Stopped , step on gas , sluggish , worse in high summer heat. All combinations of :start in manual 1st , traction "off", brake held for revs (don't like this - CVT ) , well known issue , 10 - 65 mph the car is a BLAST. Want to know what helps the most,tried and true benefit by brand , or order of effectiveness , like if "ECM / chip" superior response improvent over expensive exhaust ?? Partially due to "throttle by wire" , yet throttle controllers STILL gotta go through ECM ! Would be best if there IS some "plug-in" tuner add-on , or bolt on turbo/intake part or mod (not interested at all discussing CAI etc.here).
Juke owners - "pony up here " let's list ALL mods giving crisp ,fast throttle , like Chuck Norris kick in the Aaaaaazz.
Uncovered one talk of fuse removal either in traction control (fuse 12) OR one or both ABS large 40A - not big on this kind of experimenting on warranty 6 mos left , and found this method only once in a Juke forum, so let's hear some specific ways that are giving vastly improved response , that doesn't "confuse" the motor/ECM whatever to be too harsh on the CVT and timing chain in theses cars. Like the strategy of starting out in manual 1st ,this should keep the CVT pulleys from trying to self adjust - squeezing a "gear change"out of the belt under this high torque / quicker response scenario , till well under way ,say 20+ mph - now go throw into D , or run up "gear" positions. All responses on Aftermarket or mods appreciated .

The biggest most damaging load you can put on a CVT is down low (torque multiplication from the converter) and wanting power like that, a fake down 'shift' actually lessens the stress on trans, not having one makes all the load go directly into the tooth/pulley interchange point, or belt grab on pulley in one spot or line, where most CVT fails begin. Look at all the dead pulleys, they often are worn out in one narrow area, not all over the overall potential surface.

Ranging the pulleys on CVT is what spreads out wear more to last longer and what happens when pulley moves around in ratio changes. Forcing it to stay much closer in one place wears out the local pulley area to kill the tooth bite right there and trans dies faster. Not only that you are choking the car more by not wanting a shift, which helps exactly the issue you are complaining about.

If the engine is a four no turbo then much of the lag may be be a/c load and worse if miles on car are high. Try some accels with a/c off, it makes a whopping difference on my Ford Focus cars right off a dead stop to 20 mph. It may be that somebody could rig a wide open throttle cutout that cuts out at lower rpm than wide open, that could help.

Summer heat plus very small engines, heavy vehicle, and a/c on are one thing no car seller ever tells you when they are giving you all the glowing things like great gas mileage and such. It's the killer combo that strangles cars from a dead stop.

Went and looked, if the four small engine no turbo you are pushing 3000 lbs. with no engine there.

Make sure you have no brake dragging.

Yeah amc it has a pretty good power to weight ratio - when the turbo kicks in , AC ,yeah it definately loads the 1.6L again when it hasn't yet spooled-up.
I appreciate the descriptions of CVT action , adjusting under "Continous Variable " action -lessens the any kind of a 'rut' worn into pullys. I have thought about that vs the "pinch" of a compressing action during high torque acceleration too , and what detriment on the belt. Things to think about.
I only now use the manual -"fixed gear" shifts as a novelty during easy uncongested roads , probably once a week , for your post reinforces my reservations . Especially I remember some nicoclub posting svere problems encountered while in fixed gear on long hiway rides - Limp mode , trans breakdowns etc. Thanks amc.

I hope to hear what if any existing Juke owners , and especially tuners , track-dogs have done and for what it's worth in upped performance , specific items like I see Takeda tune (plug & play , w/throttle enhance,and easy "return-to stock" , 5 performance settings) , these things and whatever else out there .

180 deg thermo ? , an added series cooler in "water-line" line before going to turbo ? even ideas on custom hood intake
for it looks like a "lo-breather" and grabs (AZ very hot 120 ambient/ 165 compartmental air) Air from a "high-pressure area" behind drver's headlamp INSIDE ENGINE COMPARTMENT !!! The Heat-Soaked seems to set in about 45 min. of driving , that's the big "hit" .

On standard type ATX I commonly removed 100% of the preheated water cooling from the rad to greatly cool down the fluid, might work there in mostly desert unless you get snow in winter. I note that the temps at which the TCM calculates toward the fluid change number begin at 90 C and what the normal running temps should be slightly over a bit.

A 180 stat is really going to have no effect as the ECM will still switch the fans on at programmed temp, or likely 205 or so. OEM stat is likely 195 there and the actual temps tend to run 10-15 degrees hotter than the stat full open temp.

Yup that water from radiator in this heat is tantamount to killing my CVT , and I thought it had a separate cooler aux / and in addition to the radiator "joke" .No aux cooler. But CVT gets it's COOL from radiator and also gets WARMED
by coolant throttled by a temp-valve !

A lttle re-engineering needed there .