Nissan Juke

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2017 Nissan Juke Overview

The two thousand seventeen Nissan Juke ranks eight out of thirteen Subcompact SUVs.

The only thing keeping the two thousand seventeen Nissan Juke from the bottom of our subcompact SUV rankings is its excellent spectacle. It has a surprising amount of power and athleticism, but it does little else right.

Scorecard

• Overall: 7.7
• Critics’ Rating: 8.1
• Spectacle: 8.Five
• Interior: 6.6
• Safety: 8.1
• Reliability:

Pros & Cons

• Potent turbocharged engine
• Athletic treating

• Rough rail quality
• Petite rear seat and cargo, even for the class
• Low-rent interior
• Requires premium fuel

Notable for 2017

• Heated seats and outside mirrors now standard in SV trim

2017 Nissan Juke Specs

Nissan Juke Rankings and Research

The two thousand seventeen Nissan Juke ranking is based on its score within the Subcompact SUVs category. Presently the Nissan Juke has a score of 7.7 out of ten which is based on our evaluation of fifty seven lumps of research and data elements using various sources.

Rankings

• # eight in Subcompact SUVs
• # twenty in SUVs with two Rows
• # thirty three in Crossover SUVs

2017 Juke Pictures

2017 Nissan Juke Review

The only thing keeping the two thousand seventeen Nissan Juke from the bottom of our subcompact SUV rankings is its excellent spectacle. It has a surprising amount of power and athleticism, but it does little else right.

Is the Nissan Juke a Good SUV?

The uniquely designed Nissan Juke is an active and playful driving machine, with spectacle that ranks among the best in the class. The standard turbocharged engine will get you moving, and you can adeptly carve corners with its suburb treating. But the positives pretty much end there.

The Juke gets low interior scores for its poor rear-seat and cargo space and use of budget materials. It also gets rather low safety scores, which is alarming given its diminutive size. Additionally, its lack of advanced driver assistance features doesn’t alleviate safety concerns. With a price tag that`s about average for the class, the Juke fights to justify itself among subcompact SUVs, unless spectacle is your main consideration.

The Juke is hardly a good vehicle, much less a good SUV.

Should I Buy the Nissan Juke?

The only reason to buy a Juke is if you want a cheap, funky, sporty SUV. It doesn’t do much else well enough to justify purchasing it over a better-ranked rival vehicle. Its passenger space is cramped and its cargo space is utterly limited, even among subcompact SUVs. It’s certainly a joy vehicle to drive, but unless your morning commute takes you through an area where you can indeed let liberate, you may not fully realize the Juke’s potential. And speaking of feeling, its sport suspension is good for spirted driving, but it also means you will feel every bump on the way to grocery store. Its turbocharged engine comes back superb gas mileage, but since it requires premium fuel, you will end up paying more for gas than in class rivals. Ultimately, its dismal crash test ratings and lack of advanced safety features mean that if spirited driving gets out of palm, you may not be well-protected.

If you are interested in the Juke because you don’t want your car to look like everything else on the road, consider the boxy Kia Soul or the Honda Civic hatchback. There are numerous higher-ranked and better vehicles that absolutely deserve your money. The Juke is not one of them.

We Did the Research for You: fifty seven Lumps of Data Analyzed

Our team`s mission is to help you determine if the two thousand seventeen Nissan Juke should be your next fresh SUV purchase. To do this, we`ve analyzed fifty seven lumps of research, including crash test and reliability ratings from independent agencies as well as the opinions of professional automotive journalists. We`ve done all the legwork for you and combined it into one comprehensive review to give you a clear picture of how the Juke compares to other SUVs in its class. That way, you can determine if it`s the right SUV for you.

The two thousand seventeen Nissan Juke was introduced in two thousand eleven and carries through to two thousand seventeen with minor switches. Therefore, this review uses research from the two thousand eleven through two thousand seventeen model years.

Why You Can Trust Us

At U.S. News & World Report, we`ve been ranking and reviewing cars for close to a decade. Our staff has seventy five years of combined practice in the automotive industry, and our objective is to help make one of your largest purchase decisions a stress-free practice. You should know that we do not accept expensive gifts or trips from car companies, and the advertising on our site is treated by a third party.

How Much Does the Nissan Juke Cost?

The base Nissan Juke S starts at $20,250. The Juke SV starts at $22,550. The next level is the Juke SL, which costs $25,240. The performance-tuned Juke NISMO starts at $24,830, and the top-tier Juke NISMO RS starts at $28,020.

