Dodge Nitro

Generations and what actually differs

Dodge Nitro has 1 generation (2006-08-01 to 2011-12-31), 12 versions, one body: SUV 5-doors. Nothing in the data describes a restyling as a separate generation. The buyer’s differences sit inside that single generation: Diesel vs Gasoline, 177 vs 205 vs 213 vs 258 hp, Manual vs Automatic, RWD vs AWD, Independent, spring vs Dependent, spring rear suspension, and 211 mm vs 220 mm ground clearance.

Dodge Nitro has 1 generation (2006-08-01 to 2011-12-31), 12 versions, one body: SUV 5-doors. Nothing in the data describes a restyling as a separate generation. The buyer’s differences sit inside that single generation: Diesel vs Gasoline, 177 vs 205 vs 213 vs 258 hp, Manual vs Automatic, RWD vs AWD, Independent, spring vs Dependent, spring rear suspension, and 211 mm vs 220 mm ground clearance.

Specs: 12 versions side by side

Use the names exactly as in the catalogue. Same names are split by power and, when power matches, by drive.

Gasoline 3.7 versions use Distributed injection (multi-point). Diesel 2.8 fuel system is not measured. Compression: Diesel 17.5; 3.7 MT 205 hp 9.1; 3.7 213 hp versions 9.6; 4.0 AT 10.3. Bore × stroke: Diesel 94 × 100; 3.7 93 × 90.8; 4.0 96 × 91. Valves per cylinder: Diesel 4; 3.7 versions 2; 4.0 AT 4.

Engine: power per litre and torque that actually moves the SUV

Specific power from the catalogue displacements:

• Diesel 2.8 AT / 2.8 MT: 177 hp / 2.768 L = 64.0 hp/L, and 460 Nm / 2.768 L = 166.2 Nm/L. Peak torque arrives at 2000 rpm.
• Gasoline 3.7 MT 205 hp: 205 / 3.701 = 55.4 hp/L; 314 Nm / 3.701 = 84.8 Nm/L at 4000 rpm.
• Gasoline 3.7 AT / 3.7 MT 213 hp: 213 / 3.701 = 57.6 hp/L; 318 Nm / 3.701 = 85.9 Nm/L at 4000 rpm.
• Gasoline 4.0 AT: 258 / 3.952 = 65.3 hp/L; 360 Nm / 3.952 = 91.1 Nm/L at 4000 rpm.

So 4.0 AT is the densest on horsepower (65.3 hp/L vs 64.0 for Diesel and 55.4–57.6 for 3.7). Diesel still leads on torque density by a wide margin: 166.2 Nm/L versus 91.1 on 4.0 AT and 84.8–85.9 on 3.7. In absolute torque the Diesel’s 460 Nm is 100 Nm above 4.0 AT (360 Nm) and 142–146 Nm above the 3.7 engines (314–318 Nm). The 3.7 “step” from 205 hp to 213 hp is +8 hp and +4 Nm — 3.9% more power, 1.3% more torque — on the same 3701 cm³, V-shaped 6, No boost.

If the job is towing, hills, or loaded AWD, the Diesel 460 Nm at 2000 rpm is the number that matters. If the job is peak power at high rpm, 4.0 AT is the only version that puts 258 hp at 5800 rpm.

Performance: 0–100 and top speed

Measured 0–100 km/h, fastest to slowest:

• 4.0 AT RWD and 4.0 AT AWD: 8.5 s (tied; AWD does not add a measured 0–100 penalty here).
• 3.7 MT 213 hp AWD: 8.8 s — 0.3 s slower than 4.0 AT, with 45 hp less (258 − 213).
• 3.7 AT 213 hp RWD: 9.5 s — 1.0 s slower than 4.0 AT, 0.7 s slower than the 213 hp Manual AWD.
• 3.7 MT 205 hp RWD, 3.7 AT 213 hp AWD, 3.7 MT 213 hp RWD, 3.7 AT 205 hp AWD: all 10.3 s.
• 2.8 AT AWD: 10.5 s — 0.2 s slower than those 10.3 s gasoline versions, despite 28–36 hp less, because of 460 Nm.
• 2.8 MT RWD and 2.8 MT AWD: 11.5 s — 1.0 s slower than the Diesel Automatic AWD.

Not measured: 0–100 on 2.8 AT RWD.

