New 2010 Dodge Nitro

Burn, baby burn: it’s the 2010 Dodge Nitro inferno. This hot mid-size SUV has space and fun features to burn, but with a price that won’t leave you feeling scorched.

Powering the Nitro is a 210-horsepower, 3.7-liter V-6 or a 260-horsepower, 4.0-liter V-6. Power is comparable to the Nissan Xterra, and superior to the Suzuki Grand Vitara. Both engines are mated to a four- or five-speed automatic transmission to a two-wheel or part-time four-wheel drive system. The Nitro achieves 15-16 mpg in the city and 20-22 mpg on the highway. With the proper equipment, Nitro can tow up to 5,000 pounds.

Power meets cargo capacity in the Nitro, and this SUV’s 76 cubic-foot rating beats the Nissan Xterra and Suzuki Grand Vitara – the same goes for headroom and rear legroom. The 2010 Dodge Nitro SE model comes nicely equipped with seating for five, Sirius Satellite Radio and a CD player. The SXT model comes with premium cloth seats that are stain-repellant and a power driver’s seat.  Leather seat skins, heated front seats, sunroof, rear parking sensors and a hard drive based navigation system are optional.

For your listening pleasure, the 368-watt Infinity stereo and a six-CD changer are literally music to your ears. For your viewing pleasure, there is an available TV with DVD entertainment system that features wireless headsets and a remote. The Uconnect multimedia system with 6.5-inch display screen features phone and portable audio device connectivity, and can act as a Wi-Fi hotspot so you can surf the web on your laptop. For your driving pleasure, a sports-tuned suspension is optional on the SXT model.

For your driving safety, both models of the 2010 Dodge Nitro come with four-wheel antilock brakes with braking assist, along with traction and stability control systems. Available parking sensors improve safety while maneuvering in tight spaces. Inside the Nitro’s tough-box chassis are dual front and two-row head airbags. The Nitro delivers Five-Star safety ratings in front and side impact tests. The other car in the collision may end up like it was hit by a nitro-fueled bomb, but occupants of the Nitro are likely to walk away from most accidents.

Spaciousness, quality and fun have been engineered into the 2010 Dodge Nitro, while a lot of cost has been engineered out to make the Nitro accessible to almost every new-car buyer.