The Nissan Juke: We Talk About It

[Omnis]

I have a soft spot for the Murano, looks like someone took a Nissan 'Z' style car body and jacked it up.

It looks like someone swallowed the clay model of a Z, then clenched their buttcheeks together as they tried to pass it.

The tragic thing is that the Juke would look great if it didn't have such a wild front.

 

[RocZX]

Teaser images of the Infiniti ESQ, rebadged Juke for the China only.

 

[homeforsummer]

If the interior is up to usual Infiniti standards, that could actually be quite nice. I'd prefer an Infiniti badge on the front rather than the "ESQ" logo though, that just looks daft.

 

[Azure Flare]

Johan De Nysschen said
Contemplating a youth- oriented premium compact in our future. Many doubters including me. Want to test concept in China, biggest youth premium market. Juke not sold there . Creates opportunity. Irreverent lifestyle car for hedonistic rebel. Significant upgrades to NVH and dynamic characteristics. Volume will be restricted, so we can't afford sheetmetal changes. Car is fun, funky and a hoot to drive. Spanks an A1, so no apologies will be offered. Dislike cross- badging as much as anyone. Probably more. But China- only test marketing exercise before we sink a fortune into an untried concept. Life isn't always easy. The end.

Nice.

 

[Robin]

If the interior is up to usual Infiniti standards, that could actually be quite nice. I'd prefer an Infiniti badge on the front rather than the "ESQ" logo though, that just looks daft.

This.

 

[RocZX]

Infiniti ESQ- a rebadged Juke Nismo RS for China only.

 

[Pupik]

...mysteriously, the ESQ badge still makes more sense than the Infiniti's current model naming structure for North America. Well, maybe not.

I had a Nissan Juke as a rental car two weeks ago; not surprisingly, I haven't really seen them as rentals before, since I think the styling is too unusual to be desirable. After all, a rental car that isn't being rented out is a waste of money. Some folks may not care, but the average business traveler probably wants something that does not stand out.

It was kind of "fun" for a rental car, but it had that maddening CVT, which could be annoying when accelerating hard from a stop. Fuel economy was a disappointing 26 mpg, but I'd known that from asking a few owners at Nissan dealers. Cornering is a little weird, but not really in a bad way...despite the slight increase in height. (Maybe I'm just used to my own car.) Seems to do almost everything right where the Versa and Sentra feel so boring and forcefully try to wrong-foot every attempt at personality in the small car segment.

Love or hate the looks, this is an example of Nissan can do right. I wondered why the heck they'd make a NISMO version of it, but now I understand.

 

[YSSMAN]

Did the Juke not have the "shifting" like the current Altima has? I thought that was reasonably clever, trying to hide the fact that its a CVT. But, throttle response was a bit slow, especially at lower speeds. That's really pulling for a complaint, there.

 

[CodeRedR51]

Internally that is known as "D-Step" and all Nissan's with CVT should have it starting in 2015.

 

[YSSMAN]

Honestly, it isn't a bad way to do it. Toyota does the same thing on their new CVT that debuted in the Corolla, and it is apparently reasonably convincing. Apparently GM does it mechanically on the Spark's CVT, having a second output shaft that its able to shift to in order to have "extra gears."

 

[homeforsummer]

Love or hate the looks, this is an example of Nissan can do right. I wondered why the heck they'd make a NISMO version of it, but now I understand.

I've only driven the NISMO version briefly, but it's pretty hilarious. It's kind of a perfect antidote for those (like me) who think regular hot hatches have become a bit too competent for their own good in recent years. The Juke feels a bit silly and unruly like hot hatches used to, so you don't need to drive it at insane speeds to have fun.

Of course, if you do drive it at insane speeds it's nowhere near as composed or adjustable as the more talented lot of hot hatches, but I suspect most people don't really drive at 10/10ths the whole time anyway so arguably a car that feels fun at lower speeds is more important.

 

[shmogt]

My friend just bought this. He said it's cool. The rear seats are supposed to have low heard room tho.

 

[Xilor]

I finally had the chance to drive a Juke last week.

Its not too bad, handles reasonably well for an SUV and has enough power, though I disliked the CVT which made it incredibly noisy under any kind of spirited acceleration. Its a bit cheapo inside the cabin, but then again its one of the most affordable SUVs on the market. Overall if you can get past the controversial styling, its not a bad purchase, you can definitely do worse (Jeep Patriot).

