control and the availability of rear obstacle detection system. 

Lineup

The 2008 Dodge Nitro comes as three models, SXT, SLT and R/T. All are available with rear-wheel drive (2WD). The SXT with a manual transmission has part-time four-wheel drive (4WD) that should not be left engaged on dry pavement. The SXT is also offered with an optional automatic transmission and all-wheel drive. The SLT and R/T are offered with 2WD or all-wheel drive. 

The SXT 2WD ($19,595) and 4WD ($21,255) come with a 210-hp 3.7-liter V6 and a choice of six-speed manual transmission or four-speed automatic. Standard equipment includes cloth upholstery, air conditioning, remote keyless entry with power windows and door locks, 115-volt power outlet, flat folding front passenger seat, 60/40 folding rear bench seat, AM/FM/CD with MP3 and six speakers, Sirius satellite radio, auxiliary input jack, tilt steering column, slate-colored molded front and rear fascias and fender flares, folding power mirrors, theft-deterrent system, rear window washer/wiper, roof rails, and P225/75R16 tires on steel wheels with wheel covers. 

The SLT ($23,005) and SLT AWD ($24,665) come standard with the automatic transmission. The SLT adds YES Essentials upholstery that Dodge says is stain, odor and static resistant; leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls; six-way power adjustable driver's seat; heated exterior mirrors; vehicle information center; auto-dimming rearview mirror; universal garage door opener; fog lights; Load 'n Go cargo storage system with tie-down rails; overhead console; cruise control; compass; tinted windows; body-colored front and rear fascias and fender flares; and P235/65R17 tires on aluminum wheels. 

The R/T 2WD ($26,180) and R/T AWD ($27,840) feature a 4.0-liter V6 making 260 horsepower, mated to a five-speed automatic transmission with manual shift capability. The R/T comes with a sport suspension with P245/50R20 Goodyear Eagle tires on chromed aluminum wheels. The R/T is equipped like the SLT. 

Options for all three models include a power sunroof ($895) and trailer tow package ($820). Options for the SLT and R/T include a rear DVD entertainment system (1,300), leather upholstery with heated front seats ($830), and Dodge's MyGIG Multimedia Infotainment System ($1550), which has a navigation system with voice command and a 20-gigabyte hard drive to store music and photos. Also offered for SLT and R/T is a Convenience package ($1,345) with rear obstacle detection, Dodge's UConnect wireless cell phone link, remote engine starting, eight speakers and a subwoofer. The SLT can be ordered with the R/T's sport suspension and chromed 20-inch alloy wheels ($1,505). 

Safety equipment that comes standard on all models includes dual front air bags, head-protecting curtain side air bags, and a tire-pressure monitor. ABS with brake assist, traction control, and electronic stability control with Dodge's Trailer Sway Control are also standard. Rear obstacle detection is optional for SLT and R/T ($250). 

All NCTD prices are manufacturers suggested retail prices (MSRP) that do not include destination charges and may change at any time without notice. 

Walkaround

Dodge publicity makes a big thing about the Nitro's looks, citing its so-called athleticism. We're not sure. We might call it brawny, but mostly it just looks boxy. The exaggerated fender flares are the only rounded parts in the styling. Every other angle is square-ish. It looks and feels larger than mid-size, which some will find to be a good thing. 

From the front, it's unmistakably Dodge. It's got that big crosshair grille, which looks much better in body color (R/T) than chrome (SXT, SLT). The horizontal headlamps, turn signal slits and fog lamps are a tidy fit in the massive face. 

However it doesn't appear as if much attempt was made to have the front bumper/fascia be tidy; it's got edges all over the place, including a valley that might hold a three-foot-wide license plate, or maybe a bumper sticker that says, 'I'm a Dodge so I'm in your face!' Under that, there's a wide air intake for the power steering cooler, whose thin fins are exposed to flying stones because there is no screen. 

