What is it?

The Nissan X-Trail SUV and Qashqai crossover had been the highlights of its global reveal in October 2022 and the former has been confirmed for launch next year while the latter is expected to arrive in 2024. While these stole the limelight, Nissan did have another vehicle for us which was the quirky-looking Juke crossover. On sale since 2007, this vehicle has been the mainstay of Nissan’s small lineup in the European market and was aimed at Gen X and now in the current avatar, the Gen Z.

How is it on the outside?

The Juke, since its inception, has been a quirky and funky-looking crossover, with these bug-shaped headlamps, curvy lines, flared wheel arches and massive diamond-cut wheels that give it a hunkered-down stance. The rear gets rectangular lamps with an arrow-like design while it sits high with curvy elements dominating the back too.

At just 4.2 metres, the Juke might not exceptionally be a large car but it does have all the presence needed to make sure you don’t miss it in a crowd of cars. As we advance in our choice of cars in terms of segment and preferences, a quirky-looking vehicle like the Juke will appeal to those who want to stand out among the crowd. If I had to take this forward, even more, a car like the Juke will appeal to those that fell in love with the bug-eyed design of the first Micra that came to India around 2009.

How is it on the inside?

Inside, the Juke is standard Nissan fare with many familiar elements that can be seen across various Nissan models above and below it. This is most visible in elements like the steering wheel, buttons and dual-digital displays. The cabin strangely enough looks quite standard and is not funky, quirky or oddly placed like the exterior of the car.

The car that we got to examine during the global reveal was an LHD model and was a top-of-the-line variant. This meant that the car was sporting features like a digital instrument cluster, touchscreen infotainment system with a 10-inch display, climate control, steering-mounted audio controls, leatherette upholstery, power windows, power mirrors and auto-dimming IRVM.

On the safety front, if and when Nissan does launch the Juke in India, it will get six airbags, ABS with EBD, stability programme; traction control, hill-hold and hill start assist. We can also expect things connected to car technology, a blind-spot monitor and a 360-degree camera as a part of the setup.

What is under the hood?

The car that we examined was powered by a 1.6-litre petrol engine with hybrid technology. The engine and electric motor work in tandem to produce 141bhp and the SUV also gets regenerative braking where the electric motor acts as a generator to capture kinetic energy and store it as electricity. Moreover, the Juke can also run in EV mode at speeds up to 55kmph.

Will it come to India?

Now Nissan has strictly said that the Juke is not planned for the Indian market as of now and was brought here to gauge public reaction. Its quirky looks and a relatively high price tag of the equivalent of Rs 19 lakh (depending on the market) will make it a difficult proposition to market as a Hyundai Creta rival. What we can take away from looking at the Juke are updates for the Nissan Magnite and the basis for a much-needed D-SUV that will take on the Hyundai Creta, Kia Seltos, Maruti Grand Vitara, Toyota Urban Cruiser Hyryder, MG Hector and the Tata Harrier.

Photography: Aditya Nadkarni