THE Juke was the subject of Nissan’s most successful launch ever.
Some 3,000 orders were put down for the car by anxious customers eager to get their hands on the curvy crossover, and ever since it was launched it has proved to be a strong player in the sector.
‘Before it’s launch, we placed one-third scale models of the Juke in our dealers’ showrooms with interactive screens that let dealers show off the car to customers early,’ explained Paul Willcox, Nissan GB managing director.
It obviously worked. It’s probably due to the Juke being one of the boldest cars to arrive in Nissan showrooms before and since.
Five key facts about the Juke…
Record number built
The Sunderland plant has increased its Juke production capacity by more than 30 per cent last year, producing 65K units in just eight months. Full capacity was reached after just six weeks – which is a record for the factory.
Quality
Not only is the Juke’s construction class-rivalling, but from its launch Nissan set out to make sure that the level of quality matched the Qashqai – a car renowned for its sturdy build. The Juke’s underpinnings are known to be up to the job too. They form the basis of other products from Renault and Nissan – namely the successful Clio, Note and Micra models.
Strong segment seller
After only six months of sales, the Juke has established itself as a very strong seller in both the UK and the compact segment. Since launch the car has been in the top 10 sellers meaning that more and more customers are coming through Nissan dealers’ doors – often customers who have never bought a Nissan before. Moreover, Juke production figures are three times greater than those of the Citroen DS3, ahead of the Renault Clio and Audi A1, and only 81 units behind the Mini!
Award Winner
The LEAF might have won the European Car of the Year award, but the Juke was also nominated in numerous award categories in Europe. The Juke has three awards to its name already, with the most recent being the ‘Continental Irish Car of the Year Award 2011’ from Irish Motoring Writers Association.
World launches
It’s not just British buyers who are slapping their deposits on dealers’ desks. Internationally it’s popular too meaning that Nissan is having to sell the Juke in other countries to satisfy demand. That means Russia, South Africa and the Middle East will all have their Jukes sometime soon.
What do the press think of it?
The Daily Telegraph said…
The top-model 4×4 takes the worry out of those days when the world turns white, while the interim models add a dash of sparkle and fun to a world of fairly ordinary shopping-trolley superminis.
Car Magazine said…
The styling will make or break the Juke and there are bound to be people out there for whom a crazily styled, look-at-me wagon will be spot-on. This is a very expressive car and while many will be deterred, we can’t help feel that a small slice of target customers will find a really interesting alternative here. Yet another quirky Nissan.
Auto Express said…
On the road, the Juke rides well, but body roll is pronounced. It’s not as sharp to drive as a conventional supermini, either. The steering feels artificial, while grip is only average. The naturally aspirated 1.6-litre engine is sluggish off the line and sounds coarse, even in the Dynamic Control system’s sport mode. The gearbox is precise, although a sixth ratio would make for more refined motorway cruising.
Parkers.co.uk said…
Essentially, this is a cut-price boutique item aimed at young go-getters who, inevitably, want ‘something different’. Nissan says it was initially aimed at young adventurous, sporty young men, but on reflection realised young women will also be attracted by the funky, unconventional design. Whatever, it’s big draw will probably be the price.