Top speed, where measured:

• 4.0 AT RWD and AWD: 202 km/h (highest in the model).
• 3.7 AT 213 hp AWD and 3.7 AT 205 hp AWD: 190 km/h.
• 2.8 AT AWD: 182 km/h.
• 2.8 MT (both drives), 3.7 MT 205 hp RWD, 3.7 MT 213 hp RWD: 180 km/h.

Not measured: top speed on 2.8 AT RWD, 3.7 MT 213 hp AWD, 3.7 AT 213 hp RWD.

The Automatic Diesel 2.8 AT AWD is 1.0 s quicker to 100 km/h than either 2.8 MT, so the 5-speed Automatic is not the slow Diesel here. On 3.7, Manual AWD at 213 hp (8.8 s) beats Automatic AWD at 213 hp (10.3 s) by 1.5 s. Automatic RWD at 213 hp (9.5 s) sits between them.

Economy (mpg-style figures as L/100 km)

City / highway / combined, where measured:

• 2.8 MT RWD and 2.8 MT AWD: 10.8 / 7.3 / 8.6. Same consumption for RWD and AWD on this Diesel Manual pair.
• 2.8 AT AWD: 11.7 / 7.5 / 9.0. Automatic costs +0.9 city, +0.2 highway, +0.4 combined versus Diesel Manual.
• 4.0 AT AWD: 15.5 / 8.8 / 11.3.
• 3.7 AT 205 hp AWD: 16.7 / 9.2 / 12.0.
• 3.7 AT 213 hp AWD: 17.5 / 9.0 / 12.1.
• 3.7 MT 205 hp RWD: 18.0 / 14.0 / 12.1. Highway 14.0 is the highest highway figure in the set — 6.7 L/100 km above Diesel Manual highway 7.3.

Not measured: consumption on 2.8 AT RWD, 3.7 MT 213 hp RWD, 3.7 MT 213 hp AWD, 4.0 AT RWD, 3.7 AT 213 hp RWD. Combined on 4.0 AT AWD (11.3) is 0.7–0.8 below the measured 3.7 Automatics (12.0–12.1) despite 45–53 more hp. Diesel combined 8.6–9.0 is 2.3–3.5 below those gasoline combined figures.

CO2 is not measured on any version. Eco class: Euro 4 on most; not measured on 2.8 AT AWD, 3.7 MT 205 hp RWD, and 3.7 AT 205 hp AWD.

On a 73 L tank, combined range arithmetic (tank / combined × 100): Diesel Manual 8.6 L/100 km → about 849 km; Diesel Automatic 9.0 → about 811 km; 4.0 AT AWD 11.3 → about 646 km; 3.7 AT 205 hp 12.0 → 608 km; 3.7 12.1 combined → 603 km. That is the economy argument for 2.8 MT / 2.8 AT in one line.

Dimensions, weight, clearance

Wheel size is not measured on any version. Tank is 73 L on all 12.

Ground clearance is 211 mm on 2.8 AT AWD, 3.7 MT 205 hp RWD, and 3.7 AT 205 hp AWD. It is 220 mm on the other nine — 9 mm more. Rear suspension tracks that split: Dependent, spring on those three 211 mm versions; Independent, spring on the 220 mm versions. Front suspension is Independent, spring on every version.

Kerb / gross (kg), and kg per hp where kerb is measured:

• 3.7 MT 205 hp RWD and 3.7 MT 213 hp RWD: 1785 / 2375. At 205 hp: 8.71 kg/hp. At 213 hp: 8.38 kg/hp. Lightest kerb in the model.
• 4.0 AT RWD: 1802 / 2392 → 6.98 kg/hp (best power-to-weight with a measured kerb).
• 2.8 AT AWD, 2.8 MT RWD, 2.8 MT AWD: 1855 / 2520 → 10.48 kg/hp (heaviest per hp; Diesel torque is the offset).
• 3.7 AT 213 hp AWD and 3.7 AT 205 hp AWD: 1875 / 2540. At 213 hp: 8.80 kg/hp. At 205 hp: 9.15 kg/hp. Highest gross: 2540 kg.
• 4.0 AT AWD: 1885 / 2475 → 7.31 kg/hp. AWD adds 83 kg kerb versus 4.0 AT RWD (1885 − 1802) and 83 kg gross (2475 − 2392).

