The Compact SUV market has lately been dominated by vehicles that are deliberately conservative and non-controversial. By and large, vehicles in this segment have been popular with women. With Dodge's introduction of the 2007 Nitro, it hopes to attract more male customers to this market niche.
So what makes the Nitro different than the other vehicles in this segment? Well, on paper, it's competitive, if not earth-shattering. 255 horsepower in this class would have made headlines a year ago, but since Toyota shoehorned the 269-horsepower 3.5 liter V-6 into the RAV4, it just becomes "one of the most powerful" engines in its class. Its reinforced unibody platform is a derivative of the Jeep Liberty, with a few inches more wheelbase and overall length.
But the spec sheet doesn't tell the full story here. Dodge plans on selling the Nitro on style, something lacking in this segment, aside from the futuristic Nissan Murano and the recently-unveiled Mazda CX-7. But rather than the sleek, elegant lines of the imports, Dodge is going with square-edged American swagger on its new SUV. Its trademark cross-hair grille dominates the boxy, imposing nose. The prominent wheel arches flow into the bumper, and are reminiscent of the flares on the Nissan Frontier, but even more pronounced. To add a touch of bling to the package, 20-inch chrome wheels will be offered on the top-of-the-line R/T model.
Though the Nitro can't match the RAV in the horsepower corral, it out-grunts it with a solid 275 lbs./ft. of torque, almost V-8 territory. The 24-valve 4.0 liter engine is a long-stroke version of the corporate aluminum-block 3.5 V-6. Even though its horsepower is only 5 more than its smaller brethren, torque is a solid 25 lbs./ft. improvement. There is some speculation that this engine will eventually replace the 3.5 in the L-series cars (300, Magnum, Charger) as well. The big engine will only be offered with a five-speed automatic. The 90-degree SOHC 3.7 V-6 (shared with the Liberty) will be offered with either a six-speed manual or four-speed automatic. Standard on both the SLT and R/T models is a new LOAD N GO cargo floor that slides 18 inches rearward for easy and convenient loading and unloading of packages, and can hold up to 400 pounds. It is made of a heavy-duty plastic for easy cleaning. A compact utility table is an available option on the Nitro. Although it will be offered with a choice of 2 or 4-wheel drive, it doesn't offer a low-range, as the Liberty does. Considering the "dubs" option, it's obvious this is a more street-oriented SUV.
Available options include a DVD-based navigation system with traffic data update, rear-seat DVD entertainment system, AM/FM/6-disc/DVD/MP3 audio with premium speakers and a subwoofer, remote start, UConnect hands-free phone interface, and Sirius Satellite Radio.