Nissan Juke

Nissan Juke

Manufacturer	Nissan
Production	2010–present
Assembly	Oppama, Japan Nissan_Motor_Manufacturing_UK, United Kingdom
Predecessor	Nissan Terrano II
Class	Mini SUV
Body style(s)	5-door SUV
Layout	Front engine, front-wheel drive / four-wheel drive
Platform	Nissan B platform
Engine(s)	1.5 L HR15DE I4 1.6 L MR16DDT Turbo I4 1.6 L HR16DE I4 1.5 L K9K Diesel Engine I4
Transmission(s)	5-speed manual 6-speed manual CVT
Wheelbase	2,530 mm (99.6 in)
Length	4,135 mm (162.8 in)
Width	1,765 mm (69.5 in)
Height	1,570 mm (61.8 in)
Related	Nissan Micra Nissan Note Nissan Cube Dacia Duster

The Nissan Juke is a mini-crossover being released by the Japanese car manufacturer Nissan during 2010. The production version made its debut at the 2010 Geneva Motor Show in March, and was introduced to North America at the 2010 New York International Auto Show.

On 11 February 2009 Nissan announced that the model would go into production at the NMUK plant in Sunderland, UK, during 2010 following its appearance as the Nissan Qazana concept car at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show. The Sunderland plant manufactures for the European market, while Nissan's facility in Oppama, Japan, produces the vehicle for all other countries and is the sole supplier of the all-wheel drive variant.

In Japan, where the car was launched on 9 June 2010, orders totalled 10,943 units in its first month, surpassing Nissan's monthly target of 1,300 by a margin it never predicted. By 5 October 2010, Japanese sales had increased to 20,000 while European and US figures also exceeded expectations with orders for 30,000 and 17,500 cars taken for the respective markets.

Design

The Juke was designed at Nissan Design Europe in London and refined at Nissan's Design Centre in Japan. It is based on the Nissan B platform.

The car's profile is dominated by the prominent wheel arches and the body's high waistline, which combine to give an impression of strength and which contrast with the slim side windows. Echoing a style first seen on the Mixim, Nissan's high performance electric coupé concept shown at the 2007 Frankfurt Auto Show, the glasshouse resembles a crash helmet visor. A coupé-like appearance is achieved by the rear door handles being located near the C-pillars, within the window frame. The sport motif continues inside with the red- or grey-painted centre console bearing similarity to a motorcycle fuel tank.

The front end features a stacked array of lights. Running lamps and indicators are mounted atop the front wings, their lenses visible from inside the cabin as an aid to manoeuvring. Below them, under the lower edges of an expansive, curved grille, the main headlamps are intended to be reminiscent of those fitted to rally cars during the 1960s and 1970s. Where fitted, fog lamps are situated on a third level within the sump guard at the bottom.

Common to all but base models is Nissan's Integrated Control System, dubbed I-CON: a command module that sits in the lower dashboard, which manages both the climate control and the vehicle's drive mode (Normal, Sport or Eco). Its display and nomenclature change according to the function selected.

Gallery

Nissan Juke

Nissan Juke

Nissan Juke 15RX (Japanese Edition)

Performance

Braking performance

60–0 mph (97 km/h): 124ft (38m)

Acceleration

(With MR16DDT engine only)

• 0–60 mph (97 km/h): 6.8 s
• 1/4 mile (~400 m): 15.2 s at 91.9 mph
• Top speed: drag limited 125 mph

Fuel economy

(With MR16DDT engine)

• Xtronic CVT: 27/32 mpg
• Manual transmission: 24/31 mpg (U.S. gallon)

Trim levels

The Juke has different trim designations depending on international markets.

North America

Three levels are available with the MR16DDT engine: S, SV and SL.

Japan

In Japan, four levels are specified. The RX and RS models are equipped with the HR15DE I4 engine, while the MR16DDT is supplied for the 16GT and 16GT FOUR.

Europe

European specifications are defined within three trim levels for the HR16DE, K9K and MR16DDT engines: Visia, Acenta (also available with Sport and Premium packs) and Tekna.

Reaction

Reviews by the motoring press have been mixed. While some liked the Juke's unusual styling, several noted that it represented a brave design choice by Nissan that could divide the opinions of car buyers. "TheTruthAboutCars" website said that "the villain of project Juke was the legally-blind eldritch abomination who styled it." and Autoguide.com began their review with "Let’s not ignore the elephant in the room. The Nissan Juke is ugly" and that "it’s difficult to find a good angle from which to view the Juke at." Test drives have provided conflicting reports about the car's ride and handling: the body lean and steering response have each been singled out for praise and criticism in equal measure. However, the overall response indicated that the Juke is expected to be a success. One reviewer wrote:

Nissan ambitiously expects to sell 20,000 Jukes in its first full year of production, which will be 2011. And I can see that happening. A plague of Jukes is about to descend on the landscape, devouring young mums and their offspring and raising eyebrows wherever they go. Expect an unfamiliar looking car to start becoming very familiar indeed.

The Nissan Juke sponsored the 2011 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue as part of its ad campaign.

Awards and recognition

• Nissan Juke named 2011 CUV of Texas by The Texas Auto Writers Association.
• It was also awarded Semperit Irish Car of the Year for 2011 on 25 November 2010.

See also

• List of Nissan vehicles
• Nissan MR engine
• Nissan

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Nissan Juke

• Official UK website
• Official US website