2011 Nissan Juke lives up to its name

Challenging its segment with a super stylized exterior and a sporty performance, the 2011 Nissan Juke lives up to its name.

At the recent launch of the Juke in Vancouver, British Columbia, and as reported in http://www.decisivemagazine.com, Nissan executives explained that the name “Juke” describes “a vehicle with the ability to dodge obstacles,

including ‘ordinary.’” Joining one of the fastest growing automotive segments, the compact crossover packs a lot of technology, design, and features.

For starters, the Juke, with headlamps in the front fenders and turn signals on either side of the hood, resembles nothing else out there, with the exception of the rear taillamps,

which do look a bit like the Volvo C30’s.

The aggressive exterior design is met with a distinctive interior, particularly the metallic, high gloss center console that borrows from motorcycle design cues. Available in a red or

black option, the former was particularly striking. Cloth seats also offer variations, from stitching to two-tone accents, plus a leather option is also available.

Owners may enjoy Nissan’s innovative Integrated Control (I-CON) system that debuts on the Juke. It combines control of the automatic air conditioning and the three-mode drive

selector—Normal for everyday driving, Sport for a more intense performance feel and Eco for maximum efficiency, adjusting throttle, transmission, and steering feel for the precise

ride the driver desires. When engaged, the Sport mode stood out among the three but the Eco mode will also appeal for its added fuel efficiency.

On the launch, I drove the available six-speed manual transmission, standard on the higher level SL and SV trim models, and the continuously variable transmission (CVT) with S-

Mode or simulated manual shifting, that is standard on the base model S. Any time a manufacturer offers a manual transmission, particularly on a compact car, is cause for

applause. It adds a fun-to-drive component and this held true with the Juke. The front-wheel drive (FWD) is the base configuration but an all-wheel-drive is also offered with the

automatic transmission only.

A standard 1.6-liter Direct Injection Gasoline (DIG) turbo, DOHC aluminum-alloy inline four-cylinder engine with 188 horsepower and 177 lbs.–ft. of torque powers the Juke. The

engine, the first application in North America, offers fuel economy without sacrificing too much power. Fuel economy is rated at 27 miles per gallon (mpg) in the city and 32 mpg on

the highway for models with the FWD CVT. The models I drove included an information button with additional stats on the car displayed in the gauge cluster including the average

fuel economy, which hovered at 23.9 mpg on the CVT model.

As a crossover, the Juke offers convenience features like a 60/40 fold-down rear seat for added cargo room, storage under the rear cargo floor on FWD models, and speed

sensitive automatic door locks.
Safety features include roof-mounted side impact supplemental air bags, the anti-lock braking system, vehicle dynamic control, and traction control.

Pricing for the Juke, a compact crossover with attitude, starts at $19,710.

2011 Nissan Juke
MSRP: 19,710
Engine: 1.6-liter direct injection gasoline turbo, four-cylinder
HP: 188
Torque: 177 lbs.–ft.
Transmission: CVT, six-speed manual
Drivetrain: FWD or AWD
Fuel Economy: City/Highway 27/32 (FWD CVT)