Not measured: kerb on 2.8 AT RWD, 3.7 MT 213 hp AWD, 3.7 AT 213 hp RWD. Gross not measured on 2.8 AT RWD and 3.7 MT 213 hp AWD; 3.7 AT 213 hp RWD gross is 2540 kg with kerb not measured.

Payload from measured pairs: Diesel 2520 − 1855 = 665 kg; 3.7 AT AWD 2540 − 1875 = 665 kg; 3.7 MT RWD 2375 − 1785 = 590 kg; 4.0 AT RWD 2392 − 1802 = 590 kg; 4.0 AT AWD 2475 − 1885 = 590 kg. Diesel and 3.7 Automatic AWD carry 75 kg more payload than the 590 kg group.

Which version to choose

Choose Diesel if combined consumption and low-rpm torque decide it. 2.8 MT RWD and 2.8 MT AWD share 177 hp, 460 Nm, 8.6 L/100 km combined, 1855 kg, 220 mm, Independent, spring rear, Euro 4. Drive is the only catalogue split: RWD vs AWD, with the same 11.5 s and 180 km/h. Pick AWD if you need AWD; the measured fuel and acceleration do not punish it. 2.8 AT AWD trades +0.4 L/100 km combined and a 5-speed Automatic for a 1.0 s quicker 0–100 (10.5 s) and 182 km/h, but sits on 211 mm and Dependent, spring rear, with eco class not measured. 2.8 AT RWD keeps 177 hp / 460 Nm / Automatic 5 / RWD / 220 mm / Independent rear / Euro 4, but 0–100, top speed, consumption, kerb and gross are not measured — buy it only if you accept a thinner spec sheet.

Choose 3.7 if you want Gasoline without stepping to 258 hp. Distinguish the three 3.7 MT and three 3.7 AT by power and drive. 3.7 MT 205 hp RWD is the lightest Gasoline Manual (1785 kg) but uses 95 fuel, 18.0 city / 14.0 highway, 211 mm, Dependent rear, eco class not measured. 3.7 MT 213 hp RWD keeps 1785 kg and 10.3 s / 180 km/h, moves to 92 fuel, Euro 4, 220 mm and Independent rear; consumption is not measured. 3.7 MT 213 hp AWD is the quickest 3.7 (8.8 s); top speed, consumption, kerb and gross are not measured. On Automatic: 3.7 AT 213 hp AWD is 10.3 s, 190 km/h, 17.5 / 9.0 / 12.1, 1875 / 2540, 220 mm, Euro 4. 3.7 AT 205 hp AWD is the same 10.3 s and 190 km/h with 16.7 / 9.2 / 12.0 — 0.8 L/100 km less city than the 213 hp Automatic AWD, 0.1 less combined — but 211 mm, Dependent rear, eco class not measured. 3.7 AT 213 hp RWD is the only 3.7 Automatic RWD: 9.5 s (1.0 s quicker than 213 hp Automatic AWD), top speed and consumption not measured, kerb not measured, gross 2540 kg.

Choose 4.0 AT if 8.5 s and 202 km/h are the point. Both 4.0 AT versions are 258 hp, 360 Nm, Automatic 5, Euro 4, 220 mm, Independent rear. 4.0 AT RWD is the lightest of the pair (1802 kg, 6.98 kg/hp); consumption is not measured. 4.0 AT AWD adds 83 kg and records 15.5 / 8.8 / 11.3 — thirstier than any Diesel, still 0.7–0.8 combined below measured 3.7 Automatics. Fuel grade on 4.0 AT is not measured.

What “stepping up” buys in numbers, not slogans. Diesel 177 hp → 3.7 205 hp is +28 hp and −146 Nm. 205 → 213 hp is +8 hp / +4 Nm. 213 → 258 hp is +45 hp / +42 Nm. Fastest 0–100 in the model (4.0 AT, 8.5 s) is 3.0 s quicker than slowest measured (2.8 MT, 11.5 s) and 2.0 s quicker than Diesel Automatic AWD (10.5 s). Highest top speed (4.0 AT, 202 km/h) is 22 km/h above the 180 km/h group. Lowest measured combined (2.8 MT, 8.6) is 3.5 L/100 km below 3.7 MT 205 hp (12.1). There is no second generation in the data, so these 12 versions are the whole choice set.