While most SUV car releases conform to contemporary form, there’s one that visibly stands out, the Nissan Juke. With its prominent wheel arches, high waistline, and distinctively striking stance, the Juke has set itself apart from conventional SUVs. Coming out as a cross between a coupe and an SUV, it got the reputation as the vehicle that sparked the small/subcompact SUV craze.
The Juke had its day as the sporty electric SUV concept at the Frankfurt Motor Show and carried that presence to the production version released in 2010. Fast forward to the 2019 release, underpinned by the Renault CMF-B platform and powered by a 1.0-litre Turbo I3 petrol engine. Between those years, various models came out, including the Juke R and the Juke Nismo.
First Generation 2010-2018
Nissan Qazana, another concept version, previewed the Juke at the Geneva Motor Show in 2009. The production version promptly followed suit and launched in Japan in June 2010 as the Nissan Juke. In China, it entered the market as the Infiniti ESQ. Nissan based the design of this 5-door hatchback/SUV on the Nissan B platform, and thus, is front-engined with either front-wheel or four-wheel drivelines. substantial
The car has an upswept coupe-like silhouette due to its high waist, narrow windows, and broad hip. Its front part features a couple of bug-eyed running lamps with prominent retro headlamps below the curved running front grille. The headlights are a call-back to original running headlamps that came in rally cars, adding a unique touch to the unusual-looking car.
The Juke is a five-seater subcompact SUV with the back seats featuring a folding portion to accommodate luggage at the rear. The trunk’s small surface area belies the actual storage capacity, which is sizeable due to the lower bunker beneath the floor.
The front area of the interior houses the steering controls, the I-CON controls in the centre of the dash, and a glovebox on the passenger side. The Juke comes in different types and trims, namely thе base ST trim, and the luxury trim TI, both front-wheeled and featuring an HR16DE engine with XTRONIC continuously variable transmission. The higher-spec TI comes with 17-inch alloy wheels, Dynamic Control system drive modes, intelligent key with push-start and dual front, side and curtain safety airbags.
Another powertrain available for the Juke is a 1.5-litre HR15DE inline-4 petrol engine with a 6-speed manual gearbox system.
Juke Nismo
In 2013, Nissan released the Nissan Juke Nismo, which arrived with new bumpers, updated side skirts, new suspension kits, and upgraded steering coupled with 18-inch wheels. The Nismo also came in the 1.6L HR16DE engine that puts out 147kW and 249Nm.
Also in 2013, the Juke entered the markets in Australia and New Zealand with the following trims:
- ST (FWD – 1.6-litre 4-cylinder HR16DE I4 naturally-aspirated petrol engine with either 5-speed manual or CVT, 86kW of power and 158Nm of torque
- ST-S (FWD) – 1.6-litre MR16DDT I4 turbocharged petrol engine with 6-speed manual gearbox, 140kW and 240Nm of torque
- Ti-S (AWD) – 1.6-litre MR16DDT I4 turbocharged engine with 6-speed manual gearbox that had 140kW and 240Nm of torque
Juke R
Come 2014, Nissan unveiled a revised version of the Juke during the Geneva Motor Show. As a part of the revised design, the Juke featured a new rear-view camera, keyless entry, and hands-free Bluetooth operating system. The release came with two new trims, namely:
- ST Midnight – 1.6-litre MR16DDT I4 t/c petrol engine with 6-speed manual gearbox that had 140kW and 240Nm of torque
- ST-S Midnight – same powertrain as ST
Nissan also pushed out a limited-edition variant of the Juke named the Juke-R, which had Nissan’s GTR engine that produces 406kW. The latest edition of the Nissan Juke is the Juke ACENTA that comes with a DIG-T 115 2WD petrol engine paired to a 6-speed manual gearbox.
2nd Generation 2019-Present
The Juke didn’t shy away from new generation designs with unique muscular curves. The second-generation Juke came as a release in London, Paris, Milan, Barcelona, and Cologne. Possibly the best inclusion of the new generation is the scrapping off of the bug-eyed running daylight lamps. The Renault CMF-B platform underpins this generation. Its 1.0-litre Turbo I3 engine pushes its front or four drive wheels up to 86kW and 200Nm through a 7-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
The Juke has been well received worldwide with massive record sales. It has been a recipient of a Top Safety Pick award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety in 2011. It also achieved a Guinness world record after stunt driver Terry Grant drove around on two wheels for 2minutes 55 minutes.
Still, the Juke doesn’t stop on getting better, with Nissan announcing a possible 2020 entry that might be fully electric. Fans can only guess what Nissan has in store for us in the new release.
If you are on the market looking to buy one get in touch with us at hello@carpart.com.au. We are the go-to auto websites for car auto parts and could even hook you up with sellers of entire cars.
-RayKaz