Taking a cue from the faux portholes on the Buick Lucerne, or possibly the tradition of a Mercedes-Benz sports car, there's a trapezoid-shaped insert, black plastic with three chrome ribs, located just forward of the mirrors. It's intended to look like a cooling slot. It's a nice touch, and for such a small piece it goes a long way toward relaxing the Nitro's blocky shape. 

In silhouette, with its relatively upright windshield, very high beltline and rectangular windows, plus short front overhang, the Nitro's shape is reminiscent of, say, a '62 Dodge Power Wagon. But from the rear three-quarter angle, the lines around the rear glass are reminiscent of its bigger cousin, the Jeep Commander. We like the cleaner black, rather than chrome, around the windows. 

Our test Nitro R/T was equipped with standard 20-inch chromed aluminum wheels, and they sure are showy. The much narrower sidewall on the 20-inch tires doesn't appear to offer much defense against flats. 

Interior

The SXT comes in a basic cloth, but the cloth in the SLT and R/T is something called YES Essentials; Dodge claims it repel stains, control odors and reduces static electricity. The optional perforated charcoal leather with red stitching in our test R/T was beautiful. The front buckets were very comfortable and supportive, with excellent bolstering. 

The steering wheel is a handsome four-spoker, with a big center hub and thick spokes at 9:00 and 3:00 o'clock, smaller spokes at 5 and 7; the info center buttons are under your thumb on the big spokes. There are three big main instruments: speedo in center, tach on right and fuel and temp on left. They're very good looking and especially legible, with the digital information still visible in the sun because the three pods are thoughtfully shrouded. Chrysler does gauges right, and generally blows GM out of the water when it comes to handsome style and function. On the other hand, Dodge trails GM when it comes to materials quality. Like most Dodges, the Nitro's interior materials are largely plastic and don't impart the feel of luxury or quality. A few more soft-touch surfaces would be nice. 

There's good front seat legroom, and it feels like there's even more because the dashboard is narrow, making the cabin feel nothing like that in a minivan. The dash also has an insert over the center stack, about 6 by 9 inches with grippy rubber at the bottom, and it's perfect for, well, things. The glovebox is the full width of the passenger side. 

Rearview visibility is very good, with just windows back there, no attempt at swoopy styling with excess sheetmetal. And again, because the front fenders have no rise or real shape, it's easy to see the front corners of the vehicle, making parking a relief compared to many vehicles this size. 

The square theme continues with the center stack and its instruments and buttons for the sound system and climate control, although nowadays many cars look like that, which isn't bad, just almost natural. Everything is clean, easy to operate, and easy to understand. We especially like the door handles, an intelligent ergonomic design: they're like a half loop, and you simply slip three or four fingers of the hand against the door inside the handle, fingers facing forward so there's no twist of the wrist, and pull. 

Between the seats, along with the gearshift, transfer case, and emergency brake lever, there are two fixed cupholders and a small recess for change. There's a shallow tray in the top of the center console storage bin, and a deep compartment under that; as one lady on the press launch said, it's big enough to stash her cat, on road trips. 

The available MyGIG Multimedia Infotainment system integrates the radio with a navigation system and a 20-gigabyte hard drive that holds songs, pictures and the navigation information. Dodge says it can hold about 1600 songs. You can rip CDs directly to the system and display your own digital pictures. It responds to voice commands and the navigation system has real-time traffic information. The screen has a nice display. There's a separate Enter button, which can be annoying because intuition suggests pressing the toggle switch down. We hate the Enter button. 

But the Nitro really rises to the occasion behind the front seat. The Load 'n Go function quickly and easily flops the 60/40 rear seats and front passenger seat totally flat. With the liftgate raised, the carpeted (washable vinyl on the SXT) cargo floor slides rearward 18 inches, out over the bumper, saving a loader's back. It can hold 400 pounds. 

Under half of the cargo floor there's a four-inch-deep compartment that can store things such as jumper cables and tools, or hide a laptop. 

For the past couple of years, Dodge has been working hard on making their SUVs quiet, and the Nitro succeeds. The 3.7-liter engine is rather harsh-sounding, but the Nitro's sound-dead. 

