Η Nissan, it does that: Once in a while, he presents a model that is hate or like it. Where, or you'll fall in love with it, design, ή you're gonna hate it.. And, if with the 100NX (which I lived with for some years) failed to follow up, with the, admittedly strange, Juke, to wait for her. Why, at a time when all models, of all car manufacturers, tend to be almost copy/paste, it manages to be separate. After all, its design is inspired by motorcycles and... spaceships (yes, from spaceships).
For the Juke, the adoption of which by the 1.5 dci I got my hands on just one thing you can't say: That is indifferent. Especially in this yellow color with the two black stripes running through his body is the definition of..."tonight you go bang". On the aesthetic, I won't dwell too much, because I'm sure we'll disagree with many of you. But, if you observe it in person, the bulges, the "muscles", the lines, "tell" that this is a sports car. In our case, a sport compact SUV, in a category where Nissan is betting big for the future. And, to cap it off, I get the feeling that if the front end was missing the round lighting fixtures, few would have "objections" to the design part.
These are tastes. But, in essence, what is the Juke; From the first few minutes with him, it's easy to see that he's a daily car for all jobs, but which, apart from its usability, is deeply focused on making your day. Because, if the color choices, wheels and... other things on the exterior don't predispose you, the extreme choices of the interior certainly will.
Which interior, not coincidentally, is inspired by the motorcycle world, as you can tell by looking at the Country with the speedometer and tachometer dominating and the glossy hard plastic - in striking yellow - running through the cabin, from the centre of the dashboard to the rear passengers.
In the centre console, a small but overcrowded touch screen with the navigation/entertainment system and the Nissan Safety Shield, where the Dynamic Control system with Nissan's driver programs is cleverly "merged" with the air conditioning/heater. Beyond the excellent plush seats, from there, the "menu" inside has "accents" in the body colour, a nice, hard to the touch, a nice, hard to the touch, and a nice, soft touch.ratchet steering wheel and only them much-needed storage space for small items and cup holders.
The sites for passengers up front, as you would expect, are adequate, as is the luggage space, which is 350 litres. And this, despite its compact dimensions (4.135 x 1.765 x 1.565mm.). For those in the back, things are more claustrophobic.
How's it going?
Our test Juke is front-wheel drive and wears the "historic" 1,500 K9K dci diesel engine of Renault, which is considered, not unfairly, a of the most efficient engines oil on the planet. With a capacity of 1,461 cc and the help of turbo, the motor delivers 110 horsepower at 4,000 rpm and 260 Nm of torque, with the maximum value occurring at 4,000 rpm. 1.750 s.a.l.. Important is the fact that the engine, with second-generation technology common rail, features particle retention filter. Because we live in Greece.
So how can the Juke to make your day; First, it's the driving position. Tucked into the seat - with excellent lateral support - you grip the three-spoke steering wheel and enjoy the panoramic view. Seeing, at the low point of your field of vision, the "inflation" of the bonnet with the two black stripes.
This is just the beginning. Because, in general, the Juke, despite the 180 mm. its distance from the ground and the 1,370 kg of, it seems to be focused on sports driving. Essentially, causes you to play. If you choose the program Sport (Eco and Normal are the other two) The engine, after 1,800 rpm, starts to pull with willingness and excess of torque, combined with the Excellent, both in feel and in escalation 6-speed box, which allows you not to go down to it looking for torque.
But the real pleasant surprise is his behavior itself, which is anything but an SUV refers to. When you push it, the inclinations that gets is minimal, with the post to Check effectively the body reactions even in sudden changes of direction. The steering wheel is another surprise for a vehicle of its kind, as it offers excellent driver feel and communication with the road. Its handling, in general, is neutral and, the ESP is fully deactivated if you want to play. The brakes of, work perfectly with the rest of the ensemble.
The Juke is so friendly and yet dynamic, challenging you to move fast and have fun. And this, at the minimum price, as its consumption is a little more than the 6lt/100km.
However, its dynamic driving feel and truly sporty character do not affect the driving experience. rolling quality, which is above average and reminiscent of a Qashqai, despite the fact that at low speeds, the rear axle resents lateral bumps.
As "Dissonance", I find the place where the ingenious gadget with dual function, under the touch screen. Because, in addition to operating the ventilation systems, it is from the display, from which you select the driving program and on which you can see various readouts such as torque, Gs received during acceleration, deceleration, cornering and fuel economy. However, where it is mounted, it is impossible for the driver to look at it, even momentarily, if it is on the move.
