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
- 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
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
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.