Power Wheels Magazine A Notch Above
During their 2nd Anniversary celebration, Nissan Philippines, Inc. just launched a vehicle that might just make you rethink how you’ll spend your Christmas money. In line with their “Innovation to Excite”, they’ve finally brought in the Juke, their subcompact crossover which will definitely make everyday driving just that much more interesting.
Made in Japan, Nissan’s latest offering has a sporty look about it, having what they call the ROBIOTIC design concept. Under this, Nissan takes the mechanical (ROBO) and combines it with the living body (BIO) to produce a masculine and agile exterior, and an interior that combines mechanical precision with dynamic movement.
It commands attention with its boomerang LED combination lamps set high upon the hood, large round headlamps. Nissan’s signature V-grille, coupled with an under guard intake, further enhance the sportiness of the new Nissan Juke’s exterior.
Inside, radical character lines and hooded gauges on the center console add to the bold nature of the vehicle. Sport-bolster driver and passenger seats, which keep the rider’s body in place when in motion and a diving fin inspired door trim design, add to the new Nissan Juke’s sporty personality.
Raked front pillars open up a large windshield for improved all-around visibility, while a sloped rear roofline combines with its muscular lower body sides to emphasize strength and sportiness. Embedded rear door handles in the rear pillars give it the look of a 2-door sports coupe. It’s 17-inch alloy wheels gives boldness and power to the Nissan Juke’s overall design. There’s enough space for five passengers to fit in comfortably. A fold-down 60/40-split bench rear seat and flat load floor can be configured as needed in order to accommodate groceries, sports gear, luggage or people.
There’s the Integrated Control System (I-CON). This versatile, multi-colored system allows drivers to change the drive and climate modes at a touch. Drive mode offers three different drive settings, Normal, Sport and Eco. Normal mode combines performance and efficiency, Sport mode delivers more power for a more agile and responsive drive and lastly, Eco mode maximizes the vehicles fuel efficiency. It also toggles the controls in Climate mode, with the display panel showing the interior temperature settings and air flow preferences.
The Juke available locally will be powered by the HR16DE 1.6L DOHC gasoline engine mated with the new generation Xtronic Continuously Variable Transmission (CVT) putting our 116PS at 5,600rpm with 154Nm of torque at 4,000rpm. For stability, its equipped with independent MacPherson struts and the torsion beam axle rear suspension.
It boasts of quite a few safety features, anti-lock braking system, electronic brake-force distribution, brake assist, and dual front airbags, with convenience features such as the integrated control system, rear parking camera, and cruise control.
The new Nissan Juke represents Nissan’s commitment to delivering “Innovation that Excites” to their customers.
Deliveries start in January 2016. SRP of P980,000, available as a 4×2 variant. It will come in Red Alert, Solar Yellow, Pearl White, and Black Obsidian.
Photos by Neil Pagulayan