When you first look at the new Juke, you think to yourself, �Who�s the blind man who designed this ugly thing?� True, it�s not the prettiest thing in the world. Putting lights on the hood does sound like a good idea. In fact, it actually does work despite giving it a slightly weird look.
Normally, I hate all SUV�s and trucks. They�re too big, too ugly, and too slow. However, the Juke is a lot smaller than all other SUV�s. It�s almost the size of a big sedan, and it has loads of storage space and room for five people. There�s even a bunch of hidden compartments if you decide to look around. The seats are both pretty and comfy. There is a decent size screen that shows navigation, but there are many knobs and switches, more preferable to the touchscreens.
Unlike all other SUV�s, you can change the power and torque of the Juke. Switch into sport mode, and the turbo charged I-4 comes alive and surprises you. You don�t think that a small SUV could go as fast as this can. This goes from 0-60 mph in 7.2 seconds. That�s amazingly quick considering that most SUV�s take at least 10 seconds to get to that speed.
Another thing that most SUV�s can�t do that the Juke can is in the handling department. Most SUV�s have a simple 4WD system Equal power is distributed to both the two front wheels and the two back wheels. Plus, if you try to do hard cornering in any other USV, you�d feel like you�re about to roll over. The Juke has a different kind of 4WD system. It acts almost like traction control, giving the most power to whichever wheel has the most grip. This means that you can do hard and fast cornering without losing control or falling over, and you can actually have fun with it. Turn the 4WD system back to 2WD, and you start over steering like crazy.
Next to the old Jeep CJ�s and Scramblers, this might be one of the few SUV�s I actually like. It�s not too big, and it does have more speed than you may think. It could use some help in the looks dept., but that can always be changed. Next year, Nissan is looking to make the Juke even faster by putting in the twin turbo V6 that�s used in the GT-R. If that engine is used, the Juke will then move faster than other sporty sedans and leave other SUV�s in the dust. I would love to take that out for a spin, but I�ll have to wait until next year.
Special thanks to Ron Bouchards Nissan of Lancaster, MA for test vehicle.
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