Jesse Joyner, PhD

This past weekend, I got to take a 2009 Dodge Nitro from Richmond, VA to St. Louis, MO and back. I rent a lot of vehicles for my job and I thought I would share my personal opinion about some of them in case it helps anyone out there. First of all, I usually get a smaller vehicle, but I took advantage of a “free upgrade” coupon from Budget and enjoyed the larger and more sporty Nitro this time around.

Overview: The Dodge Nitro has an “oversized boxy jeep” look to it. It can be driven in 2WD or 4WD. It seats 5 comfortably (there might even be some hidden seats in the far rear, but I didn’t check).

PROS: Lots of visibility when you check your blind spots. Lots of room. Sporty look. Satellite radio. Comfortable driver’s seat. Feels like a solid and strong vehicle.
CONS: Not the best gas mileage. No radio controls on the steering wheel (I like that feature in a car). Acceleration pick-up seemed to drag a little when I wanted to speed up quickly. My model did not have any driver’s seat adjustments other than the floor latch (for forward/backward) and the recline latch.

I’ll try to do more car reviews in the future. Whether you’re in the market for a car or just curious about new models, I hope this helps.

-Jesse Joyner