Before, driving a compact SUV gets you noticed.  Next to your average car, they offer muscular styling and added interior space without causing an eclipse like a truck does.  But with pretty much every car maker having stab at it, compact SUVs are now becoming the dull and average mode of transport they’ve once sought to be an alternative to.  So what’s a late entrant like Dodge to do?  Simple: do what they’ve always done—inject life into a dull segment and creating something no one has seen before.  Not mincing with any three-lettered acronym or with anything X for that matter, Dodge named their compact SUV, the Nitro.  Score one for Dodge as it’s a name that begs to be noticed—one that connotes performance and attitude.  At the same time, it also creates lofty expectations even before sitting behind its wheel.  Thankfully, the Nitro does not disappoint too much.

A walk around the Nitro reveals formidable looks.  It’s surely attention grabbing with the same in-your-face swagger of the Chrysler 300C.  It looks somewhat like a cross between a 1950’s hotrod and something straight out of a sci-fi movie.  There’s a neo-retro design theme going on here which Dodge put to the almost comical extreme, creating a profile that’s truly unmistakable.  First, the main body is boxy with the wheels pushed to the corners.  Then, each corner is given pronounced fender flares which are then filled with standard platinum-finished 20-inch alloys.  More aggression is lent by the vertically stacked lamps which are topped off with a front-end that’s washed in chrome.

Size wise, Dodge is a compact SUV.  With a length of 4,554 mm, it’s just 14 mm larger than a Honda CR-V.  However, the Dodge is much wider and benefits from a longer wheelbase (an advantage of over 100 mm) thus creating that feeling of girth.  In theory, it should also create a much roomier cabin, but in reality the drive train packaging has a lot to be desired since it robs substantial leg room upfront.  Still, the front seats are huge with excellent support.  The driver gets extra luxury too thanks to electric adjustment.  The rear ones though are less kingly with a shorter seat length, but nothing too discontenting.  Two-tone leather seats are standard, which is good given the Nitro’s almost two-million peso asking price.

Pulling on the industrial looking handle reveals a heavy door, perfect since the cabin carries on the exterior’s blocky design complete with the same angular motif.  The look is Spartan and straight-forward with hefty-looking controls and chunky buttons.  Those who know other Dodge products will immediately find their way around, but even newbies will find it easily understandable even without an owner’s manual.  However, the Nitro is still far from being an ergonomic dream machine.  First, getting in and out is harder since there are no grab handles for the front passengers.  Second, getting a good driving position is laborious because you’ll end up either with a steering wheel that’s too far or foot pedals which are too close.  And lastly, some important controls like the hazard switch and even the chrome-clad shifter require a good stretch to operate.

After adjusting to the Nitro’s ergonomic quirks, it suddenly dawns on you that this is mere appetizer to the car’s greatest weakness: it drives a size bigger than its footprint suggests.  If a full-sized SUV is already in your garage, then you have no problem; but otherwise the Nitro’s on-road behavior is closer to a conventional SUV rather than being a car on stilts.  This can be credited to the ladder-on-frame chassis shared with its sibling, the Jeep Liberty.  The gun-slit greenhouse adds to the illusion of bulk, giving an added impression that you’re driving an armored truck half the time.  Thankfully, the Nitro comes standard with accurate parking sensors or else, with the small side mirrors, this is one difficult SUV to maneuver.  The brakes do their job pretty well, but the 1,862 curb weight does take some time to grind to a halt.

The Dodge Nitro looks nothing else on the road with its hotrod/sci-fi looks and comical design elements.

The interior's typical Dodge fair though. The materials could have been better.

The Nitro  is unbeatable when it comes to luggage and loading flexibility. The front passenger seat folds forward for long loads, and the loading floor slides out (Load 'N Go) too.