Exterior tweaks include a more aggressive body kit so the RS can stand out from
the regular Juke Nismo (and a set of «Nismo RS» badges) and comes in a choice of black, silver or white.
The NISMO RS ups
the regular Juke and Juke NISMO's fairly modest performance envelopes by adding a higher - flow exhaust system, tweaked ECU settings and a beefed - up manual gearbox with a shorter final drive ratio.
The leather - and faux carbon - gearknob stirs a 6 - speed transmission that's been strengthened compared to
the regular Juke NISMO, though the shifter's feel remains light, snappy and accurate — same as the base model.
It's also the only engine option available for
the regular Juke, so we're glad to say it's a fairly good one.
Over
the regular Juke Nismo, which has a «mere» 197 horsepower, the Nismo RS brings power levels up to 215, with 210 lb - ft of torque.
Nissan makes slight changes to its Juke Nismo models, which also get some of the same enhancements as
the regular Juke including the projector - beam headlamps and reduced emissions from the 1.6 L DI turbo 4 - cyl.
Not exact matches
For us, the
Juke still gets a nod for offering a proper performance version (the Nismo RS), although
regular Jukes are feeling pretty creaky by now.
Obviously, the Nismo models have more power, but the
regular version still has a strong 188hp power output — which should be enough for the needs of most
Juke buyers.
The
regular Nissan
Juke shares more than a platform with the Nismo variants, though — they also have highly similar, 1.6 - liter turbocharged four - cylinder gasoline engines.
NISMO nation also worked its magic on the
JUKE's suspension and braking systems, re-engineering both for yet sharper reflexes, while also adding performance upgrades not found even on the «
regular»
JUKE NISMO model.
The Nissan
JUKE comes in five trim levels — three
regular trims (S, SV, and SL) and two NISMO trims (NISMO and NISMO RS).
The rest of the time, on
regular city streets and on freeways, the
Juke Nismo kept reminding me that it was, in fact, sporty.
TAB, Pokies, Pool Table,
Juke Box music and
regular live entertainment.