Nissan Juke: quirky crossover with staying power and charm

The first-generation Nissan Juke is one of the most stylistically controversial cars post-2000 but was well-received in the market. It was mainly driven by women who found the small, urban crossover with its striking appearance to be a perfect choice. How do we rate this car after years? Is it a true Japanese vehicle?

The history of the Nissan Juke began in 2010, when its bigger brother, the Qashqai, was already well-established in the market. The crossover trend was gaining strength, and Nissan made a bold decision to release a car that looked like no other. Some considered the Juke ugly, while others loved it immediately.

The car was produced for 9 years. During this time, it had one minor facelift (2014) mainly involving exterior appearance. The Juke proved so successful (one million cars sold) that a second generation was produced.

Nissan Juke is a typical urban crossover measuring 4 metres long with a wheelbase of 2.5 metres. It has a compact silhouette and a tight interior. It aligns roughly with the Micra produced around the same time, so don’t expect too much.

The Juke is a typical 2+2 car with a decent trunk capacity of 354 litres. Provided we are talking about the front-wheel-drive version since the Juke was also offered with all-wheel drive. The AWD reduced the trunk capacity by about 99 litres, which was the space available under the double floor in the front-wheel-drive version.

Although the car has an urban character, it also performs well on longer routes because people who fit behind the wheel won’t complain about the lack of comfort and, in many cases, the equipment.

The car’s handling leaves little to be desired. Designers tried to maintain a sporty character in the interior, there are basic multimedia features, and in some configurations, good sound systems. Manoeuvring in the city might be troublesome in a model without a rearview camera due to poor rear visibility caused by the body design.

The Nissan Juke was built on the Renault Clio IV platform, which is a B-segment platform with an independent front suspension and a torsion beam or multi-link rear suspension. The steering system is electrically assisted.

Only the highest-powered versions have all-wheel drive with an electromagnetically controlled rear axle without a differential. This system works efficiently on slippery surfaces and light off-road.

A ground clearance of 18 centimetres allows driving on unpaved paths. The AWD’s rear suspension uses a multi-link system. The sporty Nismo versions with front-wheel drive use a mechanical, strong limited-slip differential, larger braking system, thicker stabilizer bars, and stiffer springs and shock absorbers.

The engine range is not extensive but sufficient for everyone to find something suitable. Throughout most of the production period (until 2018), a naturally aspirated 1.6-litre gasoline engine produced by Nissan with a power of 117 HP was offered. After 2018, it was replaced by an engine with 112 HP to comply with the Euro 6d-TEMP standard. Between 2013 and 2018, a 94 HP variant was available, which met the Euro 6 standard from 2015. From 2014, a turbocharged 1.2 DIG-T engine with 115 HP was introduced.

These were the most popular and base gasoline engines. Customers less frequently chose the 1.5 dCi diesel with 110 HP, which generated 240 Nm of torque until 2013, increasing to 260 Nm in 2013.

The high-power versions with a 1.6 DIG-T engine were chosen even less often. The base engine, available until 2018, generated 190 HP and could accelerate to 60 mph in 8 seconds. Contrary to expectations, it’s not a sporty variant.

The sporty variant is the Nismo version, equipped not only with a more powerful engine but also with a modified suspension and braking system, a spoiler package, and sports seats. Between 2013 and 2014, the Nismo had 200 HP, and from 2015 to 2019, it had 218 HP with a manual transmission and 214 HP with an automatic transmission.

Regarding transmissions, the naturally aspirated 1.6 was paired with a five-speed manual, whereas the others had a six-speed manual. Automatic transmissions were CVT, continuously variable, offered with the 1.6 DIG-T engines (including Nismo) and the naturally aspirated 1.6 with power outputs of 117 and 112 HP.

Only the naturally aspirated 1.6 engines are considered safe. They have a simple chain-driven design and are relatively trouble-free. They consume an average of 8.7-9.5 L/100 km and offer decent performance, even the 94 HP version. The only drawback is excessive oil consumption, but not in all units. Often, it's possible to drive from one service to another without topping up oil, provided it’s changed every 10,000 kilometres.

The 1.2 DIG-T unit is somewhat more pleasant to drive due to its high torque at low revs. However, it’s a high-risk engine that consumes oil and may suffer from piston ring failures or timing chain stretch. Compared to the 1.6, it doesn’t offer much better driving impressions to justify the risk. The only significant advantage of the 1.2 over the 1.6 is the six-speed manual transmission.

The 1.6 DIG-T engine has mixed reviews. It consumes little fuel (approx. 8.1 L/100 km), has much better performance, and in the Nismo versions, it is a small rocket (although fuel consumption is significantly higher here). Unfortunately, it has timing chain issues, which often don’t last 50,000 kilometres.

A replacement set of two chains costs from approximately 325 to nearly 675 Canadian dollars for original parts. Even if you buy a good quality chain, take care of oil changes, and avoid short trips, replacing the set after 100,000 kilometres is worth replacing. It’s a significant one-time expense but worthwhile, especially in the Nismo versions.