Driving Impression

After long drives in both the Dodge Nitro SLT AWD and R/T 2WD, we prefer the R/T. 

The 3.7-liter engine in the SLT is slightly harsh and too slow, and the four-speed automatic transmission needs another gear. When we floored the SLT once at 40 mph, the tranny didn't kick down and the vehicle felt gutless. The suspension takes bumps with a jolt, especially at lower speeds and mostly at the front wheels. And when we turned off the stability control and drove it aggressively around a hairpin turn, the front end washed out as badly as anything we've felt in a long time, on its Goodyear Wrangler on/off-road performance tires. This was surprising, because the Nitro is a rear-wheel-drive platform. 

The R/T costs about $3200 more, but it's worth it. It's better looking anyhow, with more of its trim in the same color as the body, although those 20-inch chrome wheels are a bit much (as a $1505 option on the SLT, too bad you can't get 17-inchers on the R/T and save the money). Chrysler's R/T models are considered higher performance, but in this case it's not hot-roddy high performance, it's more literal: simply a higher level of basic performance by the engine, transmission and suspension. 

The 4.0-liter V6 is a single overhead-cam engine. It's rated at 260 horsepower, 50 more than the engine in the SLT, and it provides 265 pound-feet of torque at 4200 rpm. That's a lot of horsepower and torque, and we can't say that the R/T really feels like it has that much; but we can say that it accelerates up to 90 mph without messing around. Both engines can tow up to 5,000 pounds when equipped with the Trailer Tow package. 

The R/T engine is quieter than the 3.7-liter in the SLT, and it gets nearly the same mileage: 15 city and 20 highway in 2WD, with 89 octane recommended but 87 acceptable. We got 16.7 mpg driving the R/T very hard out in the country. 

The five-speed automatic transmission makes a world of difference in smoothness over the four-speed. However in manual mode, it doesn't listen. It only responds to a shift by the driver (at least this driver) about half the time. Most of the shifts to which it doesn't respond are about saving gas. It refuses to short-shift, or upshift before redline under heavy throttle. Nor will it upshift when you back off the throttle. As a result, passing on two-lanes is unnecessarily difficult. The upshifts near redline (6000 rpm) are also a bit slow, not as sharp as one might expect from an R/T. And the shift mechanism is not ergonomic; that is, the shifts are made by moving the lever from side to side, not forward and back, which would be easier on the wrist. 

The handling of the R/T is reasonably sure-footed, and considerably more precise than the SLT; Goodyear Eagle tires help a lot. But it's the ride that's radically better, in this 2WD model. Theoretically the R/T's tuned suspension should be firmer, and surely it is overall, but it's also a lot more comfortable. 

Summary

The Nitro has all the Dodge character. It feels bigger than its size, thanks largely to a high beltline, high seating position, and much glass instead of sheetmetal at the rear corners. It's not easy to make an SUV look distinctive, and the Nitro tries very hard. Mechanically, it's hindered by the 3.7-liter engine and four-speed automatic transmission in the SXT and SLT, the most popular models. The R/T, costing on average about $3200 more, has a more powerful and smoother 4.0-liter engine, which gets about the same gas mileage at the 3.7, along with a good five-speed automatic transmission. It also has a more comfortable ride. Go for the R/T. 

NewCarTestDrive.com correspondent Sam Moses filed this report from San Diego, California, with Kirk Bell reporting from Chicago. 

Model Lineup

Dodge Nitro SXT 2WD ($19,595), SXT 4WD ($21,255); SLT 2WD ($23,005), SLT AWD ($24,665); R/T 2WD ($26,180); R/T AWD ($27,840). 

Assembled In

Toledo, Ohio. 

Options As Tested

Trailer Tow package ($820); power sunroof ($895); Premium Sound group with AM/FM/6 CD/DVD/MP3 with 8 speakers plus subwoofer ($350), full-size spare, Convenience group with rear obstacle detection, UConnect wireless cell phone link, remote engine starting ($1,345).