Test drive Nissan Juke: extrovert
Test of one of the most extravagant models among urban crossovers
Since its release, the first edition of the Nissan Juke has managed to divide public opinion into two radically different camps - people either liked the eccentric model before the initial love, or they just couldn't take it. The reason for this, of course, lies in the indescribable design of the car, which is recognizable from hundreds of meters and which cannot be confused with any other car on the market. Going deeper into the essence of the Juke, its concept also polarizes the audience's attitude towards it - based on the previous Micra's simple platforming technique, the model is a pure example of a small city model, only mounted on stilts and with a crossover vision. , as its main functional weapon over most standard small cars was the ability to order dual drive for more powerful versions. Since I believe that facts are at the heart of any attempt to find objective truth, I must add that whether or not it matters XNUMX% in itself, the strategy of this car turned out to be ingenious - the first Juke sold a circulation of one and a half million copies. A million and a half! What's more, the Juke was one of those cars that led to more and more crossovers in the urban segment. Therefore, today its successor has to contend with much tougher competition than before.
A familiar concept, but with many new features
It should be noted that the new model is not in any way intimidated by a huge number of market opponents - its appearance is as confident as its predecessor, but this purposeful provocation has given way to a more mature, but no less influential eccentricity. . The grille follows the brand's new design language, the narrow headlights are crafted as a masterful extension of its side faces, and the solution with additional round headlights in the bumper has been retained - it will take a long time to find a more memorable face in this market segment. At its best, the Juke is based on impressive 19-inch wheels, which are a pretty impressive addition to its already athletic body proportions – just note that against its modest length of around 4,20m, the car is almost 1,83 inches wide. XNUMX meters. As before, the possibilities for additional personalization are numerous and able to satisfy almost any desire of the client.
A qualitative new feeling in the interior
The evolutionary development of the model is especially pronounced in the interior - to call the Juke super-spacious would be an exaggeration, but the sense of clogging so characteristic of its predecessor has not remained at all. A radically different view from the driver's seat - the cockpit is very nicely oriented around it, especially the high position of the gear lever, reminiscent of a racing car, is pleasant. The view from the outside looks no less impressive - if in the previous model the visibility was, to put it mildly, meager, here the visibility is surprisingly good, especially in combination with cameras for a 360-degree view of the space around the car maneuvering in tight quarters, it becomes child's play. At the highest level of performance, the instrument panel and other interior elements are highlighted in a contrasting color or can be covered in Alcantara. Among the very interesting offerings is a high-quality audio system from Bose with built-in speakers built into the integrated front seat headrests.
More mature on the road
The impression of maturation is justified even after we leave with the new Juke. The noise reduction is class by class higher than the previous version, and the controls are tight and direct. The small car, especially in sport mode, moves with a very pleasant spontaneity, resulting in a very dynamic driving style. In urban settings, the classic six-speed manual or seven-clutch dual-clutch transmission with a 117-litre three-cylinder petrol turbo engine offered in combination with (very pleasant shifting) looks quite energetic. However, this is not entirely true on the track, where the maximum allowable speed of a small unit of 200 hp is maintained. and 4 Nm often have to go to the highest speed. Otherwise, the ride is still a bit rough, but much more comfortable than the first model. As far as traction goes, there's no reason to comment here - unlike its predecessor, the current Juke is not expected to have a 4xXNUMX drive version. Which is unlikely to stop him from continuing the impressive market success of the first generation, especially given the fact that in almost every other way he has become better and more refined than him.
Text: Bozhan Boshnakov
Photo: Lubomir Assenov
