The Dodge Nitro … bold styling, nice drive

As you can tell from the name, the Nitro is not intended to be a timid wallflower type of vehicle. Rather, it’s an inyour- face, look-at-me machine that is most often shown in a bright, red paint scheme.

The boxy styling of the Nitro is not only attention-getting but it also allows for a very nice interior package. The interior space is easy to access and includes an innovative LOAD-N-GO cargo-handling feature in the rear. Laid on top of the cargo floor is a tray that carries up to 400 pounds and slides rearward as much as 18 inches over the back bumper.

The Nitro is equipped with either a 3.7-liter V6 or Dodge’s new 4.0-liter V6 with 260-horsepower. Transmission choices include a six-speed manual and either a four- or five-speed automatic, depending on your engine choice. This midsize SUV has real offroad chops if you care for that.