2013 Nissan Juke Review

Nissan's five-seat Juke small crossover is about 20 inches shorter than the Rogue, the previous smallest crossover in the automaker's lineup, but it packs a more powerful engine and a sophisticated available all-wheel-drive system that together give the Juke a decidedly sporty bearing. A new Midnight Edition gives the Juke unique black 17-inch wheels, rear spoiler, and side mirrors. Juke SL models get an improved Rockford Fosgate audio system standard while SV models equipped with the navigation package now get backup cameras.

Available performance-oriented all-wheel-drive system can evenly split engine torque between the front and rear wheels, and also transfer torque between the rear wheels

With a single engine and a choice of manual or continuously variable (CVT) transmissions powering either the front or all four wheels, the Nissan Juke is a relatively simple vehicle to configure. The engine powering the 2013 Nissan Juke is a 1.6-liter turbocharged in-line four-cylinder, rated at 188 horsepower. The shifter in the manual is slick and positive, but manual-equipped Jukes are relatively rare. Though the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) rates the 2013 Nissan Juke a Top Safety Pick, its highest honor, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) scores the Juke just three stars in frontal crash tests, and four stars overall.

The IIHS' Top Safety Pick designation carries with it top marks in front, rear, side, and rollover crash testing.

Standard safety equipment on the Juke includes the usual complement of gear: dual front airbags, side airbags, and side-curtain airbags; anti-lock brakes; traction control and stability control; as well as tire-pressure monitors that sound the horn when a tire is low.

Driving the Juke, rearward visibility is better than you might expect based on its short side windows and thick rear pillars.

The midrange SV adds a sunroof, rear privacy glass, keyless entry/ignition, automatic climate control, upgraded upholstery, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, satellite radio and the Integrated Control (I-Con) system that allows you to select Normal, Sport and Eco (Economy) settings for throttle, steering and transmission (with the CVT) response. Other options include a Sport package (rear spoiler, stainless-steel exhaust outlet and unique wheels), a Chrome package (door handles, mirrors and side molding), a Midnight Edition package (black-painted wheels, spoiler and mirror covers) and an Interior Illumination package (accent lighting and illuminated door sill plates).

In Edmunds testing, a front-wheel-drive Juke with a CVT went from zero to 60 mph in 7.3 seconds, an impressively quick time for this category.

The 2013 Nissan Juke comes with a long list of standard safety features including antilock disc brakes, stability and traction control, active front head restraints, front-seat side airbags and side curtain airbags. In government crash tests, the Juke received four out of five stars for overall crash protection, with three stars for frontal-impact protection (four stars driver, three stars front passenger) and five stars for side-impact protection. The 2013 Nissan Juke offers a passenger cabin that's nearly as ambitious-looking as its exterior. The front seats are comfortable, with substantial side bolsters well suited to enthusiastic driving. The Juke's cargo area offers just 10 cubic feet behind the rear seats and 36 cubic feet with those seatbacks folded down.