2013 Nissan Juke NISMO Video Review

Joining the 370Z in Nissan’s higher performing NISMO lineup is the 2013 Juke; a quirky, fun-to-drive little go-getter with tons of personality.

Shrink the words Nissan Motorsports down to one small bite and what you get is NISMO – a name known in racing circles for its nearly 50 years of engineering experience and expertise.  And now Nissan is ready to expand the NISMO offerings to a host of new nameplates, including more affordable models such as this Juke – which starts at $23,800 for a front-drive, 6-speed model – $27,730 as tested with all-wheel drive, the continuously variable transmission and the navigation package – that’s over 17 grand less than the Z NISMO I recently tested.

As if the Juke needed any more reason to stand out, the NISMO model is absolutely assaultive on the eyes with enough exclusive touches to clearly differentiate it from other Jukes.  To better control airflow to the engine, the front fascia and grille haven been modified and lowered with more aggressive styling.  And where the fog lights used to be are LED running lights.  Red pin striping continues down the base of the doors where the sculpted side skirts send air around the more muscular wheel arches which have been finished in this gorgeous pearl white – one of only 3 available colors.  The side mirrors are painted red, the B-pillars are finished in piano black, the rear bumper is deeper and there’s a spoiler and rear diffuser.

Though there’s a little more power from the 1.6-liter turbo, that’s not the heart of the NISMO upgrades.  It starts with a stiffened and lowered suspension, revised steering and a sport-tuned version of the CVT.  There are also a host of aerodynamic enhancements and a set of serious rubber which allows the torque vectoring all-wheel drive system to really do its thing.

This little 4-cylinder goes from 188 horsepower to 197 and raises torque output from 177 pound feet to 184.  With a 0-to-60mph time in the low 7’s the NISMO treatment accomplishes a number of things but flat out speed isn’t one of them.  But with this cool switchgear, swapping the climate controls for driving modes, choosing sport mode energizes the Juke with enough spirit to keep it feeling quicker than it really is.  Yes, the CVT moans enough to make you wish there was a 6-speed auto but it’s married to the AWD system with its 3 modes and if you don’t get it you’ll also forgo the independent rear suspension.  Road holding is further enhanced by these 18” ContiSportContact5 summer tires.  The ride is noticeably firmer, causing the short wheelbase Juke to do lots of bobbing on anything other than perfect pavement and though understeer is still the predominant handling trait, the NISMO’s chassis enhancements and trick all-wheel drive system muscle it through turns with conviction.

To hold you in place while doing so, this Juke has a set of great racing seats with perfectly placed bolsters.  A number of other NISMO touches, over 100 in all, like the Alcantara trimmed steering wheel with its top dead center marker make a positive presence.  My tester adds this not so great navi unit and a muddy sounding Rockford Fosgate sound system.  But despite the Juke’s tiny outside appearance, the rear seats will gladly take on 2 adults and the rear storage is more generous than you’d think making it a nice choice for young couples.  Plus Nissan offers up a ton of fun accessories to make it your own.

For me, I love that Nissan takes chances with its design and this Juke is so cool and futuristic looking that it really captivates your attention.  It’s a fun drive in a useable and affordable package.  So if the $500,000 Juke-R doesn’t fit into your budget, the NISMO is worth a long look.