The Nissan Juke->ke3600 is one of those cars that you either love or hate. There's no in-between when talking about this baby. Fortunately for the Juke, it belongs in a market where the word "style" seems to have taken a vacation, so by default, it already has a leg up on the rest of its rivals. Looks aside, the Juke also has a nice engine to fall back on that is highlighted by 188 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque, which makes it one of the highest in its segments.

There's something about the Juke and the way its packaged that makes us wonder whether Nissan->ke62 was trying to make amends to this particular segment after introducing the world to the Cube->ke3063, a ratchety-looking lump of steel that a lot of people hope never to see again.

So give credit to Nissan for taking the leap with a more dramatic crossover->ke288 that doesn't lack in aesthetics.

Click past the jump to read more about the 2014 Nissan Juke.

2014 Nissan Juke

Specifications
  • Make: Array
  • Model: 2014 Nissan Juke
  • Engine/Motor: inline-4
  • Horsepower: 188 @ 5600
  • Torque: 177 @ 2000
  • [do not use] Vehicle Model: Array
Pros
Cons

Exterior

For better or for worse, the 2014 Juke's styling remains largely unchanged, which means that the bug-eyed, bumper-mounted headlights are still there. Same goes for the turn signal and parking lights, which you can find running the length of the fenders and close to the crossover's hood. Once you take your eyes away from its funky front end, the Juke's body actually looks sporty -- almost coupe-like in nature. The low roofline may be flat, but it does slant slightly towards the back, casting a dramatic slide that emphasis the crossover's athletic characteristics. Large wheel arches, specifically on the rear, also show off the Juke's muscular appeal, while a single-piece hatch can be released electronically to open up the Juke's interior cargo compartment.

But to say that the Juke's look remains as funky as ever is an understatement. There's no fence as far as what you think of it goes; you're either on one side or the other.

2014 Nissan Juke - Exterior Dimensions

Wheelbase

99.6 In.

Overall length

162.4 In.

Overall width

69.5 In.

Overall height

61.8 In.


2014 Nissan Juke - Standard Exterior Features

- Black grille with chrome accent

- Body color front door handles

- Black side sills

- “Hidden” black color rear door handles

- Body color front and rear bumpers

- Power-sliding glass moonroof with one-touch open/close with auto reverse

- Body color power outside door mirrors

- Rear liftgate with fixed glass

Interior

Give credit to Nissan for understanding the identity of the Juke and running with it. The center console is made from molded plastic, which is a bit of a disappointment, but the configuration looks nice, specifically how Nissan configured it with a retro vibe. The controls are neatly placed, too, leaving little in the way of confusion from the driver and front passenger.

Comfortable seats are also offered and you can't go wrong with anything that's described as such. About the only disappointment with the Juke's interior is the cargo space, which can be partly explained by the constraints in space Nissan had to deal with it to put all of the features in their proper place. So there's not a lot of space at the back for all your groceries. If you fold the rear seats, however, the initial 10.5 cubic feet space turns into 35 cubes. Good enough, but it's not going to blow you away.

2014 Nissan Juke - Standard Interior Features

- Tricot cloth

- Bucket seats

- AM/FM/CD with 6 speakers

- MP3/WMA CD playback capability

- Auxiliary audio input jack

- iPod® connectivity

- Radio Data System (RDS)

- Speed-sensitive volume control

- Steering wheel-mounted audio controls

- Bluetooth® Hands-free Phone System

- Cruise control with steering wheel-mounted switches

- Manual front air conditioning

Drivetrain

The U.S-spec Juke has a single engine, and this is a 1.6-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder engine that produces an impressive 188 horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 177 pound-feet of torque at 2,000 to 5,200 rpm. The engine hooks up to a continuously variable transmission that delivers power to the front wheels as standard, or to all four wheels optionally. Nissan hasn't released any performance figures for the 2014 Juke, but we estimate that it'll hit 60 mph in the mid-seven-second range.

