“NISMO” stands for “NISsan MOtorsports”. Inspiration for the sporty sub-brand — in the vein of BMW’s M or Mercedes’ AMG, but with considerably less gusto — was the Nissan GT-R supercar, which has plenty of gusto. There’s a 370Z NISMO and now, a Juke NISMO. Like brunch on Sunday, this is good stuff.
Juke styling is different without being weird. It’s cool, made more so by lowering it, installing 18” charcoal alloys with Continental summer tires, painting mirror caps the color of a cherry pop, and applying red striping all-around. Aerodynamics are enhanced with aggressive ground effects, spoiler, and rear diffuser. Wherever I drove, the under-30 nearly twerked to get a look.
As one of my friends who owns a Juke puts it, “You feel like you’re driving a Star Wars TIE Fighter!” True that. Out the windshield, you see the two turn signal lamps, which glow orange at night, on the corners of the hood. Large analog gauges, a painted center console inspired by a motorcycle’s gas tank, and comfy Recaro-style seats complete the effect. Tuck in and hang on. Suede on the steering wheel and doors add finesse. One imagines flying up behind some pocket rocket and zapping it into the next galaxy.
I love fondling the seats and steering wheel, but enjoy the USB port and Bluetooth even more. Navigation, rear camera, and automatic climate control add convenience. The Juke’s Rockford Fosgate audio system would thump your sister, but it’s more about noise than quality.
Press a button and the climate control display transforms into the I-CON panel, which lets owners choose from three performance modes: Normal, Sport, and Eco. Sport increases the steering effort, makes the shift pattern more aggressive, and improves throttle response. Eco does the opposite plus optimizing the climate control system for maximum mpgs. I put it in sport and left it there. Somebody else can eat bark.
Compared to a regular Juke, the NISMO has nine more horsepower, for a total of 197 — all flowing from a turbocharged, 1.6-liter, four-cylinder engine. Front-drive versions connect to a six-speed manual transmission, but all-wheel-drive models pair exclusively with a continuously-variable transmission. I think I’d prefer the manual with AWD, but no dice. Fuel economy is rated 25/30 mpg city/highway (AWD).
That’s plenty of power to compete against the Hyundai Veloster or Volkswagen GTI, but back-breaking thrust is not the Juke’s forte. Torque-vectoring AWD, which accelerates the outboard rear wheel to enhance cornering, works on dry pavement and slick streets. Trade out summer tires for all-season rubber and the sportiest Juke would be ready for anything.
Nissan also made the suspension firmer and steering more direct. It’s dialed just right. Put the car into a corner, and it sticks. However, it will not beat you during the daily commute. Steering is perfectly weighted for a fun romp through the twisties or pulling up to a late-night fast food drive-through.
Beyond all of the NISMO, racing-inspired nonsense, the most intense Juke is also the one I’d want. It is cool without compromise, stylish without being stupid. I could sleep in the seats, the steering wheel is a joy to grip, suspension and steering tuning are dead-on, and the style turns heads. I’d take mine in Sapphire Black. Price as-tested came to $27,495.
Storm Forward!
2013 Nissan Juke NISMO
Five-passenger, AWD crossover
Powertrain: 197hp 1.6-liter Turbo-4, CVT automatic transmission
Suspension f/r: Ind/Torsion beam
Wheels: 18”/18” alloy f/r
Brakes: disc/disc fr/rr with ABS
Must-have features: Style, handling
Fuel economy: 25/30 mpg city/hwy
Assembly: Japan
Base/as-tested price: $25,290/27,495