Love it or loathe it, the new Nissan Juke is a thingamajig that you can't ignore. Is it a car? A plane? A moon buggy spawned from a narcotics habit?
Jokes about its positioning aside, the new Juke does claim to be the inventor of a new segment - the Sports B-Crossover, as much as that perhaps implies that the other crossover in its segment - the Kia Soul - is not sporty.
One thing's for sure, the Juke is not going to blend in with the traffic. With its big wheels, elaborate wheel arches, raised stance, large round headlights and coupe-like sloping roofline, its designers certainly strayed onto the wild side.
This spirit also entered the cabin, where you'll find a large painted (silver or red) centre console that was inspired by the design of a motorbike's fuel tank and various chrome fittings. Techno junkies will appreciate the new I-Con integrated control system that provides the driver with instant access to information and drive mode controls.
The initial range brings the choice of two 1.6-litre petrol engines in the form of a naturally aspirated unit matched to Acenta and Acenta+ trim levels and a DIG-T turbocharged unit that's available in Tekna guise.
The naturally aspirated engine boasts the world's first dual injector system, which features two injectors per cylinder to aid both economy and performance by delivering finer control of the fuel being sprayed into the cylinders. The engine delivers 86kW and 157Nm and, driven economically, Nissan claims combined fuel consumption of just six litres per 100km.
But it's the turbo engine that really ruffles feathers, with its claimed 0-100km/h sprint time of just eight seconds being almost enough to scare drivers of hot hatches like the Polo GTI. The turbocharged and intercooled direct injection motor channels 140kW and 240Nm through a six-speed manual gearbox and our launch correspondent Minesh Bhagaloo describes the engine as a breath of fresh air:
“Minor turbo-lag aside, this engine pulls clean and strong into the rev limiter, with zero hesitation or boost drop-off at the end of a gear.
“Switch the nannies off and you need to remind yourself that you're not in a hot hatch, let alone in something with raised ride-height. The Juke will spin off the line and chirp through gears - I swear I saw horns growing out the bonnet, at speeds I'd rather not mention.”
Only front-wheel drive versions are available for now, but Nissan says all-wheel drive derivatives as well as diesel engines and CVT gearboxes could be introduced at a later date. Despite the front-driven versions having to make do with a torsion beam rear suspension (AWD models have a fully independent set-up), its cornering ability is up to scratch, as Minesh puts it:
“The handling was also surprisingly good for a crossover. It does feel a little light at very-high speeds, but in normal driving felt solid and certainly wasn't scared of the odd corner being thrown its way.”
Pricing starts just shy of the R200K mark for the 1.6 Acenta, which includes air conditioning, Bluetooth, a CD/MP3/Aux/USB audio system linked to steering wheel controls, electric windows front and rear, on-board computer and six airbags.
Upgrade to the Acenta+ and you'll also receive automatic climate control, keyless entry and start, cruise control, suede-like seat trim, rear privacy glass and 17-inch alloy wheels (base Acenta has covered steel wheels). The turbocharged Tekna adds automatic headlights and at this level you can also specify heated leather seats as an option.
PRICES:
1.6 Acenta - R198 000
1.6 Acenta+ - R218 500
1.6DIG-T Tekna - R253 000
1.6DIG-T Tekna (Leather) - R258 800
Prices include a three-year/90 000km service plan.