Post by
nissangirl74 »
https://forums.nicoclub.com/nissangirl74-u124660.html
Tue Oct 19, 2010 1:43 am
Sometimes it pays to have a friend in the car business. Case in point: Charlie, the sales manager at Peoria Nissan called Greg last week to let us know that he had a 2011 Nissan Juke in stock and we should come take it for a test drive. This morning Greg and I, along with Kevin (the salesman who sold us the Cube), took one out for a spin. We don't always have the same opinion on what's cool, what's not, what we love, and what we can live with. I would encourage everyone who is in the market, or is just curious, to go test drive one for yourself.
There are three different versions of the Juke: the S, the SV, and the SL. S is the base model, SV is the middle, and the SL is the luxury version. We drove the SV featuring a CVT transmission paired with the standard turbo-charged 1.6L Direct Injection Gasoline 4 cylinder engine. To me, the pairing of such a small engine with the CVT was a mistake. Even though the motor has a turbo, you just can't tell it because the CVT drags down the performance so drastically. Nissan says the Juke has 188 hp. I never did find it. The dealership is supposed to call me when they get one with a manual transmission. I will reserve my final judgment until after I drive that version but for the moment, the car is just way too slow. Merging onto the freeway is actually scary. Even with my foot on the floor, the throttle response is just negligible. FYI, the whine of the turbo combined with the whine of the CVT is absolutely distracting. I would suggest that you listen to the radio or strike up a conversation with your co-pilot. Wind noise at 70mph is noticeable but nowhere near as distracting as is in the Cube. Most of it seemed to come from the side mirrors.
Having said all that, the Juke isn't a bad car, at all. It handles beautifully, the steering is precise, and the turning radius is very tight. I would imagine this would be a very fun car on a curvy mountain road. Unfortunately, most of Phoenix is very flat and straight so I will have to have someone else chime in with their opinion on that. Estimated fuel mileage is between 27 and 32 mpg which isn't bad at all, especially for a turbo-charged motor. The Juke has a very cool feature called the I-Con system. In D-Mode, it's an electronic interface that allows you to shift between driving modes at the touch of a button. Normal mode is the best combo of performance and efficiency, Sport mode gives more boost and better response (supposedly), and ECO is great for conserving fuel in slower stop and go traffic situations. I-Con also allows you to track everything from trip miles, to daily fuel economy. In Climate mode, it allows you to control your HVAC system.
The Juke we drove had the Navigation System which is very user friendly. Whether you are a computer noob or a novice, you will have no problems figuring it out. Rear view monitors are available as are an upgraded Audio system from Rockford-Fosgate, USB ports, and ipod and mp3 auxiliary inputs. The audio system in ours was standard and was very nice, better than many upgraded systems some companies offer. The steering wheel controls were a surprising feature that comes standard on all 3 models as does Bluetooth. The controls were very well placed and user-friendly. Also, every SV and SL model Juke comes equipped with the Nissan Intelligent Key and push button ignition.
Interior likes and dislikes: The front seats are reasonably comfortable. The back seats are useless if you are over the age of 10. Headroom is non-existent. I bumped my head getting into the back seat and I'm only 5'7". I would suggest getting the model without the moonroof to give your self a couple of more inches of clearance. Storage capacity is 35.9 cubic feet when you fold the back seat flat. The driver's seat is nice and roomy but every other seat in the car made me feel small. There are no armrests in the SV model. The two-tone cloth material that Nissan used for the seats, specifically, the light gray, will probably get dirty rather quickly and be hard to clean. They are mostly grey with black accents. The pictures of the SL version with the leather interior look impressive. Hopefully I will get to see one of those models soon. The center console and door trim are matched to the exterior paint color. Coming from someone with an extensive background in plastics, I don't predict that these pieces will hold up for the entire life of the car. They seem to be a bit flimsy. It's a nice touch but it would have been much more impressive with better materials. The gauge clusters are well-placed and easy to read. There is an odd visor over the gauge cluster. It doesn't seem to have a purpose but it doesn't affect the ability to see the gauges either. Visibility is very good, I didn't find any blind spots while maneuvering down the freeway. Standard interior features include power windows, power door locks, tilt steering, intermittent wipers front and rear, dual vanity mirrors, front map lights, 12 volt DC power outlet, 2 cupholders and 2 bottle holders. Under floor storage is available in the FWD model.
Last, but not least, is the exterior. I saved this point for last because it seems to be a sticking point with many people I have talked to about this car. The Juke is curvy. The headlight shape and placement are both unusual, to say the very least. There are characteristics of the Versa and the Rogue throughout its design. It is different; however, different doesn't mean bad. The Juke will appeal to a certain demographic, as did the Cube and the Versa.
The sticker price of the SV model we drove was just over $24,000.
Overall impression: The Juke is small, safe, and eco-friendly. There are many nice features that other companies would consider "extras" that come standard on all models. The price tag, however, is a bit high. There are other members of the Nissan family that are a better economic value and have better performance. The 2011 Sentra Spec V MSRP is $20,830 for a 2.5L with 200 hp. The base model is only $18,200 for a 2.0L with 140hp. The Altima Sedan MSRP is $25,400 for a 3.5L with 270hp. The 2.5L is only $20,650. The Rogue is $25,270 for a 2.5L with 170hp and a LOT more room for passengers and cargo.
I really wonder what will happen with this car in the next two years. Will it still be interesting and weird enough to be attractive? The first initial reviews seem promising. Kevin, our salesman from Peoria Nissan, says that the cars have garnered a lot of interest. They have already sold three in a week and there was a couple checking out the one we test drove as we left. Many thanks to Charlie for extending the invitation to come test drive the Juke and to Kevin for taking time out of his morning to ride around with us and talk shop.
-Bex