Take by surprise. Dodge Nitro

When this hulk approaches from behind, your hand instinctively reaches for the turn signal lever — to blink and move right, away from trouble. In the mirrors, something big and angular grows: it would swallow you without even choking. But I don't turn off — I'm behind the wheel of the same monster myself. This is a Dodge Nitro. And together with colleagues who followed me off the parking lot, we're already a pack.

There's some optical illusion here, a glitch in the eye. If there are no other cars around, the Nitro looks like a giant. But in reality, its length is just over 4.5 meters, and its height is average — 177 cm. So the Dodge Nitro is a rival to such crossovers as the Land Rover Freelander, Mitsubishi Outlander XL, and Hyundai Santa Fe... But calling the Nitro a "soft-roader" doesn't roll off the tongue. And where have you seen a "soft-roader" on 20-inch wheels? And this radiator grille, this "boxy" body with sculpted wheel arches, these wide running boards. This is a real Jeep! Not a jeep as a generic term for off-roaders, but a specific Jeep Cherokee, on whose platform, in fact, the Nitro is built. True, the platform is simplified: if the Cherokee has part-time all-wheel drive and a low range, the Nitro has no low range. And the transmission is elementary: rear-wheel drive and a rigidly engaged front axle. There's no center differential, nor is there a clutch that would engage the front axle automatically. On the other hand, the Jeep Cherokee with its naive headlight eyes next to the Nitro is just a child.

The "motorcycle-style" instruments are perfectly readable in the dark	The multimedia system with an interactive screen allows you to record photos and music to the hard drive via a USB port	Power-adjustable front seats are standard equipment for the SXT version

Emotions, emotions... But it was on them that the designers of the Chrysler Group division, which includes the Dodge brand, were betting. Launching another sleek "soft-roader" in Europe? Pointless — competitors would eat it up in no time.

— We must shake up the mid-size crossover market, — says Thomas Hausch, executive director of international sales at Chrysler Group, with American optimism. And the Nitro, which you want to call Nitrous (like nitrous oxide, N₂O, a "stimulant" that sharply boosts engine output), is capable of that. Of course, not due to the ordinary all-wheel-drive design and suspensions, but only thanks to its striking appearance. Judging by the TV ads that are heavily aired in America, the car is aimed at wild youth — the Dodge Nitro is positioned as an element of hip-hop culture. And in Russia, brutal SUVs with heavily tinted windows remain in favor.

Handles with buttons are increasingly found on trucks these days...	On the driver's door — full power package
What doesn't fit in the small glovebox can be placed in the spacious armrest box located between the front seats	The transmission control lever has only two positions: rear-wheel drive (2WD) and rigidly engaged (without center differential) all-wheel drive (4WD Lock). You can switch while driving

In the cabin, you feel like a macho. High seating position, vertical front panel, huge hood before your eyes... Immediately, scenes from American action movies come to mind, where cops chase criminals (or vice versa) in pickups with similar cabin styling. Although no, here everything is better, more modern. A comfortable seat with power adjustments, three instrument pods that, according to the creators' intent, should evoke motorcycle associations. And on the center console, a 6.5-inch color interactive screen is on display. There's navigation, an audio system with a 20-gigabyte hard drive, and even a USB port through which you can upload music in mp3 format or photos. Of course, this is an option, and a rather expensive one. And if you don't mind spending money, you can even install a DVD changer with an additional screen on the ceiling for rear passengers.

However, in the back, it's fine even without DVD. Getting in is a bit high, but the "commander" seating improves visibility. There's plenty of room for legs and head, plus you can adjust the backrest angle. And if restless kids spill juice on the seat, you won't have to strain relations: you can order seat upholstery with YES Essentials fabric, which is easy to clean, doesn't absorb odors, and doesn't fade.

In a corner, the Dodge Nitro behaves like a classic SUV — it leans, the front axle slides outward, but it doesn't get out of the driver's control

But the trunk raised concerns. Company representatives, of course, praise it, especially the sliding panel that can withstand 180 kg: it, they say, allows loading suitcases without getting dirty on the rear bumper. But they keep silent about the loading height, which with this wonderful sliding floor is as much as 85 cm — throwing a heavy suitcase onto such a "table" is not easy. And the trunk itself is small — only 389 liters. Although, if you fold down the seatbacks, you get a cargo area of 1994 liters with a flat floor.

