Nissan Juke gets torque vectoring 4WD system

Nissan Juke gets torque vectoring 4WD system

We really have to take our hats off to Nissan for bringing the wacky Qazana concept (shown here last year) to production as the Juke without watering it down much. As a younger sibling to the Qashqai crossover, the Juke is meant to be an alternative to the B-segment supermini class, just like how the Qashqai tempted many Golf/Focus to opt for something less conventional.

And it’s not just the looks that stand out, for the Juke has surprisingly advanced mechanicals when Nissan could have got away relying on just the funky styling. Three engines will be available when European sales start later this year: a 1.5 diesel and two 1.6-litre petrol units, all Euro 5 compliant. The range topping engine is a new turbocharged petrol engine with direct injection, producing 187 bhp and 240 Nm. Nissan claims “performance from a 2.5-litre engine with the economy of a smaller engine”.

Nissan Juke gets torque vectoring 4WD system

The other petrol unit is the HR16DE that Malaysian Latio and Grand Livina owners are familiar with. Improved for the Juke, the 1.6-litre engine gets a unique dual-injection system which allows finer metering of the fuel sprays for better combustion. Other changes include a larger exhaust manifold, retuned intake manifold, twin VTC, improved intake tumble flow and new catalyst with a hexagon cell formation. New pistons with revised crowns and integral oil jet cooling have been adopted along with low friction techniques such as diamond-like carbon coating on the valve lifters. With all those tweaks, vital figures now stand at 115 bhp and 157 Nm from 108 bhp/153 Nm, while fuel efficiency is claimed to be much improved. Petrol engines come with either a six-speed manual or Nissan’s Xtronic CVT.

The range topping turbo variant gets Nissan’s All-Mode 4X4-i electronic system with a new function – lateral torque vectoring capability. This not only splits torque between front and rear axles, but from side-to-side across the rear axle as well. The system counts wheel speed, steering angle, yaw rate and lateral G to distribute torque, and is effective in reducing understeer. In total, up to 50% of total available engine torque can be sent to either rear wheel. The rear axle incorporates electric couplings at either end plus a new final-drive. So now when your BMW X6 owner friend boasts about his torque vectoring system, share with him this piece of news.

Nissan Juke gets torque vectoring 4WD system

I took the chance to sit in the Juke and found the rear quarters to be quite tight compared to superminis like the Honda Jazz and Perodua Myvi/Daihatsu Sirion. I fit in, but six footers are sure to brush their heads against the headlining. The driver enjoys a nice steering wheel with sporty instruments, while the climate control screen is a full-colour unit incorporating readouts such as fuel consumption. Pleasing design, but dash plastics are hard.

UPDATE: Fresh live pictures added to the gallery, including headroom shots that some have requested for.

More live pictures after the jump.

Nissan Juke live images from Geneva
[zenphotopress number=999 album=904]
Nissan Juke official images
[zenphotopress number=999 album=834]

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Danny Tan

Danny Tan loves driving as much as he loves a certain herbal meat soup, and sweet engine music as much as drum beats. He has been in the auto industry since 2006, previously filling the pages of two motoring magazines before joining this website. Enjoys detailing the experience more than the technical details.

 

Comments

  • gooddaymate! on Mar 03, 2010 at 3:30 pm

    bulat bulat

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  • FLTchong on Mar 03, 2010 at 3:36 pm

    Nice looking car especially in white..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Front looks like triton and rear headroom looks limited.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • UGLY

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  • mohd hafizzul on Mar 03, 2010 at 3:54 pm

    Aku tengok keta ni macam katok pise pun ada….hahaha…Tiu

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • NiceCar (Member) on Mar 03, 2010 at 4:06 pm

    This car mostly for the youngster who prefer the unique style and character.

    The tail light same concept with 370Z?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • OMG IT'S SO UGLY I CAN'T WAIT WHAT JEREMY CLARKSON HAS TO SAY ABOUT IT

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Mazda 3 MPS is a sto on Mar 03, 2010 at 4:12 pm

    my gosh…I pretty sure somebody gonna say it ugly..but I love it..wish it will come here

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Jeffrey Chew on Mar 03, 2010 at 4:36 pm

    ugly…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Any plan to bring this to Malaysia. Awesome tech.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 2 Thumb down 0
  • joe amirnor on Mar 03, 2010 at 4:47 pm

    Nice ..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • acerman on Mar 03, 2010 at 4:59 pm

    It looks like a big red bug.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • acerman on Mar 03, 2010 at 5:00 pm

    …or a frog…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • xsaraloeb (Member) on Mar 03, 2010 at 5:00 pm

    Nice design and rugged. hope TCM bring it in

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 1 Thumb down 0
  • Jibon on Mar 03, 2010 at 5:10 pm

    Cool Car.. Am i'm 1st?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Auto_crat on Mar 03, 2010 at 5:10 pm

    Bugs!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • scarline on Mar 03, 2010 at 5:16 pm

    dannng~

    speechless

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Azlan SAlim on Mar 03, 2010 at 5:35 pm

    ahahahaa…seems like kena sengat tebuan or lebah…bengkak sana sini…nice colour tho…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • The Royal Academy of on Mar 03, 2010 at 5:39 pm

    this car is meant for asians. rarely asians are over 6 feet tall. screw the europeans.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • fiskter on Mar 03, 2010 at 5:45 pm

    Buruk tak ingat… asal kereta jepun, org kata cantik..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • anak dato' kk on Mar 03, 2010 at 6:31 pm

    1.6 with 115bhp???? boleh naik GH ke???….hmmm….. any basher here?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • anak dato' kk on Mar 03, 2010 at 6:32 pm

    Juke….or joke??