The Juke S, SV, SL, and NISMO come with a 188-horsepower 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. The Juke NISMO RS comes with a 215-horsepower 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine. All Juke models require premium fuel, while the rest of the class uses regular unleaded as standard.

Every Juke comes standard with front-wheel drive. All-wheel drive is available in every trim. The Juke S, SV, and SL come standard with a continuously variable transmission (which functions like an automatic), while the NISMO and NISMO RS come standard with a six-speed manual transmission when tooled with front-wheel drive. All-wheel drive adds a CVT.

Check out our U.S. News Best Price Program for good savings at your local Nissan dealer. You can also find excellent manufacturer incentives on our Nissan deals page.

Nissan Juke Versus the Competition

Which Is Better: Nissan Juke or Nissan Rogue?

Tho’ neither is particularly well-ranked in its class, the Nissan Rogue compact SUV is a much better buy than the Juke. The Rogue is much larger in both passenger and cargo space. It can accommodate up to seven people with its optional third row, while the Juke fights to fit four adults cozily. Additionally, the Rogue employs Nissan`s handy Divide-N-Hide cargo management system to help you best configure its abundant cargo space. The Juke’s paltry amount of space behind its rear seats is less than what you’ll find is some puny sedans. Its total cargo footprint is less than half the amount of space available in the Rogue.

The Rogue is more expensive, however. The base Rogue starts at $23,820, which is $Three,570 more than the base Juke. Both base models are comparably tooled, but the Rogue indeed shows its value in upper trim levels. The midrange and top-tier Rogue add features like advanced driver assistance tech, a hands-free liftgate, and an upgraded infotainment system, as well as numerous available options. The Juke’s upper trims add a bit more power under the spandex hood, but not much else.

Inbetween the Rogue and the Juke, the Rogue is the better SUV.

Which Is Better: Nissan Juke or Mazda CX-3?

The Mazda CX-3 is one of the few options than can match the Juke on spectacle, but the similarities end there.

The CX-3 isn’t overly generous with cargo space, but it still provides more space than what you’ll find in the Juke. Where the CX-3 truly shines is in its driver assistance features. Both the Juke and CX-3 come standard with a rearview camera, but the CX-3 offers an abundance of advanced features, like pre-collision braking, blind spot detection, and adaptive cruise control. These features are not available in the Juke, nor in most of the vehicles in this class.

The CX-3 also shines in crash testing. Its five-star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and its Top Safety Pick+ title from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety should help put you at ease every time you get behind the wheel. The Juke, on the other mitt, receives low scores in the all-important front crash tests from both agencies.

The CX-3 hits the Juke in price, too. A base CX-3 starts below $20,000, and its top-of-the-line model stays below $25,000. A base Juke is $20,250, and a top-tier model can exceed $30,000. No matter how much you spend on the Juke, it will never have the advanced safety features or top safety scores of the CX-3.

Buy the CX-3; you won’t be sorry you did.

Which Is Better: Nissan Juke or Honda HR-V?

The Juke has better spectacle credentials, but if you want utility from your SUV, the Honda HR-V will serve you better.

The HR-V`s class-leading amount of cargo space is almost dual the amount of space you’ll find in the Juke. The HR-V is also much more convenient to shuttle four adults. The Juke is adequate for you and a friend up front, but the rear seats are best left to children.

A base HR-V is also about $1,000 less than a base Juke. You can rest assured your money will be well-spent on the HR-V; we named it the two thousand seventeen Best Subcompact SUV for the Money because it has the best combination of quality and value in the class.

Overall, the HR-V is among the best options in the class, and it`s a much better buy than the Juke.

Which Is Better: Nissan Juke or Kia Soul?

The Kia Soul is a funky, not-quite-an-SUV, not-quite-a-hatchback compact car. While its classification may be confusing, it`s crystal clear why the Soul is a much better buy than the Nissan Juke.

The Soul’s boxy form permits for an abundance of cargo space. Its total amount of cargo space lightly outclasses what you’ll find in any subcompact SUV, and it`s almost twice as much space as what is available in the Juke. The Soul’s boxy form also means that there is slew of space for you and three or four friends. The back seats of the Juke are best to left for backpacks and other cargo, as there is not much space to get convenient in.

The Soul also undercuts the Juke’s price. A base Soul is just $16,100, which is more than $Four,000 below the kicking off price of the Juke. The largest pitfall of the Soul is that it cannot be tooled with all-wheel drive like the Juke.

