There are the NISMO and NISMO RS if you want to crank up the insaneness on the regular and already cheeky Juke. The NISMO has a 1.6-liter turbo four-cylinder engine with 188 horsepower, as well as sport seats, ground effects, and a lowered suspension. Want more? Upgrade to the NISMO RS, which features a special fascia and 215 horsepower (211 with AWD). Both feature front-wheel drive and a six-speed manual transmission; torque-vectoring all-wheel drive is available, but only with a new continuously variable transmission.
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Nissan’s “Black Sheep” and “Diamond in the Rough” Could Be The Nismo Juke
For those who don’t know or aren’t familiar, Nismo is Nissan’s internal performance and tuning division. Normally, Nissan’s Z and GT-R are the only vehicles that wear the Nismo logo, but in an odd turn of events, they opted to upgrade the Juke as well. The Nismo therapy is given to everyone.
Let’s face it, the Juke isn’t the nicest vehicle on the road. Public opinion on the Juke’s appearance has been split ever since it was introduced. Nissan built one of the most divisive automobiles ever with a design that is unlike anything else on the road. The Juke is one of the most awful things to ever grace our highways, or you either love the way it looks.
Even Nissan, which refers to the Juke as a “subcompact crossover SUV,” is unsure of what they have built. Neither a hatchback nor an SUV nor a crossover, exactly. Here is a comparison between the FWD and AWD Juke.
The Note, Micra, and Cube are among the Nissan models that the Juke is built on the same platform as. None of those vehicles also don’t seem like good contenders for a Nismo edition. Both a front-wheel drive and an all-wheel drive version of the Juke are available. Since the AWD is only available as an automatic with Nissan’s CVT, you will have to purchase it as a front-wheel drive if you want a six-speed manual. Its 1.6 liter, 4-cylinder turbocharged engine features direct gas injection.
Nissan chose to create a Nismo variant of this oddball little car despite the odds being so against it. What precisely did the engineers change to the Juke in order to make it into a Nismo? They began by giving it an aggressive body package all over, tightened the steering, improved the brakes and suspension, added 18-inch wheels, performed some mechanical tuning to boost the power output from 188 horsepower to a mind-blowing 197 horsepower, and made some interior adjustments.
The final product of these Nismo alterations and improvements is a vast advancement over the basic Juke. The Nismo Juke’s strengths lie not in how powerful it is, but in how it uses that power. It is nimble and vivacious, living up to its name in every way. If you want a Nismo that you can have fun with and won’t break the bank, the Juke is an interesting one but is definitely worth a look.
Key technical details
Firmer springs and dampers, larger front brake discs, and a stiffer bodyshell have all been added to the MacPherson strut front suspension and torsion beam rear axle. The Juke Nismo RS actually rides with a pleasant fluidity that eludes most traditional hot hatches in spite of that more concentrated chassis tweaking. Because it’s a sports car, the way it handles bumps is acute, yet there is also effective, padded damping.
The Nissan Juke NISMO RS is a distinctive hot-hatch that makes trade-offs.
Despite its attempts to be sporty, the Juke Nismo RS falls short of the best hot hatchbacks. Although there has been an improvement from the previous iteration, it can occasionally feel artificial and forced. The combination of speed, style, and general utility in this outlandish hot hatch makes it appealing.
On the Nissan Juke NISMO RS official website page, the Japanese automaker uses comical amounts of hyperbole to claim that its hyped-up little SUV “brings together decades of knowledge learned on the race track” and that “it’s the ultimate performance crossover.”
Anyone who truly believes a Porsche Macan Turbo wouldn’t destroy a NISMO RS in any test, along with an expanding number of other genuinely performance-oriented crossovers, is obviously slightly insane. However, that needn’t necessarily be a bad thing, as the NISMO-tweaked SUV itself goes to prove.
