KEY POINTS:
The Nitro has wow factor looks but is not as big as you might think, coming in 53mm shorter than a Holden Captiva.
The boot has a Load'N Go system to slide the cargo floor out for easier loading.
The Dodge brand is supposed to be bold, barmy and maybe a little bit dangerous - heavy on the "wow" factor if you will. So why Chrysler New Zealand chose to launch the name into the Kiwi market with the underwhelming Caliber hatchback is a mystery.
Sure, the Caliber got a new right-hook Dodge into our showrooms in late-2006, but having waited decades to bring the brand back to NZ, Chrysler could have waited another few months and kicked off with the car you see here instead - the Nitro.
This is more like it. The Nitro looks outrageous, with a jaw-dropping interpretation of the Dodge "crosshair" grille, a load of 90-degree angles and a ridiculously low roofline for an off-roader with high ground clearance.
Better still, it's a truck, which is really the kind of vehicle that springs to mind when you think of American motoring. It's surely the kind of vehicle a Dodge buyer would want.
Having said that, the Nitro probably isn't as big as you think. At 4584mm in length, it's actually 53mm shorter than a Holden Captiva. So despite the muscle-car looks, that's where the Nitro is positioned - with a choice of 3.7-litre V6 petrol or 2.8-litre turbo diesel engines and prices that start at $43,990, the new Dodge lines up against cars such as Captiva, the Hyundai Santa Fe and the Ford Territory. Or if you want to really put the Nitro into a value-for-money context, it's cheaper than the automatic-transmission four-cylinder Toyota RAV4.
That $44k buys you a pretty impressive package. The V6 petrol SXT comes with six airbags, stability control, parking radar and a tyre pressure monitoring system.
The common rail turbo diesel (CRD) version is a better proposition of course, since it has more torque (460Nm versus 314Nm) and a five-speed automatic in place of the petrol model's four-speed shifter. It costs another $5000.
There's just one problem - the entry SXT models ride on 17-inch wheels and they really do look rubbish underneath those massive wheel arches. The optional 20-inch alloys are essential if you don't want to be laughed at, so add $1500 to the price straight away. That makes a total of $50,490 for a Nitro SXT diesel on the big rims.
Step up to the Nitro R/T - $50,990 as a petrol and $55,990 in diesel form - and you get the giant wheels as standard, as well as leather upholstery, upgraded alarm system, heavily tinted glass and a sunroof.
The driving experience may well be incidental to some Nitro buyers. That's probably just as well, because it's a pretty wobbly affair. The Nitro is based on the Cherokee platform, so it drives like a tough off-roader - numb steering, an unsettled ride and plenty of roll around the corners.
It's nowhere near the Captiva/Santa Fe league for driving dynamics. Then again, it looks like it would punt a Korean car into the nearest ditch if one happened to get in the way.
The Nitro is rear-drive-only for highway work, but can be switched into a four-wheel-drive lock mode (torque split 50/50) on loose surfaces or for off-roading.
There are some practical pluses. The CRD engine is smooth and grunty, the Boston Acoustics stereo system means you will enjoy going slow and the boot has a fantastic feature called Load'N Go. This enables you to slide the cargo floor out for easier loading and unloading, then simply roll it back into the vehicle when you're done.
Under the moveable floor is a hidden compartment suitable for wallets, briefcases and laptops.
The Nitro is not a particularly pleasant vehicle to drive. Chrysler could really have done a lot better with this model's road manners.
But nor should it be taken too seriously - you keep coming back to the fact that it looks like a loony die-cast model dreamed up by some seven-year-old. And that's a compliment, by the way.
