2011 nissan juke

2011 nissan juke

Okay, so maybe I am stretching a point about the Nissan Juke, a mini-crossover all-wheel-drive vehicle, with my headline but after staring at it from every angle I could think of - and probably a few the designers never had in mind - I have to say that the Juke has the kind of appearance that - if it were a duck-billed platypus - only its parent could love it.

I just can't put my finger on it or maybe I can put my fingers on them too easily, but there are so many things to look at that you just have to throw up your hands at some time or other and move on.

Go over to the Nissan site right now - I'll wait, I've got all night as I am writing this after midnight and the sun will be up in about six hours - and look at every photo you can find of the Juke. Are you back yet? Okay, I have to assume you are and what were your feelings?

I mean this vehicle must be someone's idea of a fun vehicle. Well, maybe on a planet found by Enterprise and its intrepid crew of actors, it will be fun vehicle but here on the good old Earth this vehicle is a patchwork of ideas. Let's see, there's the single pair of headlights that sit below the vertical grille. The lamps are fared into the grille, front bumper and both fenders, as well as the hood. And, then there's the cluster of turn signals and road lights that are an integrated part of the hood. It's an interesting styling cue, but I won't hazard even a joking guess at what inspired it.

Then, there's the lower grille/valance area where you find the foglamps and blower intercoolers for the turbocharged models. (Actually using a blower on a CVT-equipped vehicle is much like putting a matched pair of great horses on a pony ride. There's just something wrong about the look.) Indeed the look of the Juke seems upside down, if not backward and I don't think I'm being overly harsh.

Go back to the Nissan site and look at the flared fenders, rounded door panels and flared quarter and sail panels and then look at the aerodynamic hint of the roofline (probably the best part of the Juke's design) and watch how it flows to the end of the vehicle.

I could go on and on but the interior is from the same school of design (we won't go there, again). Even with a tearing right eye from bright sunlight and allergy I could see the large speedo and tach that are centrally placed at the top of the center console. What I noticed, though, is that the weird reddish, orangey display that Nissan uses for its other - the one that washes out in bright light - is used for other displays closer to the driver and the displays weren't very useful. Also, I've had a chance to look at other displays used in the Juke and I noticed that the navigation/instrument display, about mid-center console, tends to washout in bright light so it isn't very useful. A more hooded location would be better.

As for ride and handling, the Juke actually handles very well, although the ride is more than a bit stiff. The all-wheel-drive is effective and I found that when using the CVT - most of them then to be sluggish - when held in special settings gives pretty good performance.

Pricing on the Juke runs from the base front-wheel-drive only at right around $20,000 to the top-of-the-line in the mid-$20,000s, however, there's not comparison and I you really want something quite unique, I'd go with the more expensive options. You also get more, including more comfortable seating.

Indeed, if I were looking for a Nissan that would set me apart, I'd order the Juke. If you can get by all the stares and a few puns about Jukes and boxes, then, you'll probably find it will grow on you.

2011 nissan juke

2011 nissan juke

2011 nissan juke

2011 nissan juke