2011 Nissan Juke
by Jim Prueter January 2011
Quirky-looking Juke a Baby SUV That’s a Hoot to Drive
Juke, a baby SUV, is the newest addition to Nissan’s growing stable of oddball cars and SUVs. Last year, we witnessed the introduction of Nissan’s Cube, more recently the all-electric LEAF, and now Juke. It’s in the same ballpark as the recently introduced Mini Countryman, although priced thousands less.
With a bug-eyed reptilian exterior style and an interior that mimics sport-racing bikes (the vehicle’s center console coincidently was designed to look like a motorcycle’s gas tank), Juke looks like nothing else on the market. Almost 2 feet shorter than Nissan’s compact Rogue, Juke is built on the same platform as siblings Cue and Versa.
The diminutive Juke is a four-door hatchback available in three trim levels: base S ($18,960), well-equipped SV ($20,260), and leather-appointed, navigation-equipped SL ($22,550). The same 1.6-liter turbocharged 188-horsepower four-cylinder engine powers all Juke models. Buyers get a choice of a six-speed manual transmission or an automatic continuously variable transmission (CVT), and either standard front-wheel-drive or an available torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive system. The six-speed manual shifter, however, is only available in front-wheel-drive vehicles.
Aimed at male buyers aged 20 to 30, Nissan hopes to attract those who would otherwise purchase a Mini Cooper, Scion tC, Mazda3, or a used BMW 3 Series says Larry Dominique, vice president of product planning, Nissan North America.
That’s because with 188 horsepower, Juke is a hoot to drive with sharp handling, a turbocharged kick, and a four-cylinder that delivers remarkable verve akin to the 370Z.
We drove the Juke on the twisty canyon Apache Trail east of Phoenix and found it handled quick directional changes with imperturbable self-confidence and remarkable balance.
The driver can select three different drive modes using what Nissan calls an Integrated Control (I-CON) system located on the center stack and offering a choice of “eco,” “normal,” and “sport.” The setup uses a small screen with six buttons and two large knobs, and a colored LED-filtering system that allows for switching button labels and colors between the I-CON choices and air-conditioning controls.
Sport mode affords a quicker acceleration response with the CVT mimicking a conventional automatic transmission, shifting up and down through six transmission gears. Sport mode also firms the electric steering feel. A bit of a surprise is that paddle shifters are absent and manual shifting of the transmission is only actuated by clicking the shift lever up or down.
Conversely, Eco mode noticeably slowed acceleration response with the CVT remaining in a higher, more fuel-efficient gear for a longer time. Even so, we were disappointed that mileage for such a small vehicle wasn’t better. Our CVT FWD Juke, while rated at 27/32 city/highway, averaged less than 20 mpg in a mix of city and highway driving. Juke also requires premium fuel.
Inside, the rear seats fold completely flat for additional cargo room. Our front seats felt good offering plenty of support. The overall interior looked great with the glossy painted “cycle tank” center console. The dash was very attractive, looked well-screwed together, and not cheap, as so often is the case in economy cars. Kudos to Nissan here.
Once you get over the initial shock of the odd looking exterior, there’s plenty to like. The front end is especially unusual with a multi-story set of lights; it’s impossible to tell whether the headlamps are the set of bug eyes on top of the hood or the large projectors adjacent to the deep-set, blacked-out grille. Out back, the boomerang-style tail lamps are nearly identical to those on the 370Z and look pretty cool.
In addition to the dismal gas mileage, we had a few other complaints, such as the tiny interior. Some small cars like Mini Cooper afford surprising space and legroom, but Juke’s interior space is narrow, cramped, and feels much smaller than the Versa, which is built on the same platform. We’re not sure there is even room to fit a child seat in back.
And while we’re quick to praise the acceleration and handling, the ride borders on deal-breaker harsh. Blame the short wheelbase, but the ride practically crashes with a bottom-out feel, and this was on relatively pothole-free Arizona roads. I can only imagine what it would be like on frost-heaved and patched pavement.
The Juke's standard safety equipment includes antilock disc brakes, stability and traction control, active front head restraints, front-seat side airbags, and side curtain airbags. As of this writing, there are no government or insurance institute crash test ratings.
Overall, we found Juke to be a remarkably attractive vehicle that was fun to drive and quirky enough to stand out in a field of small and similar-looking vehicles. We did receive more “thumbs-ups” and smiles than furrowed foreheads and wrinkled noses during our week-long test drive. But Juke is a mincemeat pie of a car — you’re either going to love it or hate it.
