Nissan Juke 1.6 CVT Turbo Review: No joke, this Juke

Being the smallest and youngest in the line of successful crossover SUVs such as the Murano and Qashqai, the Juke is under a lot of pressure to perform well, both in the market as well as on the road. As with any youngster brought up in this ‘hot-house' environment, the Juke strikes out and rebels - and this is what makes it so remarkable.

OneShift Editorial Team

18 Dec 2010

What we like:

Bold

in-your-face attitude. Impressive performance from new engine

agile handling

What we dislike:

Materials and look of interior don't match dramatic exterior. Engine too big by just 19cc for Cat A COE and road tax.

As the Juke's imposing bodywork makes it look bigger than it actually is, its cabin comes across as being cramped as both headroom and legroom are tight, especially in the rear. On the other hand, given that the Juke is a 4-door "coupe", with its low roof and sleek profile, this shortcoming should be forgiven.

Other things that come across as unconventional for a tall, SUV-like vehicle are the Juke's small windows, and its gloomy and severe all-black interior. Well, all-black except for the gleaming red centre console. Check out the full explanation for the console design on youtube by keying in "Nissan Juke Trophy" (http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Nissan+Juke+%22Trophy%22&aq=f), it sets the tone for the design motivation behind this car. It's a little bizarre, but full marks for originality.

Apart from the interesting centre console, the monochrome black finish and small windows do make the cabin feel gloomy, even though the multi-functional i-Con panel is actually quite a marvel. Similar to the GT-R which allows the driver to completely change the function and display of its controls at the flick of a switch, the Juke driver can do so with its i-Con display panel.

Push the ‘Climate' button and both the display and buttons around it are used to control the airconditioning. Push the ‘D-mode' button, and everything changes to manipulate driving mode - and there are three to choose from: ‘Normal', ‘Sport' and ‘Eco' - and they actually work!

‘Sport' mode gets the gearing to be more aggressive and hold ratios longer, and even sharpens the response of the steering. The display changes to a turbo boost gauge. ‘Eco' mode seems to restrict fuel flow to make the Juke feel underpowered, while the display changes to fuel consumption graphic display. In this mode can keep track of your driving by the week to help you improve your driving technique. In ‘Normal' mode, we get to see torque output, which is a first in my two decades as a journalist.

So there really is no reason why the Juke's dashboard should be so plain - the i-Con display, its shiny surfacing notwithstanding, is quite amazing. Which makes one wonder why it was mounted so low that it can't be read, seen or touched without the driver taking his eyes off the road?

So in conclusion, anyone who dismisses the Juke based on its funky and seemingly uncoordinated styling should take a second look. The Juke is quicker and more satisfying than many coupes, and even though it appears to rebellious, it definitely not a rebel without a cause.