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Peter on Mar 03, 2010 at 6:34 pm

    Juke sounds like junk…….But well….average design and styling…..and as for the interior……its very ugly and abit outdated. Kinda cheap……As for the engine………1.6l engine is kinda too weak…..As for 2.5l…..i think it will be adequate…..Will be judging from the price….It may be a good buy…..But from JDM market…….it will be kinda too expensive when it reached here………. .

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • subhero on Mar 03, 2010 at 6:34 pm

    WHICH One the headlamp?.

    the sharp ? or the bulat?.

    look nice what.. better than x6?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Eric Octaviano on Mar 03, 2010 at 6:37 pm

    Wicked ! Two thumbs up for Nissan for the design, this is definitely outside the box.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • sujak on Mar 03, 2010 at 6:59 pm

    the designer stuck with the ideas. look so funny

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • sujak on Mar 03, 2010 at 7:00 pm

    ultraman car

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • wallstreet on Mar 03, 2010 at 7:04 pm

    All new Fiat Multipla……….What kind of insect is this??

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • so so so ugly!!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • kimi_ on Mar 03, 2010 at 8:33 pm

    If this consider UGLY, then Proton is a piece of shit already !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • munky on Mar 03, 2010 at 9:29 pm

    tu la pasal. As long as it's not proton, it can be said beautiful. If it's a proton, konfem kena kaw2

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • gooddaymate! on Mar 03, 2010 at 9:40 pm

    nasib baik badge dia nissan, kalau P1, mesti kene bash with P1 Basher… in term of tech… mmg best

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • fister on Mar 03, 2010 at 9:58 pm

    fiskter said,

    March 3, 2010 @ 9:45 am

    Buruk tak ingat… asal kereta jepun, org kata cantik..

    ———————————————

    setuju sangat… kalau ni bukan nissan, mesti orang kata buruk… lebih2 lagi kalau kete dari china..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Jane Yong on Mar 03, 2010 at 10:42 pm

    Danny, can you upload a picture of the rear seat so I can see if it'll me? thanks very much…I love the juke :)

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Brian on Mar 03, 2010 at 10:52 pm

    This looks like a perfect rugged city car! Bring in the 1.5 diesel, perfect for the pothole ridden and flood prone roads we have here. I'll be the first to buy it when it comes in.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • amouse on Mar 03, 2010 at 11:10 pm

    why… whyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy so ugly.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • what were they thinking?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • nazri on Mar 03, 2010 at 11:19 pm

    1.6 liter 115hp.. leh sampai genting ke? dah la body gemok bulat je.. hiks2.. :p

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Ordinary Joe on Mar 03, 2010 at 11:38 pm

    Sorry, just can't appreciate the design cues. Its a weird looking little thing!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • staff on Mar 04, 2010 at 1:49 am

    scary looking car…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Neo.S on Mar 04, 2010 at 2:47 am

    it look better if they take off the 2 head light …..still feel the headlight look kacau

    rear look weird ….

    if it on the road …….i guess the car will stand out …..cause still look weird

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • niuhje on Mar 04, 2010 at 2:54 am

    words fail me….

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • john joe on Mar 04, 2010 at 3:02 am

    smiling from ear to ear

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • i wonder what drugs those nissan designers took….to inspire them to produce this car!

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • 4G63T DSM on Mar 04, 2010 at 5:57 am

    Active lateral torque transfer?

    Honda had the ATTS in the 97 Prelude and the last Acura RL had the Super-handling AWD as with the RDX and MDX.

    So no, this isn't new.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • xulism on Mar 04, 2010 at 6:04 am

    If this P1 model, sure they will kutuk kaw2…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Danny Tan (Member) on Mar 04, 2010 at 6:32 am

    4G63T DSM, I meant that torque vectoring is a new function of Nissan's All-Mode 4X4 system, not a new invention

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  • Very exotic.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Jane Yong on Mar 04, 2010 at 5:20 pm

    Danny Tan is that u sitting in the Juke??? u so lucky…TQ for the photos :)

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • fiskter on Mar 04, 2010 at 6:07 pm

    WTF said,

    March 3, 2010 @ 8:57 pm

    i wonder what drugs those nissan designers took….to inspire them to produce this car!

    ________________________________

    hahaha.. makan candu masuk angin kot.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • elww78 on Mar 04, 2010 at 7:40 pm

    UGLY beast… but would I would definitely want to own it…its a head turner..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Danny Tan (Member) on Mar 06, 2010 at 11:23 am

    Jane, Yes that's me! My hair was brushing against the headlining even though I'm not nearly six foot tall, not sure if that's obvious from the picture though.

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • Jane Yong on Feb 23, 2012 at 10:39 am

      Danny are you single when u sitting there? Very handsome guy, i like ur jeans, ur hairs is so juke too…

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • ML Syafiq on Mar 13, 2010 at 7:37 pm

    Nissan Froggy…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • dream on Jul 12, 2010 at 5:03 pm

    methink better the Kia Soul…

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • Sylar on Jul 13, 2010 at 12:23 am

    ugliest ever! but interior is ok..

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
  • How to open the rear door from outside?

    Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
    • SeXy 4ever on Oct 20, 2010 at 3:23 pm

      there is a hidden handle beside the rear window, I saw it on an Euro TV CM.

      The interior look nice, especialy the centre console, it looks like a tank of a motocycle, but for the external looks, I prefer Suzuki SX4 Xover, It look nicer….

      Like or Dislike: Thumb up 0 Thumb down 0
 

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