The Nissan Juke: We Talk About It

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In New York they run a commercial where some yuppie is driving a Juke. He actually reaches over and presses a boost button on the touch display making it seem to go faster through traffic. I threw up in my mouth. Such a sad way to appeal to the car-ignorant. Not a driver's car I take it. Google juke & donut on YouTube for the sadness.

^what he said
THat's what I thought at first as well but the car's drive modes are controlled through the screen. It has ECO, normal, and sport modes so the commercial makes sense. Next.........
 
In New York they run a commercial where some yuppie is driving a Juke. He actually reaches over and presses a boost button on the touch display making it seem to go faster through traffic. I threw up in my mouth. Such a sad way to appeal to the car-ignorant. Not a driver's car I take it. Google juke & donut on YouTube for the sadness.

Reminds me of how I need to switch off the traction control in my own car every time I drive it so I can spin the wheels when I want. My car has 140 hp and a stick shift. WTF is the point of traction control here? It defaults to "on" for some reason.

On a car with less than 200 hp (the Juke) even if there were a driver- controlled way to control power with a button (doubt it really works anyway) why would you ever switch it off?

Don't like the styling either.

Over the last 10 years Nissan have some of the worst TV adds for cars I have seen, They have just improved in the UK though, maybe that change will filter to the US.

Traction control is a very good safety product. Regardless of engine output.

You switch off power to save fuel.

:dunce:

Anyway I just looked at the youtube video.
It just looks like he is pressing the sport mode button, I forget the Juke spec list, but normally a sport mode just changes steering weight/throttle pedal response. On expensive cars it can firm the suspension.
There is no boost button, just because a graphic shows boost, does not mean it has anything to do with boost. Don't believe everything you see in pictures.


I hate "politically correct" advertising messages. If I was making the advert I would have the guy lean out the window firing an AK47 shooting out cars and kids walking across the road, while saying to camera "actors and special effects".


Edit:Just as I thought I checked the Juke spec, all sport does it adjust steering wheel and throttle pedal, and CVT mapping.
No boost lol.
 
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blaaah
Over the last 10 years Nissan have some of the worst TV adds for cars I have seen, They have just improved in the UK though, maybe that change will filter to the US.

Traction control is a very good safety product. Regardless of engine output.

You switch off power to save fuel.

:dunce:

Anyway I just looked at the youtube video.
It just looks like he is pressing the sport mode button, I forget the Juke spec list, but normally a sport mode just changes steering weight/throttle pedal response. On expensive cars it can firm the suspension.
There is no boost button, just because a graphic shows boost, does not mean it has anything to do with boost. Don't believe everything you see in pictures.

I hate "politically correct" advertising messages. If I was making the advert I would have the guy lean out the window firing an AK47 shooting out cars and kids walking across the road, while saying to camera "actors and special effects".

Edit:Just as I thought I checked the Juke spec, all sport does it adjust steering wheel and throttle pedal, and CVT mapping.
No boost lol.

I think you may have missed the screen in the commercial. It clearly says "boost." I *know* it isn't actually that. Which makes it being on the screen in the first place ridiculous.
I know about sport mode buttons in real performance cars. I'll bet their softest settings are still pretty stiff compared to a Juke!

The dude in the YouTube commercial hits the screen and suddenly it looks like he hit the nitrous. Ha. That's not how it works. It's hype. And it's silly.

Traction control in weak cars (like mine) is marketing BS. This *is* the GT forums, no? You're not advocating driving aids "on?" :)
 
I don't want traction control in my car. But it's not marketing BS, it's an important safety feature and should be promoted to the general public for safe motoring, and for any power car. Even for 50bhp city cars traction control is just as relevant. The limit of capability is no better in a small powered car, as they have narrow low grip small tyres. On a dirty/wet road it could be a life saver.
 
blaaah
I don't want traction control in my car. But it's not marketing BS, it's an important safety feature and should be promoted to the general public for safe motoring, and for any power car. Even for 50bhp city cars traction control is just as relevant. The limit of capability is no better in a small powered car, as they have narrow low grip small tyres. On a dirty/wet road it could be a life saver.

At high speed on a low grip road the lifesaver is stability control. I think you may be confusing the two, though they may be related in operation depending on the car.

You don't want TC in your car and neither do I. We disagree as to the value of TC in an underpowered car. It definitely is a marketable feature.

In the end I really don't think it makes too much difference if TC is present as long as it is defeatable. My beef with mine is it defaults to "on" and I need to disable it every start.
 
blaaah
Isn't there a fuse in your fusebox for the TC, you might just be able to remove it.

Good idea, seriously.

Actually tried last summer except it kills the ABS and that isn't something I feel like giving up! The TC in my car must be using the ABS selectively to stop wheelspin and the fuse is common to both systems.
Plus then the ABS and TC lights stay on too.

Turning it off is just a habit now. No sweat. Plus I'm not screwing around with a car still under warranty.
 
I wonder if the electronic setting that is pre-set to activate at a certain amount of slip can be reconfigured to another value, whereby making the TC more like race car TC, or just never come on. It would effect your warranty though.
 
Well referring to a girl with looks that only her parents would love as "it" doesn't sound too mean.:dopey:

But I like your answer.

Typo:D

Even the Mazda 3 looks tons better than the Juke.
5317565358_84805e9522.jpg


I don't mind the interior though.
 
You don't want TC in your car and neither do I. We disagree as to the value of TC in an underpowered car. It definitely is a marketable feature.

If you're still referring to the Juke, I wouldn't call it underpowered, especially for the size of car. I know Americans don't get out of bed for anything less than 300bhp but 190-ish in a FWD Juke is enough to trouble the front tyres and traction control becomes quite a handy tool.

