Dodge Nitro vs. Nissan Xterra Review

Handling
With their comparable turning circles, the Dodge Nitro and the Nissan Xterra most certainly handle almost the same into and out of tight spots.

Drivetrain
The Dodge and the Nissan Xterra have similar-sized engines, with a slight advantage to the Nissan Xterra. Torque equals pickup, and the Nissan Xterra will have picked up and gone by the time the Dodge Nitro finally gets moving. Torque is roughly equivalent to acceleration, and in this respect, the Nissan Xterra is significantly more powerful than the Nitro.

Utility
The Dodge Nitro and the Nissan Xterra can accommodate the same number of passengers. There's no clear winner between the Dodge and the Nissan Xterra with respect to hauling capacity. The Xterra outpulls the Dodge Nitro by a sizeable margin.

Convenience
The Nitro's fuel tank will need to be replenished somewhat more often than the unit in the Nissan Xterra.

Comfort
While the front cabin in the Dodge Nitro offers a bit more head room than the Xterra, there frankly isn't much of a difference. The ampler interior dimensions of the Dodge Nitro make it roomier for your passengers than the Xterra.

Dimensions
The Nissan Xterra is significantly more bulky than the Dodge Nitro. The Dodge Nitro's tank is roughly the same size as the Nissan Xterra's, though the Nissan Xterra's is a tad larger. The Nissan and the Dodge Nitro compete for the same parking spaces.

Cost
The destination charge is a standard charge for transporting the vehicle from its point of origin to the dealer. It costs roughly the same to get the Nitro to the dealership as the Nissan Xterra. The Dodge Nitro doesn't pale in comparison to the Nissan Xterra in terms of fuel economy. Producing a precise fuel economy evaluation is so tricky that some think not even the federal government can do it, but it looks as though both the Nitro and the Nitro perform about comparably when it comes to gas mileage. In terms of MSRP, the Xterra costs substantially more than the Dodge.

Overview
The Nissan Xterra and the Dodge Nitro have the same basic after-sale protection.