PUT YOUR JUKES UP (some text hidden) SECTIONED_new_nissanjuke_2011

By Andy Enright

Introductionword count: 131

It's not too often that the British public are blindsided by a car manufacturer but that's exactly what happened when Nissan introduced the Juke in 2010. Here was a model that didn't seem to fit into any particular mould. It was, nominally, supermini sized-inside but was available with a four-wheel drive chassis. Most customers bought front-wheel drive versions but the underpinnings and the practicality benefits weren't why people bought the Juke. They bought it in such big numbers because it looked like nothing else you could buy. What's often overlooked is that sales didn't start out looking particularly promising but as soon as people started getting used to the alien lander styling, Nissan dealerships really started filling up with interested customers. Here's what to look for when buying a used version.

Modelsword count: 19

5dr Compact crossover (1.6 petrol, 1.5 diesel [Visia, Acenta, n-tec, n-tec+, Tekna, Nismo, R, Kuro, Shiro, Ministry of Sound])

Historyword count: 277

The Juke first arrived in UK showrooms at the end of September 2010. We'd seen it trailed before at various motor shows, drawing its styling influence from the Qazana show car. Nissan had paved the way for it to a certain extent, with the Qashqai having enjoyed three years of strong sales, developing the market for compact urban crossovers. Built at Nissan's Sunderland plant, the Juke instantly seemed right for its domestic market. It was compact, it handled well and it had a personality all of its own. At launch, the range consisted of a 1.5 dCi diesel, offered with front-wheel drive and a choice of either a manual or CVT transmission. If you wanted a petrol engine, you either chose a normally-aspirated front wheel drive car, again with the same transmission choice, or a turbocharged 1.6 with either a six speed manual driving the front wheels or a CVT that sent drive to all four tyres. The model line-up followed Nissan's established Visia, Acenta and Tekna lines. Sport and Premium packs were also offered on the Acenta trims. In late 2010, Nissan offered an upgraded Eibach suspension kit for the Juke, while in late 2011, it unveiled the Juke R, an ultra-short run special based on some of the mechanicals of the mighty GTR. Kuro, Shiro and Ministry of Sound special editions were also offered. At the start of 2013, a Nismo edition was launched, boosting the 1.6-litre DIG-T engine from 190PS to 200PS. In June of that year, the 1.5-litre dCi diesel engine was tweaked slightly to reduce emissions and improve fuel efficiency. The revised Juke was finally shown at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show.

What You Getword count: 294

It's impossible to mistake the Juke for anything else on the road. For a while, every angle and detail jar, almost as if three designers all submitted proposals and Nissan decided to adopt them all. After a while though, you grow accustomed to its unconventional lines and begin to revel in the fact that here is a really bold and interesting piece of penmanship. It's just as interesting inside. Although sacrifices have clearly been made on materials quality to offer such an eye catching price, there's a heck of a lot of styling going on inside. The motorcycle-style clocks and centre storage bin that apes a bike petrol tanks are brilliantly conceived and Nissan's Dynamic Control interface will appeal to the most exigent button prodder. Space is reasonably good with decent access to the rear and the elevated driving position means it's simple to just swivel in and out of the driver's seat. What's more, there's a ton of height adjustment so keen drivers can hunker right down in the car while the more timid can sit up high and use the bulbous headlight cowlings to help position themselves when parking. At launch, the range consisted of the usual Visia, Acenta and Tekna trim levels, although Nissan offered Sport Pack and Premium Pack variations on the Acenta theme. The Acenta trim got Bluetooth, MP3 input, cruise control and speed limiter and some handsome 17-inch alloy wheels. It also featured the intriguing Nissan Dynamic Control system. All models featured six airbags and ESP stability control. The Sport Pack features 17-inch Sport alloys, a jazzier seating fabric and centre console cappings as well as rear privacy glass. The Premium Pack has all this as well as a six-speaker Nissan Connect infotainment system and colour reversing cameras.

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