The Soul`s excellent crash test scores and reliability rating outclass the Juke`s. In fact, we named the Soul the two thousand seventeen Best Compact Car for the Money because it has the best combination of quality and value in the class. No amount of money can switch the Juke’s subpar crashworthiness rating.

The Soul is an infinitely better option than the Juke. However, if you need all-wheel drive, you will need to look elsewhere.

Juke Interior

How Many People Does the Juke Seat?

The Nissan Juke seats five people. While the front seats are comfy and provide slew of side support for spirited driving, rear-seat space is utterly limited. With just 36.7 inches of headroom and 32.1 inches of legroom, the back seat is best suited for children or smaller adults. Furthermore, the Juke’s rear doors have a taut opening, so your passengers will have to squeeze behind you to get in.

The Honda HR-V has more space for your rear occupants, with 38.Three inches of headroom and 39.Trio inches of legroom. However, its rear doors are on the petite side and the rear bench sits higher than others’ in the class, making getting into and out of the back seat a gymnastic challenge. The Kia Soul provides the most convenience for your rear passengers. It boxy form permits for almost forty inches of headroom and legroom. Even Andre the Giant would be convenient in the back of the Soul.

Juke and Car Seats

The Juke`s LATCH car-seat system is mostly effortless to use, with top anchors that are distinct from other parts of the seat. You might find the lower anchors hard to reach in the seat cushions, but there is enough space around them to budge your forearms and link the straps. However, the Juke’s limited rear-seat space and awkwardly petite doors complicate installation. If you plan on using a rear-facing car seat, test it out before you buy, as some car-seat models do not fit in the back seat and cannot be installed. Additionally, the rear bench is so narrow that fitting two car seats can be a challenge.

Juke Interior Quality

The Nissan Juke is one of the most distinctive vehicles on the road, given its unique exterior appearance. That quirkiness carries over inwards with large swaths of color and a center console design based on a motorcycle`s gas tank. There`s little demonstrable quality to be found here, however. Most surfaces are plastic and hard to the touch.

In comparison, the Honda HR-V has a classy design with upscale materials. The cabin of the Kia Soul is exceptionally well-constructed with high-quality materials, especially when considering its budget pricing.

Juke Cargo Space

Like seating room, the Juke offers little in the way of space for your stuff. It has only Ten.Five cubic feet of cargo space, which expands to 35.9 cubic feet if you fold the 2nd row. Those are very low numbers for the class, but it should be enough space for two people`s weekend getaway luggage or several grocery bags. The Honda HR-V leads the class with 24.Trio cubic feet of cargo space (58.8 cubic feet maximum). The Kia Soul has a cavernous cargo hold that gives you a total of 61.Three cubic feet of space.

Juke Infotainment, Bluetooth, and Navigation

Most of the controls for audio and climate are effortless to reach from the driver`s seat. An infotainment system only comes with trims above the base model, and you can use it to access apps like internet radio, social media, and satellite radio-linked traffic and weather.

The base Honda HR-V comes standard with an infotainment system that includes a 5-inch color screen and Bluetooth. The Kia Soul has an infotainment system available in the base trim, but it is not standard until you climb trims. Both have upgradable systems that include larger touch screens and more features, like smartphone integration.

Juke Spectacle

Juke Engine: Tho’ She Be But Little, She Is Fierce

The Nissan Juke features near best-in-class spectacle. Much of this is due to the standard turbocharged engine that puts out one hundred eighty eight horsepower. That amount lightly bests most other cars in the class, and you should be very pleased with how that translates to real-world application. Step on the gas and you`ll get good power right from the embark, all the way up to highway speeds. A common complaint about some turbocharged engines is that it takes a few seconds for most of the power to kick in. This is called turbo lag, and it`s virtually nonexistent in the Juke.

All trim levels but the base come with driving modes that you can switch inbetween to concentrate on aspects like spectacle or fuel economy. Sport mode increases throttle response for livelier acceleration, while Eco mode dials back the throttle response so you don`t burn through as much gas by stomping on the pedal.

Juke Gas Mileage: Premium Fuel for Premium Fuel Economy

The base Juke with an automatic transmission gets twenty eight mpg in the city and thirty two mpg on the highway, which are among the highest estimates in the class. If you spring for the available all-wheel drive, you`ll lose two mpg off both the city and highway estimates. The Juke NISMO trim with all-wheel drive and an automatic transmission gets a still-excellent twenty five mpg in the city and twenty nine on the highway.

