2008 Dodge Nitro

Review

I wouldn't exactly consider myself an expert in classic muscle cars or the culture

of hot-rodding, but I've always had the desire to know what you'd get if you crossed a 1960s muscle machine with the ideal form of modern family transportation, the SUV. If there's a brand that would serve such a creation up, I'd reckon it would be Dodge, Chrysler LLC's power and attitude brand. Staring down the hood of the pumped up Nitro R/T, I couldn't help but wonder if Dodge had the same thing in mind when this truck was created.

At its heart, especially visible in lesser trim levels, the Nitro shows no intentions of hiding its sport utility vehicle roots. The base SLT has small, 16-inch steel wheels and matte plastic fenders that make it look pretty rudimentary. It's boxy and built on a ladder frame chassis, designed with towing in mind, and yes, it's got a live rear axle too. Although it looks very similar in profile and shape to Jeep's new Liberty, it isn't just a clone wearing the Dodge crosshair grille. The Liberty actually rides on a shorter wheelbase and is some 0.8 inch narrower than the Dodge, not to mention it's also about 1.2 inches taller. The Nitro also has a much different metal-to-glass ratio, which is clearly visible from the side, giving it the appearance of a “chopped” roof, which is a

styling detail that is congruent throughout the Dodge product lineup. These differences aren't really noticeable to the naked eye, but are significant when considering that the Nitro is pretty much meant for the road (particularly this R/T version).

Even though the Nitro could technically be lumped in with the XTerra, and other small-ish truck-based utility vehicles, it doesn't really portray itself as ordinary. There's something about the R/T's appearance package that really speaks volumes. It's got big, 20-inch chrome-clad alloy wheels wrapped in street-biased truck rubber that really grab attention, and the bulked up front fender flares look like a prize-fighting boxer with his dukes up. I also quite like the billet-effect chrome accents on the body-colored grille, which cement in that muscle-car look. Likewise, the chunky plastic door handles with push-in thumb releases have a hefty, substantial feel, and the fender vent, though non-functional, looks like it was borrowed from the Range Rover Sport. Around the back, the Nitro is a bit on the plain side, and unlike the Liberty it doesn't have a split tailgate with separate opening glass.

This hot-rod look is also substantiated by some hot-rod engineering. It may not have a Hemi under its hood, but the Nitro R/T features Dodge's biggest gasoline-powered V6 engine, the 4.0-liter, which was shared with the now defunct Pacifica. Where it's quiet and smooth in the Mercedes-like crossover, the exhaust system has been tuned to produce a deeper, gruffer exhaust note in the Nitro. Romp on the throttle and you'll hear the engine thrash out a tune that's not quite to the level of a true V8, but still it's heady enough to get peoples' heads to turn. With 260 horsepower and 265 lb-ft of torque, the Nitro is hardly underpowered; in fact, it's got enough guts to out-drag most of its SUV rivals. Thanks to its relatively large displacement, it has plenty of torque at its disposal, and will out-accelerate the much leaner and aerodynamic CX-7, although the RAV4 with its 3.5-liter V6 has the upper hand. Still, the Nitro's performance is nothing to turn your nose up at.

And like an old muscle machine, the Nitro feels more at home on

straightaways than corners. Despite having a sportier-tuned suspension, body lean is copious. The wide tires do afford good levels of grip, and there's stability control backing you up. But when you compare it to more lithe and nimble car-based crossovers, it's not hard to see the truck in the Nitro. The steering is vague and slow to react; better suited to highways than winding roads. As a cruiser, the Nitro R/T works, as its suspension is well damped, and despite having a live rear axle, there's little bucking or axle tramp. All Nitro R/T 4x4s come with a two-mode transfer case that makes it 2WD or straight up 4WD with a fixed power split; likewise SE and SXT models with the smaller 210-hp 3.7-liter V6 can be had with either 2WD or full-time 4WD. Oh, and you can get an R/T with 2WD too.

Especially with the R/T, Dodge has

made quite an effort to convey the sporting message with the interior. The seats have soft cushions, and you constantly feel like you're sitting on them (rather than in them), but they're comfortable. R/T models can either be had with black leather with red stitching, or, dark cloth with mesh inserts that can be matched to the exterior color on blue, red and orange vehicles. I've got to

say that it's a pretty eye-popping combination, and certainly adds brightness to the cabin. Build quality in general is nothing to write home about; the Nitro's dash is mostly constructed of hard plastics, but it's ergonomically efficient and there's lots of covered and open storage space. All Nitros come standard with stability control, and six airbags.

Riding on a longer wheelbase, the Nitro offers more generous rear accommodations than the Liberty, which is a good thing. Unfortunately, the rear bench is very flat - it lacks any sort of bolstering whatsoever. Up front, the Nitro isn't all that spacious; the footwell is cramped, and there's no dead pedal due to a lack of space. This is because the SUV has a relatively wide center console, as well as a bulge around the transmission tunnel due to the location of the transfer case. Visibility is a mixed bag; up front and to the side, it's good, but because of its short rear window, rearward visibility isn't so great. I would definitely recommend ticking off the box for ParkSense parking sensors. Dodge also offers the MyGig infotainment system on the Nitro, with or without navigation. Paired to this unit (and optional to the

standard radio) is a powerful Boston Acoustics sound system with trunk-mounted subwoofer.

What will make the Nitro a winner to anyone looking for a family friendly vehicle is its cargo bay, particularly if it's equipped with the Load ‘n Go organizer system (standard on SLT and R/T). Load ‘n Go is a sliding floor located in the trunk; by grabbing its handle, you can slide the floor out, which takes the ache and strain out of putting a heavy object such as a TV or a bunch of bulky suitcases in the Nitro's cargo bay. The tray can hold up to 400 lbs without fear of breaking, and can extend 457 mm (eighteen inches), which is well past the length of the rear bumper. Much like Stow ‘n Go, it's one of those features that you can't live without once you've become acquainted with it. Cargo capacity is 32.1 cu-ft with the rear seats up, and 65.2 cu-ft with the rear seats folded. Also available is a flat-folding front passenger's seat.

When Dodge brought the Nitro out in late 2006, SUVs were still on the rise, and gas was still reasonably priced. Approaching two years later, neither of these things are true. Still, with its road presence and muscular looks, the Nitro remains attractive, especially considering how attractively priced it is. Base prices start at $23,595 (currently incentivized to $18,635 for the base SE 2WD

model, to a very reasonable $27,120 for the fully loaded R/T 4WD. And that 2WD Nitro R/T starts at $25,460. Out of the range, I'd say that this is the model to pick, as the Nitro really needs the power offered by the 4.0-liter V6. In addition, the R/T 2WD is less than $1,000 more than the Nitro SLT 4WD, which has neither the 20-inch wheels, nor the engine. To upgrade to the 4WD costs a bit more.

And, if you're worried about fuel, the R/T's bigger engine doesn't consume much more fuel than the 3.7-liter with 4WD. Because the 3.7 has a four-speed automatic versus the 4.0's five-speeder, the Nitro must be worked harder to compensate for its general lack of power. Believe it or not, the Nitro R/T posts the same city fuel economy figure (15 mpg) than vehicles equipped with the 3.7. The R/T 4x4 uses a touch more fuel on the highway with a rating of 20 mpg instead of 21.

Dodge's Nitro isn't for everyone. Conceptually and in execution, it's verging a bit on being dated, but not because the SUV is old. Rather, it's because the market's tastes have shifted into car-based crossovers. However, it's difficult to argue with its looks and its performance levels while still accommodating to the needs of families. And for that, the Nitro R/T deserves credit.