There is undoubtedly little that compares to the NISMO if you want to drive a compact crossover while simultaneously getting everyone’s attention. But before you make up your mind to do that, keep in mind that there are a number of sporty hatchbacks that easily match all those excellent Juke NISMO characteristics and even outperform them. By the standards of today’s hot hatches, the Juke NISMO’s 0-60 time of 7 seconds (8 seconds if you purchase the 4×4 version) is scarcely thrilling. With power increased in 2015 from the initial 197bhp to 215bhp, the Juke NISMO on sale now is a tad hotter than the original introduced seven or so years ago. In addition, it is now referred to as the NISMO RS.
For the first time on British roads, we go behind the wheel of the hot new 197 horsepower Nissan Juke Nismo.
The Nismo is the greatest Juke we’ve driven so far; while it may not be as dynamically competitive as hot hatches, it is overflowing with personality, practical for daily use, and provides something unique. It also comes fully equipped, making its price of under PS 20,000 seem like a terrific deal. It’s encouraging that the 370Z, GT-R, and even the Leaf will be among a variety of Nismo models.
Since we took the Nissan Juke Nismo for a spin in January in Spain, a lot has changed. Along with the car’s arrival in the UK, three new performance superminis—the Ford Fiesta ST, Renaultsport Clio, and Peugeot 208 GTi—have all recently entered the market. The 197bhp Juke will have some tough competition to overcome if it wants to make a mark here.
Although the high-riding Nissan doesn’t directly compete with these three conventional vehicles in terms of power output or road presence, prospective customers are sure to give it some thought.
Nismo, the tuning division of Nissan, has made sure the automobile catches your eye. With its Storm White paint (also available in black or silver), red wing mirrors, and tiny red pinstripes circling the bottom of the body, our test vehicle looked amazing.
What distinguishes the Nissan Juke RS from the NISMO version?
From a design standpoint, the Nissan Juke has always been a bit of a “Marmite” vehicle, and whether you love it or despise it, the NISMO RS edition is certain to harden your opinions.
With a butch body package that has a gaping front grille, wheelarches that are fattened by enlarged lips to hide racy-looking 18-inch alloy wheels, deeper side skirts, and a large rear spoiler, it is definitely a sight to behold. The whole appearance has a certain manga caricature about it, although Nissan claims that all of the stylistic changes were made primarily to improve aerodynamic efficiency through its tuning division NISMO.
The Juke seems lower and wider at the back thanks to a deeper bumper with a diffuser insert and a single, substantial tailpipe. The transition from compact crossover to small, hot SUV is completed by a little boot lip spoiler and Nismo’s signature red accents for the side mirrors and brake calipers.
Nissan has taken a similar approach to designing the Juke’s cabin, putting a strong emphasis on the driver. With sassy red contrast stitching, the steering wheel is coated in Alcantara, and the seats are suede sports seats.
The RS comes with a 5.8-inch touchscreen for the sat-nav and reversing camera as well as climate and cruise control. But the Juke’s interior is becoming old, and while the Nismo embellishments do improve the ambiance, they can’t really improve the small, uncomfortable layout.
In comparison to the preceding Juke Nismo, the RS model offers a number of performance enhancements, including as a limited-slip differential, larger 320mm front brakes, and stronger springs and dampers.
Despite these suspension adjustments, the tiny crossover still rolls around in corners and still rides pleasantly, even on bumpy roads, with a comforting edge to the damping. If you push the Nismo RS hard, you’ll discover that it doesn’t perform as well as it appears to. If you approach a corner too rapidly because there isn’t much traction, the car may understeer severely.
The Nissan feels erratic and blurry on the road because turn-in isn’t very precise and the mild steering doesn’t offer much feedback either. The Juke’s 215 horsepower 1.6-liter turbocharged engine makes matters worse.
The Nismo RS struggles to adequately transmit its power, despite having a mechanical front differential to aid in traction. The front tires are overpowered by the engine, which also causes significant torque steer and wheelspin.
