Sunshine Coast, British Columbia—The all-new 2011 Nissan Juke is neither cute nor ugly. It’s just… different. Much like the cube that shares its platform, this eccentric crossover boasts a polarizing design.
I would easily picture the futuristic-looking, steel-clad goblin in the next installment of the Transformers movie series. Only problem is, Nissan would have to replace Chevrolet as the automotive partner of the franchise.
Reaching out to Echo Boomers!
The bold, no, flashy exterior is designed to attract mostly what the company calls "Echo Boomers," or the children of baby boomers. These people are under 35, live in the city and crave the latest gadgets (the Internet, in particular). The automobile serves as an extension of their own personal style.
That’s why the wannabe coupe from Nissan fuses the compact sports car and crossover utility vehicle genres. Approximately 20-inch smaller than a Nissan Rogue, the Juke features ultra-short front and rear overhangs as well as extra-wide tracks, which are emphasized by 17-inch alloy wheels wrapped in V-rated Goodyear Eagle RS tires. Some of the unusual lines and design cues merely aim to turn heads, like those mean crocodile eyes perched atop the front fenders and the boomerang-shaped taillights inspired from the Nissan 370Z and Volvo C30.
Size-wise, the Juke is actually similar to the Versa hatchback, which shouldn’t be surprising given that the latter rides on an older version of the cube platform. In fact, both the Versa and Juke feature a conventional rear liftgate instead of a cumbersome swing-out door like the cube’s. Said liftgate reveals a flexible cargo area with a flat loading floor and a very low step. It’s large enough to fit such items as a plasma TV but not the bigger stuff. Maximum cargo capacity amounts to 991 litres, which is way less than a Versa (1427 L) or Toyota Matrix (1398 L).
Like a four-door coupe
The interior, meanwhile, will accommodate four normal-sized adults. Taller folks will find little knee room and limited head clearance in the back despite purposely-executed indentations in the headliner.
 |
| The eccentric Nissan Juke boasts a polarizing design. Either you love it or hate it! (Photo: Luc Gagné/Auto123.com) |
I would easily picture the futuristic-looking, steel-clad goblin in the next installment of the Transformers movie series. Only problem is, Nissan would have to replace Chevrolet as the automotive partner of the franchise.
Reaching out to Echo Boomers!
The bold, no, flashy exterior is designed to attract mostly what the company calls "Echo Boomers," or the children of baby boomers. These people are under 35, live in the city and crave the latest gadgets (the Internet, in particular). The automobile serves as an extension of their own personal style.
That’s why the wannabe coupe from Nissan fuses the compact sports car and crossover utility vehicle genres. Approximately 20-inch smaller than a Nissan Rogue, the Juke features ultra-short front and rear overhangs as well as extra-wide tracks, which are emphasized by 17-inch alloy wheels wrapped in V-rated Goodyear Eagle RS tires. Some of the unusual lines and design cues merely aim to turn heads, like those mean crocodile eyes perched atop the front fenders and the boomerang-shaped taillights inspired from the Nissan 370Z and Volvo C30.
Size-wise, the Juke is actually similar to the Versa hatchback, which shouldn’t be surprising given that the latter rides on an older version of the cube platform. In fact, both the Versa and Juke feature a conventional rear liftgate instead of a cumbersome swing-out door like the cube’s. Said liftgate reveals a flexible cargo area with a flat loading floor and a very low step. It’s large enough to fit such items as a plasma TV but not the bigger stuff. Maximum cargo capacity amounts to 991 litres, which is way less than a Versa (1427 L) or Toyota Matrix (1398 L).
Like a four-door coupe
The interior, meanwhile, will accommodate four normal-sized adults. Taller folks will find little knee room and limited head clearance in the back despite purposely-executed indentations in the headliner.
 |
| The boldly-designed dashboard looks just as unorthodox as the exterior. (Photo: Luc Gagné/Auto123.com) |