By Kerry Hayes, Images www.nissan.co.za
The Nissan Juke DIG -T Tekna is a most surprising vehicle. Don’t believe that the size of a car is an indication of load bearing, power and aesthetics – this little firebrand is a quick and quirky powerhouse.
My everyday car is an automatic, so I quite enjoyed the transition back to manual in the Juke, rediscovering the tighter control (in my opinion) that a manual affords. Three driving modes – Normal, Sport and Eco – give a selection of experiences, each having its own benefits. Being an incognito-supercar-driver, my dial came to rest on Sport mode, which fully showcased the 1.6-litre direct injection turbo engine.
Well, you little tease, Juke! The acceleration of this car is amazing, as she gives a gentle warm-up to each gear change (of which there are six), then kicks her heels to the wind in blow-your-hair-back style, going from 0 to 100km/h in just eight seconds. I loved this about the Juke, and took every opportunity to zip around the more moderately-paced motorists, leaving them trailing in my dust.
My top three criteria when it comes to cars, in this order, are: aesthetics, power and safety. The athletic and outspoken physique of the Juke grew on me very quickly (coming from a space where I generally tend towards elegance, finesse, sweeping lines, and so forth), with its sleek “boomerang” rear lights taking their hat off to the iconic Z sports car, spacey interior accessories, and moulded interior ergonomics with sporty red stitching. The interiors are almost futuristic, with motorbike-inspired centre console, and brushed steel motorsport-orientated speedometer gauges.
Comfort and tech-spec are the next two in my top-five list, and the very clever employment of technology made driving a comfortable and engaging pleasure. The I-CON system, a first in the market, enables the driver to alternate between climate control and drive mode on the same driver interface, offering real-time information from G-force, to torque curve and fuel consumption.
While on the topic of comfort, I would like to give a standing ovation to the heated seats (which I used every day in the chilly winter mornings), keyless entry and ignition, Bluetooth connectivity to my tablet, iPod USB connection, and brilliant sound system.
For the young executive who loves dynamic design, fuel efficiency, all-round fun and a bit of a cheeky tease on the side, the Nissan Juke is not a leap of faith, but a leap of fantastic.
With thanks to Nissan South Africa and AOG Media for the test drive.
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