Used 2011 Dodge Nitro Heat SUV Review
Consumer reviews
Read what other owners think about the 2011 Dodge Nitro Heat SUV.
Most helpful consumer reviews
The little engine that could..tow a house
Dan989, Mesa, AZ, 11/11/2015
2011 Dodge Nitro Heat 4dr SUV (3.7L 6cyl 4A)
I got my wife a 2011 nitro heat 3.7 with 55k miles about a year ago because we needed a little more room but didn't want to break the bank. She likes the smaller suv's and I've always liked the Tonka truck look of the nitro. My experience with dodge so far has been very good so decided to stick with it. The nitro is an old fashioned old school suv that feels like a truck, drives like a … truck, and is tough like a truck. There's nothing fancy about this rig but it has it where it counts. We take it all over and have put on 20k miles in year without a single issue. What did surprise me was what the nitro could actually do.
We're big out doors people and own a 4k+ pound 21+ ft travel trailer we take out a few times a year that we thought we were going to have to park for a while since I no longer have a truck to pull it with. Unbeknownst to me was the heavy duty 5 link suspension, heavy duty chasis, transmission cooler and 5k pound towing capacity of the nitro. Once I discovered that I quickly installed a hitch and brake controller ,due to our nitro not being equipped with the tow package, and we were ready for action.
Well we recently took a week long trip where we towed our trailer from az to camp on beach in San diego and the nitro preformed flawlessly never even heating up anywhere, mountains include, along the way.
We were looking for a small/mid affordable suv with unique looks and got a helluva lot more than we bargained for. It's not the suv for everyone as it has a stiff ride and modest mpg at best, but if you're looking for something that takes you back to the pick up truck feel of a few years ago, has unique styling and can tow mountains above its useless crossover counterparts, than the nitro might just be what you've been looking for.
Love My 2011 Dodge Nitro
johnherrera305, Riverside, CA, 07/29/2011
2011 Dodge Nitro Heat 4dr SUV (3.7L 6cyl 4A)
Excellent value for mid-size SUV. I love my Bright Silver Nitro. It's stands out on the road. Comfortable vehicle. Plenty of room for my needs. Fun to drive.
not as happy as others seem to be
soonerfanfl, Saint Cloud, FL, 04/16/2012
2011 Dodge Nitro Heat 4dr SUV (3.7L 6cyl 4A)
I bought my Nitro late in the year (Nov).
Enjoyed the ride and handling.
Reminded me of my 2000 Pathfinder that I miss tremendously.
I put over 200k miles on that car in 7 years and never had any issues at all.
So far with the Nitro I have 43k in 16 months (I drive 30k a year) and the check engine light comes on occassionally.
Not sure why.
A/C blower went out right at 36,500 when the … warranty ran out.
Fortunately the dealership I bought it at fixed it w/o question.
At 14k the head gasket blew and was leaking oil like a faucet.
Still under warranty the dealership fixed it.
I'm still undecided whether I like the car or not.
Of course, the engine light is on again.
Weaknessses in the Standard 3.7 L V6 4 Speed Auto
badger377, Waukesha, WI, 06/22/2011
2011 Dodge Nitro Heat 4dr SUV (3.7L 6cyl 4A)
I recently rented a 2011 Dodge Nitro in a 10 day trip from Las Vegas and up into
the mountains of Utah.
The good - the car did not overheat, it was reasonbaly comfortable and roomy.
Gas mileage was about what is rated.
The bad includes the following:
Under the load of two adults, two kids and two suitcases, the engine stuggled each time the air conditioning was turned on.
The … temperature conditions were between 70 - 100 F.
Each time the AC unit was turned on under any load you would get a studdering similar to an alternator going out.
I found thid quite annoying and would try the larger engine model before buying this.
Try before you buy!
Edmunds Summary Review of the 2011 Dodge Nitro Heat SUV
Pros & Cons
- Pro:Considerable towing capacity, brawny image.
- Con:Subpar gas mileage
- Con:lackluster acceleration with either engine
- Con:chintzy interior
- Con:vague steering and trucklike handling.
Full Edmunds Review: 2011 Dodge Nitro SUV
Edmunds Insurance Estimator
The Edmunds TCO® estimated monthly insurance payment for a 2011 Dodge Nitro in New Jersey is:
not availableLegal