I know this will sound extremely pretentious but character is not something you can engineer into a car. Some have it and some just don't. Take the previous Audi RS6. It's a road rocket that — despite all the trappings of a lush executive saloon — goes, stops and steers like a serious sportscar. Engineering-wise it's a substantial achievement, but to me it always felt a bit vacant in the soul department. Similarly, the Maserati Quattroporte is not a particularly fast car, but it just drips character.
Long-term review: Nissan Juke - Week 3
Long-term review: Nissan Juke - Week 2
Long-term review: Nissan Juke - Week 1
As you venture lower down the food chain, though, the thoughts of driving sensation and character perish at the altar of accounting reality. It's more about trim than tractability. In fact, there have been very few sub-100K cars that I've come across that feel special. The Juke is one of those few. It's not exactly spacious and there are some glaring omissions in the cabin, but overall it's an unapologetic piece of car design. Sure those looks take some getting used to, but nothing I've driven in this price range turns as many heads. Even the interior, which comes across as fiddly initially, becomes a strong suit because it defies convention.
And although I still think the CVT is rubbish — it lets the engine race ahead of your travelling speeds and generally doesn't contribute positively to the car's driving dynamics — and AWD unnecessary, I quite like the Juke. I think it's got character and that makes it likeable. Eventually.
On a more tangible note, it goes for its 5,000km service soon. More on that next week.