Name

MR16DDT

Orientation

DOHC

Cylinders / configuration

Transverse

Block / head composition

Aluminum / Aluminum

Displacement (liters / cc)

1.6 liters / 1,618 cc

Horsepower

188 hp @ 5,600 RPM

Torque (lb-ft)

177 lb-ft torque @ 2,000 -5,200 RPM

Bore & stroke (mm)

79.7 x 81.1

Compression ratio

9.5:1

Maximum engine speed

6,400 rpm

Induction system

Turbocharger with intercooler

Valvetrain

16 valve; silent chain, single-stage

Fuel delivery system

Sequential Direct Injection Gasoline (DIG™)

Recommended fuel

Premium unleaded

Emissions system

Oxygen sensor with catalyzer

Emission certification level

LEV2-ULEV

Exhaust

Single exit / main & secondary mufflers


Prices

The Nissan Juke is offered in a variety of trims, beginning with the base Juke S FWD model, which retails for $18,990. Move on up to the most expensive Juke variant -- the Juke SL AWD -- and you're going to have to pay $25,990 for the chance to take the crossover home with you.

Model

Description

Suggested List Price

S FWD

1.6 Liter DIG Turbo CVT

$18,990

SV FWD

1.6 Liter DIG Turbo MT

$20,990

SV FWD

1.6 Liter DIG Turbo CVT

$22,040

NISMO FWD

1.6 Liter DIG Turbo MT

$22,990

SL FWD

1.6 Liter DIG Turbo CVT

$24,290

S AWD

1.6 Liter DIG Turbo CVT

$20,990

SV AWD

1.6 Liter DIG Turbo CVT

$23,740

NISMO AWD

1.6 Liter DIG Turbo CVT

$25,290

SL AWD

1.6 Liter DIG Turbo CVT

$25,990


Options:

Option

Price

Navigation Package

$1,200

Midnight Edition

$1,200

Sport Package

$1,350

Black Mirror Covers

$215

Splash Guards

$145

Premium Appearance Package

$1,195

Stainless Exhaust Finisher

$105

Carpeted Floor Mats & Cargo Mat

$180

NISMO Carpeted Floor Mats & Cargo Mat

$215

Illuminated Kick Plates

$295

Interior Illumination Package

$505

Center Armrest

$250

Rear Roof Spoiler

$435

17" Gunmetal Wheels

$955

17" Black Wheels

$1,050


Competition

Kia Soul

We don't know if the Juke wins the styling contest by default, but it certainly helps its cause that its rivals are pretty boring to look at. Weird and funky trumps bland any day of the week.

The Kia Soul, for one, suffers from seemingly being ignored by Kia's otherwise talented design team. Save for the Kia grille, there's nothing to smile about when it comes to the Soul's appearance. The interior, though, is pretty impressive, but people won't get to see that as often as the body, right?

Even with the slightly bigger engine, the Soul's output is a little off of what the Juke is capable of, and don't even get us started on those rear seats. Cubes like the Soul are already space-challenged as it is. For Kia to do away with folding rear seats seems like a huge mistake on their part.

Scion xB

The good news for the Soul is that it's not the most awful looking cube in the market. The bad news is that distinction also falls on another Nissan, ironically named the Cube.

But the Scion xB doesn't fare that much better in the styling category. It really looks like one of those real life versions of those cheap supermarket toys you can buy for $2...a pack. Even the interior looks like its been designed by a five-year old, and while the 158 horsepower is nice, it still falls short of what the Juke is inherently capable of.

Conclusion

The Nissan Juke is different; that much we can tell you. And that's saying something, considering that some of its competitors, including the Soul, don't have conventional designs themselves. But the Juke makes it work because as quirky as it looks, it performs and handles really well. Add all that to a nice engine and decent prices and you have a crossover that really has a lot to offer - looks notwithstanding.

Further reading

Read our first speculative article on the 2020 Nissan Juke.