Selectable four-wheel drive, a big diesel engine and automatic transmission will attract caravanners to the Dodge Nitro 2.8 CRD Auto, with its chunky go-anywhere looks. Unfortunately it felt a bit lethargic on our test track and although it didn’t become unstable once wound up to a decent speed, it didn’t feel as well in control as some other competitors. Switching from 2WD to 4WD when the going gets rough couldn’t be simpler: you just turn a knob.
Back on tarmac, the footbrake worked well enough but had a lot of travel, while the handbrake just would not hold the car and caravan on our 17% gradient. Noseweight limit is an impressive 126kg but storage not as generous as in some other SUVs.
| Caravan weight |
Noseweight limit |
Drive |
Cyls/CC |
bhp@rpm |
lb/ft@rpm |
CO2 g/km |
Ins group |
Price |
Tested |
|
1,713kg |
126kg |
F/AWD |
4/2777 |
174@ 3800 |
339@2000 |
250 |
11E |
£24,036 |
2008 |
Dodge Nitro 2.8 CRD SXT Auto