The Dodge Nitro can be equipped with three engine options, but for now, only cars with two will be imported to Russia — a diesel produced by the Italian company VM-Motori with a volume of 2.8 liters (177 hp) and a gasoline V6 with 205 hp. Both engines are not the freshest. About the gasoline Nitro, unfortunately, I can't say anything — there were no such cars in Seville. But the diesel didn't inspire me. It would seem, sixteen valves, third-generation common rail direct fuel injection (pressure 1600 bar), but the working range is archaically narrow — the engine pulls well only from 2000 to 4000 rpm. At the same time, it's quite noisy and reminds of its diesel nature with vibrations on the controls. But I accept both noise and vibrations as a given: it fully matches the car's appearance — real, masculine. This is not a powdered "soft-roader"! So if you don't try to be first away from traffic lights every time, the dynamics are sufficient. The main thing is to shift gears in time, of which there are six here.

In North America, you can buy a rear-wheel-drive Nitro, but only all-wheel-drive versions are supplied to Russia — with a rigidly engaged front axle, but without a low range	Thanks to the sliding floor, which can withstand 180 kg, suitcases can be loaded without the risk of getting dirty on the rear bumper	The trunk volume is small — only 389 liters

However, Russian buyers are not at risk of getting confused with gears: only "automatic" Nitros will be supplied to us. For the diesel version, a five-speed automatic is provided, and for the gasoline version — a four-speed one. I took a ride in a diesel Nitro with an automatic off-road. The gears shift, albeit not quickly, but smoothly enough, and I had no problems managing traction on the rain-slicked dirt.

And how did the all-wheel drive perform? As usual. The rigid connection between the front and rear axles ensures confident movement over rough terrain. In case of diagonal wheel hanging, the traction control system helps — with short jerks, the Nitro moves forward. And on slippery surfaces, as usual, everything is decided by the tires. Or, as in my case, not decided: on clearly road-oriented Goodyear Eagle RS-A tires, the Nitro is not a warrior on a soggy field. It spins. By the way, if you decide to buy a Nitro, I wouldn't advise leaving the beautiful 20-inch wheels for winter — on these "skis" (245/50 R20), the car will float on snowy slush. In winter, it's more reliable and cheaper to drive on "base" tires of size 235/65 R17.

There's plenty of space in the back — folding seatbacks will help you relax	Among the options is a "ceiling" DVD player

At first, it seemed to me that the Nitro's handling was like that of a regular body-on-frame SUV: the steering is unhurried, a full three and a half turns lock-to-lock, and the body noticeably leans in corners. Driving straight at up to 120 km/h is completely comfortable, but you don't feel like going faster. And you certainly wouldn't throw it into corners with tire squeal — for a car of this caliber, that's just not dignified. But I took the risk anyway and was pleasantly surprised: the car's reactions turned out to be surprisingly "transparent," and the stability control system, which can be partially disabled, works excellently. For a vehicle with a solid rear axle, the Nitro handles road bends very smoothly, with logical and predictable behavior. And the steering isn't "vague" at all — it seems the Americans have finally learned how to tune power steering properly!

The suspension is generally fine for everyday driving. At high speeds on asphalt undulations, the body starts to rock, but fortunately, it doesn't throw you off course. On rough roads, the car feels a bit stiff, and I'm inclined to blame the 20-inch low-profile tires.

Also, out of pure curiosity, I took a ride in the version with the four-liter gasoline engine — the one that isn't officially planned for Russia. The primary market for this Nitro is North America, and if it ever reaches us, it won't be for another year or two. And that's a real shame, because it's an excellent option. It's with this engine that the Nitro becomes a true predator — powerful, ready to sprint at any moment. This 260-horsepower beast hits 100 km/h in 8.5 seconds! That's almost two seconds faster than with the 3.7-liter engine. The more modern five-speed automatic transmission also plays its part. And compared to the diesel version, comfort is noticeably higher: the gasoline unit runs much quieter, and vibrations in the steering wheel and pedals have disappeared.

When I parked the gasoline Nitro and walked away, I just admired it for a couple more minutes. The designers did a great job. They managed to defend the rugged styling against the aerodynamics and passive safety specialists. True, to fit the Nitro into European pedestrian protection standards, the front bumper had to be redesigned: the American version has two "buffers" sticking out, while the European bumper protrudes as a solid bar. Still, I wouldn't wish anyone to be in the path of this "safe" car…

But what I really don't understand is the internal hierarchy in the Chrysler Group division. Why is Dodge ranked lower than Chrysler and Jeep in the American pecking order? Maybe it's historical? Perhaps. But then how do you explain that Russian prices for the Nitro start at 30,900 euros, while a Jeep Cherokee 3.7 with an automatic can be had for 29,900 euros? In the States, it's the opposite — the Nitro is cheaper! True, the final price list hasn't been approved yet, and sales are supposed to start in late May or early June.