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The All-New 2007 Dodge Nitro
Full-sized SUVs have been numerous in the market in spite of dwindling consumer interest. Such a situation has primarily been due to the increase in the prices of gas and fuel and also because of environmental considerations given the amount of emissions these sport utility vehicles release to the environment.
One of such full-size sport utility vehicles is the Dodge Durango. The company behind the vehicle is still investing on the SUV market and they have made a smaller version of the Dodge Durango. This smaller sibling is presently known as the mid-sized SUV that is the all new Dodge Nitro. The Dodge Nitro is 22 inches shorter than its bigger brother and to make it standout in the still swamped mid-size SUV market, it was designed to be boxy in design but still has great aesthetic value.
Its squared-off appearance does not belie its large amount of room inside when in fact, the interior offers more than enough space that makes this vehicle seem larger than it actually is. This roomy interior gives the occupants high seating positions that sport utility vehicle enthusiast looks for in an SUV. The cockpit offers adequate legroom and headspace for the driver and the front seat passenger. Likewise, the second row of seats provides comfort not only because of the seats but also in terms of leg and headroom. Unlike most SUVs out in the market, the second row of seats can comfortably accommodate even grown-ups. This amount of space for the passenger and the driver as well is not the only good thing about the car and amount of space it provides.
The designer of the car gave it a very clever loading system and a mechanism that allows for more cargo space aside from the space in its luggage compartment. The Dodge Nitro features the Load ‘n’ Go which is a cargo storage system that allows the driver to fold down completely all the seats, except the driver’s, in seconds to accommodate more luggage. Another cool feature that it has is its sliding cargo floor that moves rearward over the rear bumper. This feature permits easy loading especially of heavy objects. The cargo hold, thanks to its durable material and design, can carry up to 400 pounds of luggage. It is a very convenient feature that would work great especially for those backpacking type who carry large amount of cargoes around in their car.
The car’s boxy but stylish design and its functional cargo loading system is supported by a capable powerplant. Its top of the line R/T package is equipped with a massive 4.0-liter V6 single overhead cam engine that can provide a pulling power of 260 horses and 265 lb-ft of torque at 4,200 revs per minute. That much power can easily accelerate the Nitro from a standstill to 90 miles per hour. This amount of power is the kind that precision engineered brake parts can handle efficiently, some of which are easily available to the public through, say, Active Brakes Direct, high performance brake parts are essential to keep all those horses in check.
The car of course is not complete without its safety features which have now become a major aspect consumers are interested in. For the Dodge Nitro, it has a long list of safety features that rivals its toughest competitors. The base model offers front and rear side airbags, and side curtain airbags. Other safety features includes but are not limited to an electronic stability program with traction control and brake assist, an electronic roll mitigation, and a tire-pressure monitor which is mandatory for all new models of cars that will be mass produced.
About the Author: Anthony Fontanelle is a 35-year-old automotive buff who grew up in the Windy City. He does freelance work for an automotive magazine when he is not busy customizing cars in his shop.
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