Thank goodness it snowed. Otherwise this would have been a very harsh review.
You see, the 2009 Dodge Nitro is just not made for someone as petite as I am, and my overall comfort in the driver’s seat is dismal. So, I was having a really bad week during the test period.
Then it snowed.
The test vehicle had part-time four-wheel drive, and during I had been keeping it in two-wheel drive mode. In the middle of a severe pummeling of snow and ice, I tried to make it up my driveway in 2WD … and slid right back down. So, I switched it over to 4WD and tried again. The Nitro took the incline with minimal effort.
Even better, the as-tested price of the base Nitro SE 4X4 test vehicle was $25,650. And that was after the addition of the Customer Preferred Package ($1,305).
The Nitro has three different trim levels – SE, SLT and R/T – all of which have 2WD and 4WD availability. At a base level, the SE starts at $22,685 (2WD) and has some nice standard features such as electronic stability control, all-speed traction control, a tire pressure monitoring system, first- and second-row side airbags, reclining rear seats and a reversible cargo tray. The SLT trim level adds about $2,500 to the bottom line as well as the Load-N-Go cargo floor, six-way power adjustable driver’s seat, steering wheel audio controls and chrome interior accents. The R/T model jumps up to $28,180 (2WD) and adds a 4.0-liter V-6 engine, five-speed automatic transmission, 20-inch performance tires and the R/T logo on front seats with stitching.
The Nitro has two engine options, a 3.7-liter V-6 and a 4.0-liter V-6. The 3.7 is standard on the SE and SLT models and delivers 210 horsepower and 235 pound-feet of torque at 4,000 rpm. The up-level 4.0-liter engine is only available on the R/T model and produces 260 horsepower and 265 pound-feet of torque at 4,200 rpm.
The 3.7-liter engine is mated to a four-speed automatic transmission, while the 4.0-liter is mated to a five speed transmission. That helps explain why fuel estimates stay pretty close between the engines even though there’s a huge leap in horsepower. The 3.7 gets EPA estimated mileage of 15 mpg in the city and 21 mpg on the highway for the 4WD model while the 4.0 gets 15 mpg in the city and 20 mpg on the highway.
Since the test vehicle was at the base SE level, it had the 3.7-liter engine, and it actually performed very well. I didn’t feel like power was at all sluggish, and the Nitro test vehicle moved pretty well for a 4,132-pound vehicle.
While the Nitro shines in inclement weather, I have to say this is one of my least favorite vehicles in every-day driving. The ride is incredibly stiff and rough, and you will feel every single one of those Chicago potholes you encounter. The bright spot here: Turning radius is decent.
As I alluded in the beginning, my driving position in the Nitro stunk. I don’t know what it is about Dodge, Chrysler and Jeep vehicles, but I have a difficult time getting a comfortable position. When I pump my seat up for good visibility out the front, my knees bump the underbelly of the dash. I also felt way too close to the steering wheel in my far-forward position. All of this made me feel trapped, and getting in and out of the vehicle was a chore because I had to shimmy out sideways.
Then, to top it all off, when I got the seat high enough for good visibility, my feet didn’t touch the floor. Talk about an Edith Ann moment.
One area where the Nitro really shines is in exterior design. The boxy shape is one of those that you’ll either love or hate, but I think Dodge did a really nice job with this one. I like the strong masculine lines and bold upright grille. The bumpers and fenders are a bit blocky, but they somehow work on the Nitro.
Interior styling, however, could use a little bit of a lift. The behind-the-wheel gauges are flat and boring. Not to mention the fact that the center stack is downright sterile. Since the vehicle makes such a statement on the outside, I’d like to see some of that trickle into the cabin, but the only swath of character I saw was the gearshift knob. On the plus side, because the center stack is so plain, all the dials and controls are easy to find and operate.
The Nitro was new to the scene in 2007, and it hasn’t gotten any massive upgrades for 2009. Some new things you’ll see include standard floor mats on all models, auto unlock at exit, rear dome lamp and a Deep Water Blue Pearl coat that replaces the Modern Blue Pearl Coat.
While I didn’t necessarily like the Nitro for myself, I can’t altogether pooh-pooh it. There is a lot to recommend it … if you’re not around 5-feet tall. Four-wheel drive at a decent price can be hard to come by. And when you combine that with the bold, unique styling and SUV utility, well, that’s worth a second look.
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