Model:Nissan JUKE
Starting Price: $21,298
Overview: It’s all on the spec sheet! Paddle shifters? Check. Turbo engine with direct-injection technology? Check. All Wheel Drive (AWD) with super-slick torque vectoring to make it handle like a go-kart? Check.
Best of all, this little SUV marches to the beat of its own drum, follows nobody and offers good overall fuel efficiency and value. Look for all the must-haves, including heated leather, navigation, Bluetooth, and more.
The 1.6L “DIG” engine uses direct injection to fire gas straight into the cylinder with quick pulses than encourage powerful combustion. The turbocharger kicks in on demand to create 188 horsepower -- plenty to move the little JUKE along in a hurry.
Pros: The JUKE has a slick Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) on AWD-equipped models. A lightning-fast paddle shift mode helps engage driving enthusiasts and the system fully capitalizes on Nissan’s expertise with this type of gearbox. Power is delivered on a smooth and seamless surge to all four wheels. Corner hard, and the AWD system overrides the outer rear wheel, pointing the nose in and creating intensely entertaining handling.
Cons: The little engine can get noisy when pushed, the styling is odd, and the small overall size means the Nissan JUKE isn’t a likely candidate to be used as a family hauler.
Noteworthy: the slick I-CON (Integrated Control) system puts two interfaces into one display. Click the climate button, and you can fiddle with temperature, vent settings, and the air conditioner. Click “D-MODE,” and call up a G-Force metre, boost gauge and other performance information instead. The system also lets drivers select “Normal,” “Sport” or “ECO” modes, which recalibrate various systems in the Nissan JUKE based on the driver’s current mood and intentions.
Starting Price: $21,298
Overview: It’s all on the spec sheet! Paddle shifters? Check. Turbo engine with direct-injection technology? Check. All Wheel Drive (AWD) with super-slick torque vectoring to make it handle like a go-kart? Check.
Best of all, this little SUV marches to the beat of its own drum, follows nobody and offers good overall fuel efficiency and value. Look for all the must-haves, including heated leather, navigation, Bluetooth, and more.
The 1.6L “DIG” engine uses direct injection to fire gas straight into the cylinder with quick pulses than encourage powerful combustion. The turbocharger kicks in on demand to create 188 horsepower -- plenty to move the little JUKE along in a hurry.
Pros: The JUKE has a slick Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) on AWD-equipped models. A lightning-fast paddle shift mode helps engage driving enthusiasts and the system fully capitalizes on Nissan’s expertise with this type of gearbox. Power is delivered on a smooth and seamless surge to all four wheels. Corner hard, and the AWD system overrides the outer rear wheel, pointing the nose in and creating intensely entertaining handling.
Cons: The little engine can get noisy when pushed, the styling is odd, and the small overall size means the Nissan JUKE isn’t a likely candidate to be used as a family hauler.
Noteworthy: the slick I-CON (Integrated Control) system puts two interfaces into one display. Click the climate button, and you can fiddle with temperature, vent settings, and the air conditioner. Click “D-MODE,” and call up a G-Force metre, boost gauge and other performance information instead. The system also lets drivers select “Normal,” “Sport” or “ECO” modes, which recalibrate various systems in the Nissan JUKE based on the driver’s current mood and intentions.
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| Photo: Nissan |