All-New Nissan Juke - The New Sport Cross from Nissan

Quirky, exuberant, and curiously lizard-eyed, Nissan's new Juke is a jaunty take on the sporty compact crossover.  Available Now!



Everything about the Juke's outward appearance suggests a lively personality. From its massive haunches and complex sculptural shapes to its large rally-inspired headlamps, the Juke looks like the rambunctious, leggy lovechild of the 370Z and the new Leaf EV.

Its underpinnings may not be son-of-Godzilla aggressive, but they're more driver-oriented than you might expect. Under the hood is a powerplant making its U.S. debut: a turbocharged, direct-injected 1.6-liter inline four-cylinder. The all-aluminum engine produces over 180 hp and 170 ft-lbs of torque, and mates to either a continuously variable automatic transmission, or a six-speed manual (in front-wheel-drive SV or SL trim levels). The Juke can be driven in Normal, Sport or Eco modes, which control throttle response, steering effort and transmission responsiveness. Fuel economy is estimated at 30 mpg combined.

A differential diverts power to the front wheels, but all-wheel drive versions are equipped with a torque-vectoring feature, which splits torque up to 50:50 between the front and rear wheels, and up to 50 percent toward either of the rear wheels. This is the first application of this technology in the under C-segment, and at 64 pounds, Nissan claims their torque-vectoring hardware is the lightest in the world. The all-wheel-drive system apportions torque based on vehicle speed, wheel speed, gear position, lateral G forces and yaw rate.

A multilink rear suspension setup is found in all-wheel-drive Jukes, replacing the torsion beam arrangement found in the front-wheel-drive version. Speed-sensitive electric steering is included on every trim level, as are 17-inch alloy wheels, antilock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution, and brake assist. Dual-stage rear passenger, side curtain and front-, side-, and roof-mounted airbags are standard, as are stability and traction control systems.

Three trim levels will be available—S, SL and SV—though most of their differences will be apparent inside rather than outside the cabin. Available options include USB audio connectors, a six-speaker stereo system, GPS navigation, Bluetooth compatibility, a rear-view camera, Nissan's wireless key system with push-button start and leather seats. Curb weights range from 2923 pounds for a six-speed manual-equipped, front-wheel-drive SV model to 3221 pounds for an all-wheel-drive SL version.