I first saw the Juke in the office parking lot. It belonged to a colleague who had just bought it fresh from the dealership in 2010, the year of its launch. I thought it looked good, particularly those funky contours at the front. The interior was not bad either.
Now it seems Nissan’s latest urban crossover is ready for more appreciation. The 2015 model was launched in Dubai recently and will be available at dealerships in the region starting this month. But is it worth it?
Apparently Nissan has made a number of tweaks on the new Juke, particularly in design, performance and technology. However, the upgraded Juke has retained its signature look, including its front-end design.
The 2015 Juke is powered by a choice of either a 1.6-litre naturally-aspirated engine or a 1.6-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder direct injection engine.
There are three driving modes: normal, sport and eco with a new audio system using NissanConnect technology to keep you company as you cruise along.
Maximum engine power for S & SL Grade is 86kW at 6000rpm with 158Nm of torque. The SL Turbo grade has maximum engine power of 140kW at5600rpm with 240Nm of torque. All three grades are available for the new Juke, S, SL and SL Turbo.
Apparently the new Juke is also more roomy, with bigger cargo space enhanced with a flat-folding rear seat. Nissan has also built a two-stage floor in the luggage compartment. Keep the second-row seats up and cargo floor lowered and you get plenty of space in the back for large luggage. Fold the seats down and you can adjust the floor to a higher position, creating a flat cargo.
From the outside, the new Juke sports a tweaked upper front lamps (with those LED daytime runners that is so popular now) and a tougher under-bumper trim. The door mirrors have also been fitted with LED repeaters and a new rear view camera. The rear bumper looks aggressive to match the tail-lights, which now have LED “light guide technology”.
If you go for the basic options you get cloth upholstery, four-speaker CD with MP3 stereo and AUX port, power windows, electric mirrors, rear-view camera and the 60/40 folding rear seats. Pay a little more for leather upholstery, NissanConnect, sunroof, fog lamps, automatic air-conditioning system and intelligent keyless entry with starter button.
Safety features include front airbags, ABS disc brakes with EBD, and stability control and optional side-curtain airbags.
The price for the Nissan Juke starts from Dh66,250.
