The 2011 Nissan Juke isn't just another urban cruiser.
Pulling up to the ferry terminal at Vancouver’s Horseshoe Bay, it doesn’t take long for a crowd to form. We’re just waiting for the boat to take us over to the Sunshine Coast, but seemingly everyone has to come and check out our new set of wheels, ask questions and offer their opinion
Nissan has a history of coming up with quirky, provocative crossover-utility vehicles – think Murano or Infiniti FX – and the Japanese maker’s latest offering certainly lives up to that reputation. Based on the same B-car platform as the Versa minicar, the 2011 Nissan Juke is certainly not just another plebian SUV wannabe.
There are the muscular wheel arches and the sloping roof line that is vaguely reminiscent of the little Z-car, at least a Z on steroids. The bubble back could be borrowed from Murano though the Nike swoop-like lights might easily be lifted from one of the Volvo XC models. Then there’s that nose. Everyone has a thought to offer.
Juke’s headlamps aren’t where you’d expect them. A pair of large, clear blisters erupt from the hood and would suggest that the car is using the latest in project lamp technology. But they’re actually just turn signals. The headlamps are mounted in the circles that rise from the bumper, where you might expect foglamps. Those, if your car is so –equipped, are tucked almost out of sight in the lower fascia.
The Nissan Juke's strong design is an instant conversation starter.
No wonder Juke is such a conversation starter. And Nissan designers haven’t ignored the interior. The center console is painted in bright metal-gloss paint, which is supposed to resemble a motorcycle gas tank. The Juke is offered in a variety of catchy, textured two-tone fabric combinations. The center stack is finished in a well-executed piano black and, should you order the optional navigation system, you’ll get two reasonably large LCD screens, one for the map display, the other used for both the climate control system and to display vehicle functions including turbo boost.
A close-up of the 2011 Nissan Juke's most controversial design element - the front lamps.
Exactly who the 2011 Nissan Juke is targeted for was made clear during an early morning marketing session. Think Maxim or GQ. Think young, upwardly-mobile young males who like sports and scantily-clad women, though if they had a bigger ad budget, Nissan officials admit they’d also go after Millennial women, as well.
The new Juke is more of an urban mobility vehicle than an off-roader. Its high seating position is best applied to letting you see around traffic, while its optional all-wheel-drive system will get you good traction on slick city streets.
The 2011 Nissan Juke is offered in both AWD and FWD powertrain configurations.
It’s a torque-vectoring system, to be more precise, the latest take on AWD technology, which means power can be directed not just front-to-back, but from left-to-right, using torque to help push you through corners and minimize the understeer common on many all-wheel-drive systems.
The heart of the 2011 Nissan Juke is a turbocharged 1.6-liter Direct Injection inline-four engine. Putting out 188 horsepower and 177 lb-ft of torque, it delivers the comparable performance of a naturally-aspirated 2.5-liter powerplant, company officials suggest. The stock Juke will come with Nissan’s well-tested CVT transmission, though you can order a front-drive Juke with a 6-speed manual, if you prefer.
Nissan designers didn't ignore Juke's cabin.
Mileage is an acceptable, though not overwhelming 27 mpg City, 32 City.
The sporty nature of this little beast is telegraphed by not just those muscular wheel arches but by the 17-inch wheels they envelop. Many competitors are happy to offer tiny 15s.
Up front, there’s a MacPherson strut suspension. Surprisingly, Nissan engineers have come up with the only independent rear suspension available on any of the maker’s B-car models. It’s a nice touch and immediately apparent as we get off the ferry in Langley and head north. (The multi-link rear is used on AWD Jukes, but with the FWD models you settle for a torsion beam set-up.)
Juke's turbocharged 1.6-liter I4 makes the numbers of a larger 2.5-liter engine.
Despite Juke’s relatively short 99.6-inch wheelbase and nearly 62-inch height, the car has a solid and well-planted feel, with reasonably precise, if not exactly sports car-like steering. Our AWD model handles the curves on the north shore of the Sunshine Coast with reasonable aplomb. That 188 horsepower lets you charge through the corners and open up on the straights.
There’s a definite change in nature when you switch from Normal to Sport driving mode, which immediately tightens up the steering, and switches to a more aggressive profile for throttle and transmission. No, it’s not a sports car, but the 2011 Nissan Juke is no sports car, despite its wannabe-Z roofline. But the AWD version is a big improvement over the plodding nature of many of the other so-called urban cars now emerging on the market.
The 2011 Nissan Juke's rear evokes Murano, though the taillights are almost Volvo XC-like.
Something easy to miss while driving hard is the pleasant performance of Nissan’s CVT. Most makers have abandoned their continuously variable transmissions, if not for technical reasons then because of consumer complaints about the buzzy nature of the gearboxes and the so-called rubber band feel, with the engine seemingly disconnected from the rest of the car. There’s very little rubber-banding with the Xtronic CVT, and it becomes even more precise if you shift to manual mode and work your way through the virtual gears – albeit with a modest fuel economy penalty.
There’s little doubt the 2011 Nissan Juke will catch the eye of what the maker calls “aggressive attention seekers.” The little crossover is a visual standout, though whether it appeals or repels is clearly in the eye of the beholder here. But the driving experience should win many potential buyers over. No, it’s not a sports coupe, but the new Juke nonetheless delivers a distinctively enjoyable alternative to the plodding urban cars all too many makers are willing to pass off to those who’re on a budget.
Juke is targeted to young, attention seekers.
Speaking of price, you’ll be able to get into a base, FWD Juke for just $18,960, and get a pretty-much fully-loaded AWD model for $24,550. It’s not the cheapest B-car on the block, but the numbers are more than reasonable considering what you’ll get.
The quirky design is almost certain to get folks into the showroom to check out the 2011 Nissan Juke. We expect many potential buyers will wind up driving out with one.