I am an adult—and not a young one, mind you—and I admit that I really like the Nissan Juke. It’s not exactly springing from the closet, but stating the fact I have more than a passing fondness for the Juke has raised an eyebrow or two among my friends. Not to the degree as when I offer that one of my favorite TV series of all time is “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” but expressing my infatuation with Juke does rattle some friends’ confidence in my judgment.
But here’s the thing, its quirky looks notwithstanding, Juke is just plain fun. It’s fun to have parked in your driveway; it’s fun to be seen zipping around in; and, it’s fun to drive. Does it make me feel a little silly to pull up to the valet stand at Soby’s, my Friday Greenville haunt? Heck, no! “Let them eat cake,” I say.
Gobs of fun from behind the wheel, the vanilla Juke gets its go from a 188 hp 1.6 L inline 4-cylinder turbocharged engine. Until you step up to a Nismo version, the only available transmission is a CVT. No matter the grade, though, every Juke qualifies for all-wheel drive, which tacks roughly $1,850 to the bottom line.
Juke Nismo with its more aerodynamic front fascia and side skirts, special 18-inch alloy wheels, Nismo interior accents, more responsive steering, and more is priced at $24,830.
Front-wheel-drive Nismo versions changes cogs with a 6-speed manual transmission. A CVT turns all four wheels in every Nismo with AWD.
As much as I like Juke and love Juke Nismo, I am that much more enthused over the $28,020 Juke Nismo RS, like the one I just had for a week. My test Juke, sans AWD, had the manual tranny. Offering precise shifts, the gearbox and clutch operated together seamlessly. Part of the Nismo RS package is a more robust version of Juke’s turbo four-banger. In FWD guise, it delivers 215 hp and 210 lb-ft of torque. Opting for AWD and the CVT scrubs a few horsepower from the performance. In either regard, it is peppy and accelerates with gusto.
