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| Still a good looking SUV, the 4x4 capable Nitro is also well laid out and totally convenient for day to day life. (Photo: Dodge) |
For many SUV buyers, vehicles in the compact class are frequently just a little TOO compact. Compacts are perfect for the roles they are asked to perform, but for some applications the only answer is a utility vehicle that manages to squeeze its way between the very trim rigs and those that are classified as mid-sized.
Few vehicles fit better into this important niche than the Dodge Nitro and its popularity almost certainly lies among buyers who simply couldn't get along with a compact truck. They want more space and load capacity in a product that still maintains a reasonably small “footprint” out on the road or trail.
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| The Nitro's upright stance makes for loads of cargo room and head space. (Photo: Dodge) |
The Dodge Nitro is among a large number of new compact to mid-sized SUVs that have arrived on the market in recent years. As the economy slowed, buyers looked to more economical SUVs in a more modest size than they'd been used to. The result has been a significant boom in the compact and mid-sized SUV segment, spawning almost a surfeit of vehicles – some of which are fairly serious SUVs while others fall more into the newer “crossover” category.
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| The larger 4.0L V6 is the way to go, offering more power with no noticeable drag on fuel economy. (Photo: Dodge) |
The segment for smaller SUVs is said to be the third largest in Canada now, and it continues to grow by leaps and bounds, so products like the Nitro are well placed to grab a slice of the cake. The Nitro is based on the excellent Jeep Liberty and features that chunky “Lego block” styling genre that Chrysler has adopted for vehicles of various configurations. It's probably a styling theme people either love or hate, but the Nitro has a practical, rugged look that does fit in with the vehicle's role in life. It features a bold truck-like Dodge grille, a high beltline and large chunky wheels. Dodge likes to think it “stands out in a crowd,” which it probably does.