Diesels, although well-engineered and very fuel-efficient (approx. 5 L/100 km), naturally incur higher repair costs if problems arise. Bearing issues mainly affect extremely neglected engines, serviced only by the book in official dealerships. If you change the oil no less than every 10,000 kilometres, you shouldn’t encounter problems. The injection system, provided by Continental in the Juke, not Delphi as in some Renault models, has been refined.

Is it worth buying a diesel Juke? It primarily depends on the mileage. If you find a car with up to 150,000 kilometres, you can drive it problem-free for a longer time. And cheaply, with better performance than the 1.2 Turbo gasoline engine. When issues arise, be prepared for higher expenses compared to gasoline engines, but note that the 1.5 dCi engine is one of the cheapest diesel engines to maintain.

In summary, if buying a Juke for normal driving, opt for the 1.6 gasoline version or diesel. For performance, go for the 1.6 Turbo, but remember about maintenance care. Here, I would lean toward the Nismo, which, compared to the regular variant, looks much better and drives wonderfully. Of course, service it like a sports car, remembering regular differential checks and being prepared for high brake repair costs. It's safer to choose the front-wheel-drive variant with a manual transmission.

While the Nissan Juke is generally not prone to failures, looking at typical faults, Renault’s influence on this brand is noticeable. Minor electrical issues usually occur.

For instance, there is wear on the wire connecting the steering wheel to the rest of the car. A typical sign of damage is a lack of power at the steering wheel (buttons, horn). The heating system fan motor frequently fails. In summer, there are issues with the air-flow control mechanism. It jams and deforms, and sometimes the buttons on the control panel simply don't work.

There are not very good reviews of the multimedia system, radio, and CD player. This whole panel works rather capriciously. In early production cars, these issues were covered under warranty. Such and similar teething problems were eliminated in post-facelift cars from the 2014 model year onwards. Now you know which model years are worth buying. And what about the mechanics?

Jerking when starting or driving at low speeds is usually due to a worn lower engine mount that doesn't withstand high mileage. Knock noises when driving over bumps result from worn subframe bushes in the front suspension. Ignoring the problem will affect the life of the steering gear, which is not very durable itself. Fortunately, the rear suspension is durable, both in front-wheel and all-wheel-drive versions.

The gear-shifting mechanism in the five-speed gearbox often loosens. This is not a big problem, as the repair involves tightening the mechanism. However, driving with a loose gearstick for many years may lead to accelerated gearbox wear.

Unfortunately, the CVT transmission made by Jatco does not have good reviews and is not resistant to stress. This applies to transmissions configured with front-wheel drive. The transmission bearings wear out quickly if the driver frequently floors the gas pedal and drives dynamically.

Ignoring the gearbox's whining leads to wear of the gears and the drive belt, necessitating comprehensive repairs. The cost is hard to determine as it depends on what needs replacing in the transmission, but often, it's easier and cheaper to replace the transmission with a used one.

If you have a car with this transmission, remember that it doesn't like sudden acceleration or harsh handling, especially at low temperatures. Only when the oil is warmed up can you accelerate dynamically, but the throttle application should always be smooth and fairly gentle. Also, changing the oil every 30,000-40,000 kilometres is a necessity.

The CVT transmission offered with all-wheel drive is much more durable. Here, Jatco improved durability and resistance to dynamic driving, which is why the transmission was even offered in the Juke Nismo. Properly maintained, it can last over 200,000 kilometres, but this is rare as few people take care of the transmission. If you buy a car with very low mileage, such as a Nismo, it is worth immediately changing the transmission oil and doing so relatively often.

The Nissan Juke is well-protected against corrosion, particularly for a Japanese car. However, the car was produced in England, ensuring it won’t rust as quickly as cars imported from the Far East. It didn’t escape the typical feature of cars produced after 2000: soft, thin paint. There may be many chips on the front of the car, which are worth regularly securing. Corrosion appears on the exhaust system on a large scale.

The Nissan Juke market is quite specific. Almost all models that left the showrooms were bought privately, so nearly every variant offered is available on the market. Even if cars are registered to a company, they are not fleet vehicles.

Only 25% of the cars are diesels, and among the gasoline engines, 74% are 1.6-litre units, with only 23% being the more powerful turbocharged versions. Therefore, the most common variant of the car is the base 1.6 Juke. Only 25% of cars have automatic transmission, and 17% have all-wheel drive. Nevertheless, the market offers all variants, including Nismo (usually a few to a dozen units), but buying a Juke with a naturally aspirated engine is easiest.

Prices are not shocking as opinions about this car are quite varied, and its appearance is still not an advantage in itself. The car is not easy to sell. It can be bought for around 6,500 Canadian dollars, a very low price for its year. The cheapest are diesels. The realistic lower price limit is 8,000 Canadian dollars. With that amount, you can already make a choice. For a post-facelift car, you need to pay a minimum of 9,500 Canadian dollars, and the newest and most expensive cars are priced at about 19,000 Canadian dollars.

These prices are not significantly different for the Juke Nismo, which can be bought for just over 12,700 Canadian dollars, with the most expensive ones reaching up to 22,300 Canadian dollars. However, these are rather wishful prices, as cars wait a long time for a buyer. To sell this car faster than in a few months, it should be priced at around 16,500-19,000 Canadian dollars.