 

[Omnis]

My friend just bought this. He said it's cool. The rear seats are supposed to have low heard room tho.

Ahm errkay with lerr heard room as lerng as aah can ert mah kern.

 

[shmogt]

Ahm errkay with lerr heard room as lerng as aah can ert mah kern.

what? lol

 

[Omnis]

Just having fun with a typo.

 

[Grandea GTR]

You can now create a custom colour style for the Juke.

 

[MCNAGTROC]

I just ordered a 2015 Juke NISMO RS AWD /CVT today. should be here in a couple months! im actually really excited. its got the facelift head/taillights and that 8 step shifting with new paddle shifters the 14's didnt have

I drove a manual today and I thought it felt faster and potentially more fun than the CVT but it had a lot of torque steer that I wasnt a fan of and for the purposes im using it for as my dedicated daily driver the manual might get old fast.

got it in black to match the GTR NISMO so will be cool to have the mini NISMO parked next to it

 

[Grandea GTR]

I just ordered a 2015 Juke NISMO RS AWD /CVT today. should be here in a couple months! im actually really excited. its got the facelift head/taillights and that 8 step shifting with new paddle shifters the 14's didnt have

I drove a manual today and I thought it felt faster and potentially more fun than the CVT but it had a lot of torque steer that I wasnt a fan of and for the purposes im using it for as my dedicated daily driver the manual might get old fast.

got it in black to match the GTR NISMO so will be cool to have the mini NISMO parked next to it

Soooo.... What will you plan to drive more once it comes in?

 

[Korza]

I just ordered a 2015 Juke NISMO RS AWD /CVT today. should be here in a couple months! im actually really excited. its got the facelift head/taillights and that 8 step shifting with new paddle shifters the 14's didnt have

I drove a manual today and I thought it felt faster and potentially more fun than the CVT but it had a lot of torque steer that I wasnt a fan of and for the purposes im using it for as my dedicated daily driver the manual might get old fast.

got it in black to match the GTR NISMO so will be cool to have the mini NISMO parked next to it

You need to get a 370Z NISMO now to complete the garage.

 

[mustafur]

CVT over a Manual, your crazy.

 

[05XR8]

CVT over a Manual, your crazy.

The GT-R is auto as well.

 

[mustafur]

The GT-R is auto as well.

Huge Difference from a CVT to a Double Clutch Auto.

 

[05XR8]

which out of the CVT or DC is smoother for city or around town driving? The CVT is a bit jerky, but I'd think the DC is more so.

 

[mustafur]

Double Clutch is smoother on your ears.

 

[Cale]

Double Clutch is smoother on your ears.

It can simulate 8 actual gear ratios and shifting in between them. It isn't that bad.

 

[05XR8]

Double Clutch is smoother on your ears.

See? I'm all for manuals. These cars today almost demand both hands on the wheel because the steering wheel is smaller. Sportier. Leather wrapped as standard. Pull back on the paddles mid corner or before the corner and your hands never leave the wheel. Plus, with 215hp, that's good enough for an auto. My brother gets his Macan Turbo S in a few days. Even with all its power, the PDK is still cool for that type of car. These new CUBs(oops... CUVs) are cool.

 

[mustafur]

like I said, Double clutch is not the same thing as CVT, Double clutches are basically faster then a manual in everyway a CVT in most cases isn't. of course nothing beats the Feel of a 3 pedal Manual though.

 

[homeforsummer]

I'd also have gone for manual, though not because I'm inherently against CVTs.

As a commuting tool, CVT will be fine, and @MCNAGTROC has a GT-R for when he actually wants to have proper fun. If you're just popping from place to place, the CVT is a nice smooth way of doing it.

It does get a bit disappointing when you start to drive hard though. The virtual ratios are largely useless and the exhaust note isn't that pleasant. I don't mind CVT in Priuses, Insights etc since you never really feel the need to drive them hard, but the Juke is quite good fun so does encourage the odd bit of quick driving.

 

[MCNAGTROC]

another thing to add is you cant get AWD with manual and the AWD was a big part of the decision. if it would have been possible to pair manual with AWD thats a much harder decision

the FWD I just wasnt feeling as from a hard start in 1st it would really jerk you to one side and I could tell it also will be really prone to understeer. im going to occasionally AutoX is at my local club to take some wear of the GTR tires and the AWD will be better for that despite the CVT im thinking.