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SAN DIEGO — There’s a brand-new and rather impressive Dodge SUV in town, and if it looks a lot like a Jeep product to you, you’re absolutely right.

The 2007 Dodge Nitro is a version of the second generation of the Jeep Liberty, a compact sport utility introduced in 2002 to give more depth to the Jeep lineup.

Surprisingly, though, Dodge is getting the Nitro before Jeep dealers get the redesigned Liberty. The Nitro is on its way to dealers now as an ’07 model, while the new Liberty won’t show up until the middle of next year as a 2008 model.

Chrysler Group, which markets vehicles under the Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep brands, apparently wanted to let Dodge dealers have a head-start with the Nitro before the Jeep version arrives.

There will be some key differences between the Nitro and new Liberty besides some obvious external styling cues such as their signature Dodge and Jeep grilles. For one, the Nitro has an optional all-wheel-drive system, but no low-range gearing for serious off-road use; the Liberty will have an optional off-road-capable four-wheel drive setup just as it does now, and will be Jeep “trail-rated” with that system.

During a recent national media introduction event for the Nitro in San Diego, Chrysler officials said the vehicle is aimed at a different audience than the Liberty, and those who are expected to buy the Nitro are not interested in a trail-ready off-road vehicle.

“The Jeep buyer takes his vehicle and sits on the edge of the Grand Canyon, enjoying nature,” said Dodge truck marketing manager Ron ZarowitzÖ. “The Dodge customer is an on-road driver.”

The company officials who presented the Nitro to automotive journalists at the event also were a bit confused about where the Nitro fits into the SUV genre.

Designer Dennis MylesÖ introduced the Nitro as “Dodge’s first midsize SUV,” but then listed as its competitors three vehicles that help anchor the compact SUV segment — the Ford Escape, Chevrolet Equinox and Nissan Xterra.

And of those three competitors, the first two are car-based crossover utility vehicles not suitable for off-road use, while the Xterra is a truck-based, true SUV that comes with optional extreme off-road gear that makes it as trail-ready as any Jeep product.

The Nitro is slightly larger than the current Liberty, but still not nearly as large as the key players in the midsize SUV segment — the Ford Explorer, Toyota 4Runner, Toyota Highlander, Nissan Pathfinder, Honda Pilot and Chevrolet TrailBlazer. All of those vehicles are offered with a third row of seating, while the Nitro comes with just two rows and can hold only five passengers.

Myles also said that the Nitro is Dodge’s first midsize SUV. But Dodge introduced the midsize Durango several years ago, and while that vehicle grew somewhat when it entered its second generation two years ago, it’s still considered midsize and competes primarily against the Explorer and TrailBlazer.

The Nitro’s starting price — a surprisingly reasonable $19,885 including $660 freight — also puts it firmly in the compact class. Midsize SUVs such as he Explorer and 4Runner begin in the upper $20,000s.

The target consumer group for the Nitro also is the same as the rest of the compact segment.

“We’re aiming for young singles and young couples just starting out,” Zarowitz said.

Myles called the Nitro’s competitors “bland-looking and somewhat feminine, and not in a good way.” He must have been referring to the Equinox and Escape, however, as the Xterra is considered to be one of the most masculine-looking SUVs on the market.

The goals for the design of the Nitro, he said, were to make it “assertive rather than aggressive, and masculine but not macho.”

“To design it, we went back to our heritage,” he said, specifically the 1999 Dodge Power Wagon concept vehicle, a truck whose front end design is similar to that of the Nitro.

“This vehicle stands out,” Myles said of the Nitro. “It looks like nothing else out there. But we’re not trying to be flashy, we’re trying to be attention-getting.”

There is a strong resemblance to another Jeep product, however, at least from the rear and sides — the midsize Commander SUV. The Nitro is smaller than the Commander (which comes with a third row of seating), and has the new signature grille of Dodge products, which comes straight from the full-size Ram pickup.

The Nitro was designed to appeal primarily to men, while the current Liberty has found primarily a female audience. More than half of Nitro buyers are expected to be men in their late 20s and 30s, Zarowitz said.

“But the Nitro is not just for men,” he said. “The world is filled with women who are bold and energetic.” Those women will find the Nitro appealing, he said.

Three trim levels will be offered, starting with the base, rear-wheel-drive SXT, which has the under-$20,000 price. It will come with the same 3.7-liter V-6 engine found in the current Liberty, rated at 210 horsepower, and will have a six-speed manual gearbox and 16-inch wheels. A four-speed automatic will be optional, as will a part-time or full-time four-wheel-drive system. Four-wheel drive SXT models start at $21,395.

EPA fuel-economy ratings for the two-wheel-drive automatic SXT will be 18 miles per gallon in the city and 24 mpg on the highway.

The midlevel model will be the SLT, which begins at $23,295 with two-wheel drive, the 3.7-liter V-6, automatic transmission and 17-inch wheels. This model also gets a two-tone interior. With four-wheel drive, SLT prices begin at $24,805.

Top of the line will be the R/T, which starts at $25,790 ($27,630 with four-wheel drive). This one is the performance version, with a 4.0-liter V-6 engine rated at 260 horsepower and 265 foot-pounds of torque. The engine is connected to a five-speed automatic gearbox, and 20-inch wheels are standard. A performance suspension is included in the package.

The 4.0-liter engine is new for 2007, and also appears in the Chrysler Pacifica wagon.

No manual gearbox is offered in the SLT or R/T models.

Standard on all Nitro models will be electronic stability control with rollover mitigation. The system includes antilock brakes and traction control, and is designed to help keep the vehicle upright during panic maneuvers. Also standard on all models will be side-curtain air bags for both rows of seating to protect occupants in the event a rollover does occur.

Options on the Nitro will include a DVD audio system with eight speakers, a rear-seat entertainment system, and remote start. A sport suspension is optional on SXT and SLT models, and both of these trims can be upgraded to the 20-inch wheels.

The Nitro comes with several innovative features that consumers will find quite useful.

Standard on SLT and R/T models is Dodge’s new “load ‘n’ go” cargo floor, which moves 18 inches out over the rear bumper so that bulky objects can be loaded into the vehicle more easily. The rolling floor can hold up to 400 pounds.

Underneath it is a secret storage compartment that can hold valuable items such as laptop computers, keeping them out of sight of would-be thieves. There is a power outlet inside the compartment.

Also standard on SLT and R/T will be Chrysler’s new “YES Essentials” cloth seats. This is an advanced fabric that repels most ordinary stains such as permanent ink markers, mustard and ketchup. It also helps control odors, and eliminates static electricity.

Another innovation is the optional MyGIG navigation/audio system ($1,700), which includes a 20-gigabyte hard drive that can hold 1,600 songs in MP3 format.

An auxiliary jack on the Nitro’s audio systems allows an iPod or other portable music player to be connected directly, so the music can be heard over the system’s speakers.

The Nitro, which is on sale now, is built in Toledo, Ohio, on the same assembly line with the Liberty.

G. Chambers Williams III is staff automotive columnist for the San Antonio Express-News and former transportation writer for the Star-Telegram. His automotive columns have appeared regularly in the Star-Telegram since 1995. Contact him at (210) 250-3236; chambers@star-telegram.com.