The base Honda HR-V with an automatic transmission gets 28/34 mpg city/highway, while all-wheel drive diminishes these numbers to 27/31 mpg city/highway. The base Kia Soul with an automatic transmission gets 25/30 mpg city/highway, while its turbocharged engine adds one mpg in the city and on the highway.

Despite the Juke’s excellent fuel economy, you will actually pay more in fuel costs because it requires premium fuel. Regular unleaded is the norm for the majority of the class. Per year, you`ll pay $1,450 to pack up the base Juke. It will cost you $1,300 to pack up the Soul and $1,150 to pack up the HR-V each year.

If you are looking for something even more fuel-efficient, there are a few options available. The Toyota RAV4 Hybrid gets 34/30 mpg city/highway while also providing you much more space than the Juke. The Soul has an all-electric variant with ninety three miles of range.

Juke Rail and Treating: Sporty Treating, Rough Rail

The Juke`s excellent spectacle scores reflect its superb driving dynamics, which provide a good driving practice. Tho’ it`s an SUV, you might find the Juke treats like a petite, sporty car. It has precise steering and takes on corners with ease. That`s all due to the somewhat stiff suspension, which hurts the Juke in another way.

Over slick surfaces, the Juke mostly rails soft and conveniently. However, it`s quick to communicate bumps and shocks if you hit potholes or traverse uneven pavement. The better-ranked Honda HR-V is able to absorb rough roads and serve as a convenient daily driver.

As if the regular Juke wasn`t joy enough to drive, Nissan also offers two high-performance versions: the NISMO and NISMO RS. The Juke NISMO comes with a sport-tuned suspension and steering for better treating and a more deft driving practice. The RS has a boosted variant of the standard engine that produces two hundred fifteen horsepower. You`ll also get larger brakes for enlargened stopping power, a spectacle harass, and a limited-slip differential. Both NISMO models have more aggressive and aerodynamic exterior designs, as well as interior accoutrements like sport seats and NISMO-branded surfaces and materials.

Juke Reliability

Is the Nissan Juke Reliable?

J.D. Power and Associates gives the two thousand seventeen Nissan Juke a predicted reliability rating of three out of five, which is average compared to all other cars on the road (including all other subcompact SUVs).

The two thousand seventeen Honda HR-V receives a score of three out of five, which is about average, while the two thousand seventeen Kia Soul receives a Four.Five out of five, which is well above average.

Nissan Juke Warranty

Nissan covers the two thousand seventeen Juke with a three-year/36,000-mile basic warranty and a five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty. This is the same warranty you will find on the two thousand seventeen Honda HR-V and most of the options in this class.

The two thousand seventeen Kia Soul (along with all Kia vehicles) is covered by a best-in-class five-year/60,000-mile basic warranty and 10-year/100,000-mile powertrain warranty.

Juke Safety

Juke Crash Test Results

Safety is not a strong suit of the two thousand seventeen Nissan Juke. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the Juke only manages three out of five starlets in the significant frontal crash test and four starlets in the rollover test. It does not receive an overall evaluation. The Juke receives the lowest possible rating of Poor from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in the petite overlap front test, which simulates the driver’s side front corner of the vehicle colliding with an object like a telephone pole or the corner of an oncoming vehicle. The IIHS noted that the driver’s safety cell was not well-maintained in a crash like this, and severe injury to the driver is likely.

Both the two thousand seventeen Honda HR-V and two thousand seventeen Kia Soul receive a five-star overall rating from the NHTSA. The IIHS gives the Soul the highest rating of Good in every crash test category, while the HR-V receives a rating of Acceptable in the petite front overlap and side crash test. It receives a rating of Good in the other crash test categories.

Juke Safety Features

A rearview camera comes standard in the Juke, which is the case for about half of the other cars in the class and the majority of all fresh cars. The only other driver assistance feature is an optional 360-degree camera, which uses four cameras on each corner of the car to create a top-down view of your surroundings. Tho’ this system is handy, the Juke`s lack of advanced driver assistance features is inadequate when compared to all fresh cars. However, not many options in this class suggest a utter suite of features. If you are looking for autonomous features like pre-collision braking or adaptive cruise control, only the Mazda CX-3 offers them in this class. Other advanced features like lane keep assist are more common among well-ranked compact SUVs.

The Honda HR-V has a standard rearview camera, and its LaneWatch right-side blind spot camera system is optional. Strangely, the base Kia Soul doesn’t have a standard rearview camera, however it is optional. It becomes standard in upper trims. Other available features include forward collision warning, lane departure warning, blind spot detection, and rear cross traffic alert.

