JUKE from Nissan is one of the earliest small crossovers, and it still stands out in this segment. Its sporty characteristics, unusual looks, and Nismo trims put this vehicle in a class of its own. Nissan JUKE is a five-passenger, subcompact crossover available in Nismo RS, Nismo, SL, SV, and S trims. Its turbocharged engine comes with a continuously variable transmission (CVT) or a six-speed manual. Read this post to know more about Nissan JUKE.

Design and exterior

Nissan JUKE is a visually-appealing, unique-looking vehicle. It has split headlights, a squat rear, and bulging wheel arches that combine big round lamps with units that resemble a crocodile’s eyes peering over water. It is extremely appealing and can be made more so by picking one of the dazzling body colors like a bold red or yellow. Despite being a strong seller, JUKE is still a head-turner.

What’s more? For us and most riders, a vehicle’s thriving design is evident from the fact that it looks good in all the trim levels, and JUKE succeeds here because even its base models look nothing less than a beauty. Design fanatics may show displeasure at its sheer freneticism, but car buyers have no qualms there and are still going for the Nissan JUKE over the less striking-looking, more conventional models.

Interior

The car has a room for five, yet is suitable for two. Its second row has a cramped environment to accommodate the adults, and the rear-seat access is also tight. At 10.5 cubic feet, the cargo capacity is somewhat limited. But, if you fold the rear seats, you can expand the cargo capacity to 35.9 cubic feet.

Fortunately, the same quirkiness that embellishes its exterior is evident on the inside. Its theme is circular and goes beyond the instrument cluster and steering wheel to enclose the center-stack pod, door handles, and transmission shifter surround. Some standard components include door locks and power windows, cloth upholstery, a 60/40-split folding rear seat, a tilt steering column, and air conditioning. You also get heated front seats and top-grade upholstery.

Technology

Nissan JUKE’s interior has techy convenience and edgy comfort to keep pace with your cutting-edge lifestyle. The cabin takes hints from the sports bikes, which works well in riders’ favor, courtesy of the attributes like the unique center console. Its sport bucket relaxing seats keep you cozy even on the curves. It also has automatic temperature control that leaves you feeling just right all the time. You get touchscreen navigation audio and many other features with its dash-mounted system. You can use the text messaging assistant and Siri Eyes Free to stay in the loop sans any distraction from your phone.

Safety

Nissan JUKE has been tested solely in the rollover tests and frontal crash, where it earned four and three stars, respectively. NHTSA gave it an overall four-star safety rating, and in the IIHS testing, too, Nissan JUKE earned a Good rating in roof, side, and front strength, seat tests, and head restraints. However, the small overlap front test had a poor rating, but the Nissan JUKE does not come with a front crash prevention or warning system.

Performance and power

In most of its configurations, Nissan JUKE gets its power from the 1.6-liter I-4 mated turbocharged to a CVT. They employ the six-speed manual in the NISMO RS and NISMO front-drive models. The engine generates 177 lb-ft in most trims with 188 hp. With all-wheel drive, the NISMO RS produces 184 lb-ft and 211 hp, but in the front-drive form, it makes 210 lb-ft and 215 hp. NISMO RS and NISMO feature unique exterior trim and aerodynamics, but the NISMO RS has a unique suspension, a relatively more powerful engine, brake tuning, and steering.

Bottom line

It can be an excellent pick if you need a small crossover, but if you seek space for cargo and adults in the rear, you better look for an alternative.