Considering how surprisingly popular the Nissan Juke->ke3600 has been since it was first introduced a few years ago, nobody's going to hold it against Nissan->ke62 if it continued to produce more powerful versions of the funky-looking crossover.

To be fair, it's hard to top the 500-horsepower Juke-R, but Nissan has continuously produced more and more powerful versions of the Juke, and at the 2013 Los Angeles Auto Show->ke211, another one is set to grace us with its presence.

The new tuned-up crossover will pick up where the Juke Nismo left off. Taking that into account, the Juke Nismo RS offers an even more powerful engine, sport-tuned suspension with new springs and shock absorbers. There will also be a more aggressive exterior look, an updated interior and other cool Nismo features.

Updated 11/20/2013: This review was updated with the official details, images and specs.

Updated 02/28/2014: Nissan announced today prices for the 2014 Juke Nismo RS which will be put on sale at national dealers later this spring. Prices for the sporty crossover will start from $26,120.

Click past the jump to read more about the 2015 Nissan Juke Nismo RS.

2014 Nissan Juke Nismo RS

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2014 Nissan Juke Nismo RS
  • Engine/Motor: inline-4
  • Horsepower: 215 @ 6000
  • Torque: 210 @ 3600
  • Transmission: 6-speed manual
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array
Pros
Cons

Exterior

The new Juke Nismo RS adds lots of updates to the exterior that makes it about 37% more aerodynamic than a standard Juke. These exterior updates include a new front fascia with a lower and more aggressive design, a new, larger grille and thin-strip LED accent lights replacing the usual fog lights.

Updates continue on the side, where the wheel arches are more muscular, while the rear gets a deeper bumper, a unique liftgate and a new diffuser.

As for the car's paint scheme, it is traditional for the Nismo models. The car is painted black (here), combined with a "red stripe" going from the on the upper edge of the large lower grille and up to the front wheel arches. The same rd paint is used for the door mirrors and on a stripe visible on the black sill.

The model will be further distinguished by "Nismo RS" badges placed on the grille and rear liftgate, both featuring the "O" painted red.

Customers can choose between three exterior colors: Sapphire Black, Brilliant Silver and Pearl White.

Interior

When compared to the Juke Nismo, most of the updates for the new Juke RS were made under the hood. In here Nissan installed Recaro front seats trimmed in red leather-appointed side bolsters and black suede center inserts. The rear seats also feature red stitching. "Recaro" and "Nismo" logo are embossed on the front seats.

Nissan used Alcantara for the steering wheel and a carbon fiber look for the trim around the center stack and shifter. A very cool "RS" logo was placed on the speedometer and on the charcoal grey suede meter hood.

Navigation Package

-*NissanConnect™ with Navigation system

-*5.8-inch touch-screen

-*3D-effect map views

-*Voice Recognition

-*NavTraffic capability (SiriusXM subscription required, sold separately); -*NissanConnect™ Apps

-*Rockford Fosgate ecoPUNCH™ audio system

-*USB interface (iPod® compatible)

-*RearView Monitor.

Drivetrain

Under the hood Nissan placed a heavily revised 1.6 liter four-cylinder engine offered in two different level of power. In the models equipped with the front-wheel-drive system and the 6-speed gearbox it delivers 215 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 210 pound-feet of torque between 3,600 and 4,800 rpm. In the models equipped with the all-wheel-drive system and the Xtronic CVT it delivers 211 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 184 pound-feet of torque between 2,400 and 6,000 rpm.

In order to deliver the extra power, the engine was upgraded with an optimized engine control (ECU) settings and a revised exhaust system with a larger main tube diameter and revised baffling.

JUKE NISMO RS FWD

JUKE NISMO RS AWD

Engine

1.6-liter DOHC 16-valve, turbocharger with intercooler, sequential Direct Injection Gasoline (DIG™)

1.6-liter DOHC 16-valve, turbocharger with intercooler, sequential Direct Injection Gasoline (DIG™)

Transmission

6-speed manual

Xtronic CVT®

Horsepower

215 hp @6,000 rpm

211 hp @ 6,000 rpm

Torque

210 lb-ft @3,600 – 4,800 rpm

184 lb-ft @ 2,400 – 6,000 rpm

Differential

Helical Limited-Slip

Standard

Drive Configuration

Front-wheel drive

Intelligent All-Wheel Drive with torque vectoring


Suspension and Brakes

The new Juke Nismo RS will be offered with 18-inch lightweight aluminum-alloy wheels in a 10 twin-spoke design wrapped in 225/45R18 Continental ContiSportContact5 summer tires.

In true Nismo tradition, the suspensions were tuned to deliver a more agile driving feeling and the car was brought slightly closer to the ground. The front-wheel-drive models are offered with an independent MacPherson strut front suspension and torsion beam rear suspension, while the all-wheel-drive models will offer a multi-link rear suspension design.

There is also a new braking system that includes 4-wheel vented discs, larger brake rotors in front (12.6 inches versus 11.7 inches), vented rotors in the rear (versus non-vented in non-RS models), red-painted calipers and upgraded brake pads.

JUKE NISMO RS FWD

JUKE NISMO RS AWD

Suspension

Independent strut front / torsion bar rear, front and rear stabilizer bars

Independent strut front / multi-link rear, front and rear stabilizer bars

Steering

NISMO-tuned Electric Power-assisted

NISMO-tuned Electric Power-assisted

Brakes

4-wheel vented disc, red painted calipers

4-wheel vented disc, red-painted calipers

Wheels

NISMO 18-inch aluminum-alloy wheels

NISMO 18-inch aluminum-alloy wheels

Tires

225/45R18 Continental ContiSportContact5 summer tires

225/45R18 Continental ContiSportContact5 summer tires


Prices

Model

Price

JUKE NISMO RS 6MT FWD

$26,120

JUKE NISMO RS XTRONIC AWD

$28,120


Competitors

Mini Countryman JCW

All the updates offered for the new Juke Nismo RS allows it to move upmarket and stay face to face to more powerful models. One of these models is the Mini Countryman JCW.

The JCW model is powered by a new, four-cylinder turbocharged engine that delivers a total of 218 horsepower at 6,100 rpm and a peak torque of 207 pound-feet between 2,000 and 5,600 rpm. It goes from 0 to 60 mph in 7.0 seconds and up to a top speed of 140 mph.

Conclusion

The new Juke Nismo RS is a very nice attempt to transform a rather boring car into something that will attract lots of buyers. The model was updated with an aggressive exterior look, a powerful engine and with a highly updated interior. Even more it is offer with an AWD system that makes it suitable for any road, so if Nissan will keep it at a reasonable price we are sure it will enjoy a great success.