The Juke’s weak area in terms of packaging is evident as soon as you board. The steering reach adjustment is absent from the driving position, and the sports seats lack the support and adjustability we’d anticipate. However, you can add supportive Recaros for PS1,300 more.
With rough plastics for the doors and dash, the Nismo RS also seems claustrophobic and low-class. With little headroom and a tiny door preventing access, the back seats are even more cramped. The small cabin makes it difficult to see behind you, while the elevated driving position improves your view in front of you.
You can use the entire 354 liters of space in the Juke’s flexible boot floor, or a lesser volume in a more safe location out of sight. Given the size of the glovebox and door bins, it’s the only useful storage option.
The Nissan Juke NISMO is quick.
Critics can claim that a performance-oriented crossover that serves as an alternative to superminis is a vehicle that wasn’t requested. That the Juke Nismo RS is so much enjoyable to drive is a delightful irony.
Because the Nismo RS has heavier-feeling steering and firmer suspension than the basic car, it can change directions more swiftly and feels more engaging to drive overall. The turbocharged engine has a quick response when the accelerator is pressed, but at high speeds it becomes noisy. The manual Juke Nismo, according to Nissan, can reach a top speed of 137 mph after accelerating from 0 to 62 mph in just seven seconds.
Due to its heavier weight and slightly temperamental CVT transmission, the four-wheel-drive variant is slower. A limited-slip differential is another feature found in front-wheel-drive versions that enables the automobile to deliver more power to the wheel that has the best traction. Since it can accelerate more readily out of curves, it has an eagerness that the four-wheel-drive vehicle lacks.
Despite the strong springs, the tall Juke nevertheless leans in corners more than a Fiesta ST because NISMO’s tuning prowess can’t quite overcome the laws of physics. However, many people overlook the fact that it doesn’t quite handle as well as a Renault Clio RS across the country because of the novelty of a high driving position coupled with such nimble handling.
We can only suggest the four-wheel-drive CVT version if you conduct the majority of your driving on city streets, which is a waste of the Nismo’s potential unless you truly need an automatic. A front-wheel-drive automobile with decent winter tires will offer a similar level of traction and safety on the road, even if four-wheel drive is useful in the colder months.
What does Juke’s NISMO symbol mean?
At the Geneva Motor Show, Nissan unveiled the Nissan Juke Nismo RS, the fastest Juke the firm has ever marketed. The manufacturer expects the vehicle will displace quick hatchbacks like the Ford Fiesta ST, Renault Clio RS, and Peugeot 208 GTI in terms of sales.
The powerful new Nissan Juke Nismo (standing for Nissan Motorsport) RS is based on the regular Juke Nismo but has about 215 horsepower more power. With that, the small Nissan can accelerate from 0 to 62 mph in 7.8 seconds and reach a top speed of about 140 mph.
The vehicle receives advanced technology to help it manage the additional power, and it should be able to turn even more quickly than the standard Nismo. Less body lean should result from revised suspension. Customers may choose between gripping four-wheel drive and two-wheel drive (for increased fuel efficiency), and the car also receives a new six-speed transmission and more potent brakes for quicker stopping.
The end result is a vehicle that, according to Nissan, is so concentrated that it should be appropriate for the occasional track day, making it almost unique in its class. The fact that the Nismo and the Nismo RS will be the only Jukes available with the aggressive Nismo style is more significant for the majority of customers (who don’t take their compact SUVs on track days).
These aesthetic upgrades come in Nismo RS style and include an aggressive body package, RS emblems on the grille and boot, as well as a new sports exhaust. The Nissan GT-R Nismo, Nissan’s supercar rival, also has a sinister matte-grey paint job, which is the launch vehicle’s most noticeable feature.
With plenty of side bolstering to keep you in place during sharp turns, sports seats are an interior option. The RS also features Alcantara leather on the dashboard, steering wheel, roof lining, and seats.