Which Nissan Juke Model Is Right for Me?

On the entire, the Nissan Juke is not a good buy. However, if you are determined to purchase one, stick with the base trim. As far as standard features go, you don’t build up much in upper trims to justify the price increase. If you live in a cold climate, the midrange SV may be worth it to you for its heated seats. Albeit the NISMO RS adds a more powerful engine, the Juke is so petite that the standard engine should be slew of power for most drivers. All-wheel drive is an expensive option, but if you plan on driving in inclement weather, it is well-worth the extra cost.

Nissan Juke Base

The standard Juke starts at $20,250, which is about average for the class. Standard features include cloth seating, a six-speaker audio system, a USB port, a 5-inch color display, Bluetooth phone connectivity and audio streaming, hands-free text messaging, Siri Eyes Free, a rearview camera, proximity-key entry, and push-button commence. All-wheel drive is available for an extra $1,850.

Nissan Juke SV

The next trim is the SV. It starts at $22,550 and comes with premium cloth, heated front seats, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, automatic climate control, a moonroof, satellite radio, and selectable driving modes. The optional $1,490 Tech package includes a Rockford Fosgate premium audio system, a 360-degree camera, and the NissanConnect infotainment system with a Five.8-inch touch screen, navigation, and voice instruction recognition. You can add all-wheel drive for $1,850.

Nissan Juke SL

The SL trim retails for $25,240, and standard features include leather seats, a leather-wrapped shift knob, and all the features of the SV`s Tech package. Here, all-wheel drive costs an extra $1,700.

Nissan Juke NISMO

The performance-oriented NISMO model ($24,830) upgrades the Juke`s steering, suspension, and exterior design. It also adds sport and suede front seats, an Alcantara-wrapped sport steering wheel, and other interior design elements. All-wheel drive is a $Two,400 add-on.

Nissan Juke NISMO RS

Eventually, the NISMO RS starts at $28,020 and comes with a more powerful version of the base engine, sport brakes, a tuned harass, a limited-slip differential, and further upgrades to the steering and suspension. All-wheel drive adds $Two,000 to the price.

Where Is the Nissan Juke Manufactured?

The two thousand seventeen Nissan Juke is built in Japan for the United States market. Nissan is a Japanese company headquartered in Japan. It also possesses Infiniti, its luxury brand.

Check out our U.S. News Best Price Program for good savings at your local Nissan dealer. You can also find excellent manufacturer incentives on our Nissan deals page.

The Final Call

The two thousand seventeen Nissan Juke is joy to drive, but that`s about the only good thing we can say about it. Its lil’ passenger and cargo holds, poor safety scores, and limited features list make this a bad buy. The Honda HR-V has class-leading cargo space, while the Kia Soul has excellent safety and reliability ratings. Even vehicles like the Volkswagen GTI and Mazda CX-3 match the Juke for driving excitement while adding in abundant space and features.

There are numerous other options on the market that will ultimately serve you better than the Juke. Don`t just take our word for it. Check out comments from some of the reviews that drive our rankings and analysis.

• “If you’re looking for a joy, sporty and affordable subcompact, and the idea of added ground clearance and all-wheel drive (AWD) sounds appealing, the two thousand seventeen Nissan Juke subcompact SUV has you covered. You can even get a manual transmission, for those who still know what that is. If you need space for passengers and cargo, a larger compact like the Honda CR-V or Nissan Rogue makes more sense. Still desire a subcompact? You’ll get better off-road capability in a Jeep Renegade and better fuel economy plus more interior room in a Honda HR-V.” — Kelley Blue Book
• “If having AWD is significant, it may be worth checking the wave of subcompact SUVs hitting dealers in 2015, including the two thousand fifteen Jeep Renegade, two thousand sixteen Honda HR-V, two thousand sixteen Fiat 500X and two thousand sixteen Mazda CX-3. But overall we recommend the Juke if you’re looking for a puny hatchback or crossover with sporting credentials.” — Edmunds (2016)
• “Nissan’s funky compact CUV features polarizing styling that elicits strong opinions but never comparisons to other cars, and its ‘sports sedan trapped in a crossover figure’ personality also sets it apart from the competition. Cramped rear seats and limited cargo space mean the Juke isn’t for everyone, but those who like the styling and prioritize driving enjoyment should take a close look.” — Left Lane News (2015)

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