2007 Dodge Nitro

The Dodge brand is about as American as you can get. Best known for their Hemi V8 powered cars and trucks; you might think the turn towards smaller more fuel efficient vehicles would have them in a pinch. Well, not totally. Last fall Dodge added the highly versatile Caliber crossover to its lineup, and now a fully off-road capable downsized SUV, the Nitro! It sure looks ram-tough. But is this smaller Dodge likely to make it big?

Downsized utility vehicles are all the rage, as high gas prices have made consumers more willing to give up girth, as well as towing and off-road abilities, in the search for better economy.

That’s what makes the new 2007 Dodge Nitro somewhat unique. Based on the trail-rated Jeep Liberty, the Nitro is closer to a classic SUV.

Oh, it does have a unitized body and frame like all those tidy crossovers we talk so much about. But, the Nitro’s composite includes rugged full-length frame rails they lack. Nitro is also rear and four-wheel drive, not front and all-wheel drive like rivals. Together that allows Nitro a substantial 5,000 pound towing limit. That’s 1,500 pounds more than a Toyota RAV4 and more than three times a Honda CR-V.

The Nitro fits between the RAV4 and CR-V in length, coming closer to the compact ranks than mid-size, yet wheelbase is much longer at 108.8 inches.

Up front, an in-your-face Dodge “crosshair” grille is flanked by pickup truck headlamps. The body shell also has the powerful presence of its larger Dodge siblings, though its flat panels and side vents do seem to be a nod at Land Rover.

Inflated fender flares cover 16 to 20 inch wheels, the latter being the largest in its class.

All of this muscular styling is matched under the hood.  Standard with SXT and SLT trim is the Liberty’s 3.7-liter single-over-head cam V6, yielding 210 horsepower and 235 pound-feet of torque.

A new 4.0-liter single-cam V6 comes standard on the uplevel R/T with 260 horsepower and a 265 pound-feet of torque.  The 4.0 is mated to a five-speed automatic, while the 3.7 has a choice of 6-speed manual or 4-speed automatic.

But since Dodge sees the Nitro as more of a street prowler than off-roader, they have to leave something for Liberty, both 4X4 systems are single speed. The manual tranny can be fitted to a part-time unit while Automatics warrant a hands-free full-time system. 

Government Fuel Economy ratings are 17 city/21 highway for our 3.7 4X2. We managed a so-so 18.7 miles-per-gallon on regular gas. Its Energy Impact Score of 19 barrels of oil per year is about 20% thirstier than a RAV4 V6, but 20% thriftier than a V8 Dodge Durango.

At the track, the 3.7 Nitro wasn’t as explosive as its name indicates.  Still a 0 to 60 time of 8.1 seconds is better than most utilities. Ditto the quarter-mile in 16.2 seconds at 86 miles-per-hour. 

We tested the Nitro in Southern California as well as at our home track.  Between the two venues we had ample seat time to get a feel for its all-new independent front and live-axle rear suspensions.

Thanks to the long wheelbase, ride, while still truck-like, isn’t as rough and tumble as you’d expect. There’s moderate roll, and Jeep-style fast steering, with an overall sure footed feel.  ESP with Roll Mitigation is standard. 

As are all-disc ABS brakes. But halts from 60 averaged a long 140 feet. There was plenty of nose dive but no notable fade.

The five-passenger cabin sports clean lines, brushed metal-look trim, and rugged fabrics.  Controls are classic American, big and simple, and the gauges are clear and deeply set.

Seating is supportive in cloth, but can be upgraded with leather and heat. 

Infotainment options include a CD/MP3 changer, rear DVD video and navigation with hard drive.

The second row provides tight room for three, but cargo room is plentiful.

An innovative “Load n’ Go” sliding cargo floor moves outward 18 inches and holds up to 400 pounds for easier loading.

Pricing for the Nitro is also attractive.  The base SXT starts at $19,885, while the mid-level SLT begins at $23,295.  Even the top-tier R/T remains affordable with a base sticker of $25,970.

The all-new Nitro is as bold in styling as it is in theory.  And while most brands are driving toward car-like CUVs, Dodge believes that there’s still a demand for the classic sport-ute on a smaller scale. If Nitro can light the fuse of this trendier niche, sales just might explode.