In modern cars the TC is intrinsically linked with the ABS and stability control too so I don't think it's just a simple fuse removing job if you want rid of it. It wouldn't surprise me if some modern cars wouldn't even let you start the car if you removed a fuse for a driver aid...

Actually, there are some cars where I don't mind all the technology, and the Juke is one of them. As a tallish and shortish car, the Juke is never going to be the most nimble thing to drive, but it does have bold styling so I think the electronics kind of add to the package - it'll be fun to drive, but not a track-day car, so loading it full of tech would just add to the day-to-day fun, even silly stuff like the little central display thing.

If I had the money for a Juke I'd go right for the top spec one - the turbocharged engine, AWD and the CVT. Most of the driving I do seems to be in traffic or on motorways anyway so a manual gearbox is lost on me a lot of the time. The AWD would be useful for all the crummy weather we get and the combination of fairly small size but reasonably high driving position is great around town.

With £20k ish to spend on a brand new car my money would probably be going the way of a Juke.
 
It's always disappointing to see a 4WD version of the same car/engine be significantly slower than a FWD version. That's the CVT, if only they did the 4WD with a manual, it could have so much more potential.
I see Jeep are bringing out a Juke rival, similar in size, using Fiat engines from a 1.3 and a 1.4 and a 1.6 diesel. Though I suppose they will only max out at 170bhp from a 1.4 turbo, unless they bring out the 1750cc engine to beat the Juke with 190bhp+. They will also do FWD and 4WD flagship versions.
 
No, it's the CVT. You can go in my view go over 150kgs heavier and still be quicker in a 4wd.
The Audi touring cars had a 150kgs weight penalty of the 2WD opponents but Audi still won the championship.
Thats why the GTR is so quick, when there are many cars more powerful and much lighter but can't get even close.

The CVT is no good at performance or operating a 4WD system.

A simple example
Audi RS3 0-60mph in 4.5 seconds 2.5 v5 335bhp 1650kgs
Ford RS500 0-60mph in 5.2 seconds 2.5 v5 345bhp 1467kgs

Audi less powerful and 183kgs heavier, but much faster, not just from standstill but on real roads from good traction, getting all the power down.

Same applies with the VW 4WD Golf R and the FWD Scirocco R.

A 4WD Juke could get much more power down at speed but can't even at standstill because the CVT is not good enough.
Juke FWD 0-60mph 7.7s 1286kgs
Juke 4WD 0-60mph 8.1s 1425kgs
Only 139kgs difference, but opposite result.
 
If you're still referring to the Juke, I wouldn't call it underpowered, especially for the size of car.

The 180 BHP and the near-flat torque curve, combined with Nissan's surprisingly well-done CVT gearbox and their trick AWD system... It proves to be a pretty spunky vehicle. Really, anything less than eight seconds to 60 MPH is pretty damn quick. Doing it in nearly seven flat is bending physics for most people. Considering that, through the use of black magic, they can still muster 32 MPG on the highway - it is one clever car.
 
But it can't, it does it in over 8 seconds with the 4WD.

Another highlight of how bad the CVT is to the Juke, this time using the same drive, FWD.


Juke FWD MAN 115bhp 0-60mph 10.6s
Juke FWD CVT 115bhp 0-60mph 11.1s
CVT also adds dead weight of 41kgs even when the same axle drive.

I reckon If the 190bhp Juke could have proper 4WD and manual it could be close to 7 seconds to 60mph.
 
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Since the beginning of time, regular auto transmissions have been slower than manuals, how is the CVT any different? Add 200lbs+ for the 4WD and guess what, even slower.

edit
Cross comparing manufacturers solely based on 4WD and ignoring gearing, weight, 4WD type and all other things that matter. Good job, you wasted my time, again.
 
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eSZee
Take the trans out of the equation and it's the weight. Since the beginning of time, regular auto transmissions have been slower, how is the CVT any different?

Auto transmissions are slower because they usually have fewer gears and a sloppy torque converter. A CVT has infinite ratios (within a range.)

The more gears in a transmission the more time the engine stays at peak torque/hp.

Depending on the construction of the of the CVT it has the potential to be faster than auto or manual transmissions as long as the gear ratio spread is equivalent to the other type of trans.
 
Since the beginning of time, regular auto transmissions have been slower than manuals, how is the CVT any different? Add 200lbs+ for the 4WD and guess what, even slower.

edit
Cross comparing manufacturers solely based on 4WD and ignoring gearing, weight, 4WD type and all other things that matter. Good job, you wasted my time, again.

You haven't read properly.
 
Yes, you're right. The power losses on a CVT are still usually higher than a manual but lower than auto.
 
eSZee
Yes, you're right. The power losses on a CVT are still usually higher than a manual but lower than auto.

I hadn't though about power losses. Might be significant. I guess if the CVT has slippage there is a loss there. Need to research this more...
 
CVTs aren't made for performance, they are made for effortless and smooth driving. My wife's Jeep Patriot has the CVT transmission and it is one smooth car. You gather speed without feeling it. The bad thing is when you floor it, it revs to a predetermined point, and stays there. Feels a lot like a slipping clutch, and with a crummy sounding engine (like the Jeep Patriot) it sounds like a food blender on max speed.
 
Nissan will eventually come around to throw a manual stick into the car.

Not many people over here are too enthused about CVTs, at least that's coming from the people I met who drove CVT cars.
 
Their 4WD system maybe be fundamental to CVT though. They have a history of only doing auto only 4WD cars, apart from the GTR of course.
 
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