2014 Nissan Juke NISMO RS – A hot mess, but still lots of fun
Likes:
Overachieving little turbo engine now makes 215 hp and 210 lb.- ft. torque
Recaro seats are superbly supportive
Exterior styling is anything but bland
Despite shortcomings, still a ton of fun to drive
Dislikes:
Still looks rather goofy
AWD is only available with a CVT
Suspension needs additional refinement
Really more of a tiny hot hatch than any kind of SUV
If the idea of a mini SUV seems strange, then a high performance mini SUV is just downright weird. This hasn’t stopped Nissan from taking its little Juke and giving it the NISMO treatment, and for this year, there is an even more potent Juke in the form of the NISMO RS. Even though we still can’t quite wrap our heads around it, we have to admit that this is one fun little misfit of an SUV.
To create a NISMO RS, Nisan takes the 1.6 L turbo engine found in the regular Juke and bumps the output to an impressive 215 horsepower, which is 27 more than a regular Juke, and 18 more than the non-RS NISMO. Torque also gets a healthy increase, from 177 to 210 lb.-ft.
The only wrinkle is that this extra power only happens if you order the manual transmission and front wheel drive. A CVT with AWD is available, but then the engine gets detuned to 211 horsepower and 184 lb.-ft. torque. Although we surely don’t mind rowing the gears ourselves, a small car with front wheel drive and that much torque is sure to get interesting.
Luckily our test car came with all the ponies under the hood, which did prove to be a bit of a handful. There is some turbo lag at lower rpms, but once it spools up you better have both hands on the wheel, as there is noticeable torque steer. Keep it pinned and the acceleration is grin inducing, and is nicely complemented by an audible turbo whoosh every time you lift off the throttle to shift.
Click any item to open the gallery carousel
Nissan also upgrades the handling for the NISMO RS, with stiffer springs, more aggressive dampers, lower ride height, recalibrated steering, and bigger brakes. The NISMO RS also gets a set of racy Recaro front seats, which feature excellent bolstering and are also quite comfy. And to make sure that everyone knows that you’re driving the most potent little Juke, the exterior and interior are littered with red accents, including the side mirrors, brake calipers, and dash gauges. Given the already rather goofy styling of the Juke, this turns the NISMO RS into quite the cartoon car. Anyone looking to not be noticed should probably stay far away.
Unfortunately all this work hasn’t resulted in the most refined little runabout. In fact, the Juke NISMO RS is a bit of a hot mess out on the road. The suspension is somewhat harsh over bumps, but still rolls quite a bit in the corners. The brakes are also too grabby, and pushing it hard results in fun robbing understeer.
Still, with sticky tires and a punchy engine, we absolutely concede that the Juke NISMO RS is fun to drive. Working through the gears of the well-executed manual transmission and feeling the surge of torque pull the car out of each turn, you just can’t help but smile. With so many well-executed but still rather mild mannered cars out on the road, you can’t help but almost like the Juke NISMO RS for all its flaws.
What Others Are Saying About the Juke NISMO RS:
Ben Wojdyla from autoblog.com - opens in new window or tab. gives the Juke NISMO RS a generally favorable review. Noting that the “confidently ridiculous” styling is somewhat polarizing, he nonetheless thinks it looks cool. “It goes without saying that this isn't a car for everyone.”
Out on the road, the Juke NISMO RS is “indistinguishable from a classic hot hatch,” which is to say, a lot of fun. With a $26k base price, the NISMO RS does face some stiff competition from actual hot hatches like the GTI, although it does have a lot more “visual chutzpah.” Summing it up, “The RS is by no means a perfectly behaved performer, but it's a ton of fun, and that's what really counts.”
2014 Nissan Juke NISMO RS
Engine: 1.6L turbcharged inline 4-cylinder
Power: 215 hp @ 6000 rpm (manual) | 211 hp @ 6000 rpm
This article is meant to provide general guidance only. Automotive maintenance, repair, upgrade, and installation may depend on vehicle-specifics such as make and model. Always consult your owner's manual, repair guide for specific information for your particular vehicle and consider a licensed auto-care professional's help as well, particularly for advance repairs.
