The Nissan Juke NISMO RS: A Bizarrely Fast and Quirky Performance Crossover

The Unconventional Juke NISMO RS

• 💡 The 2017 Nissan Juke NISMO RS is a performance version of an already quirky crossover, baffling many with its existence.
• 🚀 It features a turbocharged 4-cylinder engine boosted to 215 horsepower, a significant increase over the standard Juke.
• 🏁 The RS model includes sport suspension, a limited-slip differential, and summer performance tires, aiming for a serious performance feel.

Distinctive RS Styling and Upgrades

• 🎨 Cosmetic enhancements include flared rocker panels, larger aggressive wheels, a rear diffuser, and a lower front air dam.
• 🔴 A signature thin red line runs around the car, complemented by red mirror caps and brake calipers, along with NISMO badging.
• 💡 The Juke's unique styling, particularly its divided front lighting and odd-shaped taillights, made it stand out in the small crossover market.

Interior NISMO Touches

• 💺 The interior boasts aggressive Recaro NISMO sport seats with deep bolsters, Alcantara inserts, and red stitching, designed to hold occupants firmly.
• 🧵 A NISMO floor mat and badge, along with Alcantara trim on the steering wheel and dashboard, reinforce the sporty theme.
• 🔴 The tachometer features a red face with NISMO branding, and the steering wheel includes a red center mark for driver orientation.

Interior Quirks and Features

• 🕹️ The climate control system doubles as a drive mode selector, with buttons changing labels to display vehicle information and adjust modes.
• 📸 A top-down camera is present, though its small display makes it questionably useful.
• 🔑 Unusual switch placement for the fuel door and hood release, and a manual all-wheel drive engagement switch, add to the car's eccentricities.

Driving Experience and Performance

• 💨 Despite the CVT automatic transmission (a manual was extremely rare), the Juke NISMO RS offers surprisingly brisk acceleration, feeling comparable to contemporary Subaru WRXs.
• 🎢 The ride quality is harsh due to the sport suspension, but the chassis remains composed in corners, reducing body roll.
• ⚠️ Steering is light, and with front-wheel drive, the car can exhibit wheel spin and torque steer during hard cornering, though the all-wheel drive system attempts to manage this.

Final Thoughts

• 🧩 The 2017 Nissan Juke NISMO RS is a unique and bizarre vehicle that excels in being unexpectedly quick and engaging, despite its oddities.
• 🏆 It received a DougScore of 47 out of 100, highlighting its status as a rare and peculiar performance car with few direct competitors.