There’s danger in offering a Detonator version of the 2010 Dodge Nitro: It might end with an explosion, or worse, a thud.
But for the most part, the new and improved Nitro is actually new and improved. It may provide a bumpy ride, but that’s what its owners expect, and instead of under-delivering, Chrysler Group LLC offers a vehicle exactly as advertised.
Allow me to explain: The Nitro, introduced just a few years ago, was mostly a dud, fizzling with a lackluster interior and bad bundling with such ridiculous requirements that included buying a sunroof to get 20-inch wheels.
Nothing infuriates a buyer more than getting stuck with something completely unrelated to get something he or she really wants. For decades, the automotive logic behind grouping incongruous things together was to force consumers to spend more on things they didn’t want; it was known as “tough luck.”
This was far from a Chrysler-only problem, however. Big companies would force feed consumers to the point of gluttony, spending more and more on less and less. And when a car buyer came home from a dealership, he or she needed a shower.
Those days, for the most part, are gone.
Now, you can get the big wheels, cranking eight-speaker stereo and a 260-horsepower V-6 for $26,500. That seems like a pretty fair deal for someone who wants big wheels on a stylish SUV.
The new Nitro looks the way the original Nitro was supposed to: A street racer with attitude. The big cross-haired grille screams Dodge, and there’s nothing wrong with that.
But the vehicle remains far from perfect. The Nitro gains some attitude with this model year but doesn’t deliver enough to blow up the competition — though figuring out what the Nitro competes against is more difficult than you’d suspect.
Does it stack up against the likes of the Ford Escape, Honda CR-V or Toyota RAV 4? Not really, but is it even a fair comparison? There is no four-cylinder model of the Nitro and all of those vehicles are more refined inside. The Nitro feels much more like a truck, and acts more like one, too.
Then there are more rugged vehicles such as the Nissan XTerra and Toyota 4Runner, which can do more off-road than the Nitro but lack its on-street presence. Perhaps its real competition is the slew of crossovers offering smoother rides, just as much versatility and better gas mileage. But those crossovers, once fashionable because they had a unique feel, have been overplayed more than Lady Gaga.
Power yes, good MPG no
The Nitro remains truer to its truck roots and so it rides like one — hard bumps and road noise.
That’s the expectation with a truck and I never found it annoying or overwhelming. In fact, I enjoyed the ride. I don’t always have to be able to hold in-depth conversations with the person sitting next to me. Sometimes, after a tight corner or unexpected lane changer, just a quick look or raise of the eyebrows says everything that needs to be said: “That was pretty close.”
The Nitro Detonator provides a solid ride on the highway and around town, where the higher-than-a-crossover-sitting position provides great lines of sight and a quick look around.
The 4-liter V-6 provides lots of power, hitting 260 horsepower and 265 pound-feet of torque, while the base model 3.7-liter V-6 pumps out 210 horsepower and 235 pound-feet of torque.
The pickup is good off the line and there’s plenty left in the tank — power wise, at least. The fuel economy is a disappointing 16 mpg in the city and 20 mpg on the highway for a four-wheel drive model with the 4-liter. This is the Achilles’ heel of the Nitro. The truck look is OK, the truck ride is OK, but the truck mileage means, as nice as it is, some people will never look past that EPA rating — those numbers are, after all, the biggest ones on a vehicle’s window sticker. (The 2010 model does come with an Eco light in the instrument panel, which should light up when you put the vehicle in park).
Of course, lots of things contribute to a vehicle’s fuel economy and the Nitro stands out partly because it breaks a number of those rules. Aerodynamics also plays a critical role in a vehicle’s mileage performance, which is why we see so many vehicles with steep windshields and few hard corners. The Nitro, however, bucks this design tradition with the aerodynamics of a barn and more corners than a Rubik’s Cube.
Perhaps that’s what puzzles me about this boxy truck. For the most part, I really liked it. I shouldn’t, I know, but the changes the truck has undergone mean you’re paying for exactly the vehicle you want. It’s an SUV and SUV has become a dirty word in some places. The Nitro’s exterior looks good and distinctive. People will certainly notice, if only to flip you off and blame you for the spill in the Gulf.
Really, those judgmental drivers should aim their finger at Auburn Hills — home to Chrysler and the executives who agreed to put a four-speed automatic transmission in anything, much less a 2010 model. The base model Nitro comes with a four-speed transmission and vehicles upgraded to the 4-liter V-6 get a five-speed transmission. That means the engine revs higher, works a little more and acceleration isn’t as smooth as many competitors, who use six-speed transmissions. It’s time to up the game and put a few more cogs in the transmission.
Interior has evolved
The biggest complaint about the Nitro pre-2010 was its interior. Few details were polished and the interior felt like a blob of plastic waiting for Steve McQueen to arrive, spray with a fire extinguisher and ship it off to the North Pole before it takes over the world.
Now, the interior is better. Some pieces still look cheap — like the three big dials to operate the heat and cooling controls. And the faceplate for the gear shifter is too flat and too smooth to my liking. But overall, little detail wrinkles have been ironed out. There is smartly placed trim around the vents and additional softer touch points.
There are also features many drivers just expect, such as the navigation system, U Connect Bluetooth connectivity for hands-free phone operation, back-up sensors for easier parking and an optional 368-Watt stereo system.
There’s also an abundance of space inside. There is 32.1 cubic feet behind the second row and 64.7 cubic feet with the second row folded down. This is where the Nitro begins to earn its utility. It can also tow up to 5,000 pounds, making it more versatile than some of the vehicles it competes against.
The new Nitro still shares a lot of things with the previous model years and that’s to its detriment. But it feels, drives and acts more like a Dodge, and that’s where it stands out. It can haul you around, carry all of your stuff and still not cost you an arm and a leg. It may only attract Mopar men to dealerships, but at least they’ll have something pretty to look at when they get there.
A work in progress is certainly better than a thud.
sburgess@detnews.com (313) 223-3217
2010 Dodge Nitro
Price: $22,340
Type: Five-passenger midsize 2WD or 4WD SUV.
Transmission: 4-speed or 5-speed automatic
Engine
3.7-liter V-6
4-liter V-6
Power
3.7-liter: 210 horsepower; 235 pound-feet torque
4-liter: 260 horsepower; 265 pound-feet torque
EPA gas mileage
3.7-liter (2WD): 16 mpg city / 22 mpg highway
4-liter (4WD): 16 mpg city / 20 mpg highway
Report Card
Overall: ***½
Performance: Good. Lots of power but bumpy ride, especially on the highway. Still some road and wind noise.
Exterior: Good. Refined with nice use of trim throughout. Small dash reduces plastic feel of previous models.
Interior: Good. Well put together and comfortable. Lots of nice amenities but still too much plastic.
Pros: The Nitro has a distinctive exterior and certainly stands out.
Cons: Interior is improved, but ride is still bumpy and noisy.
Grading Scale
**** Excellent *** Good ** Fair * Poor
