2012’s The Good 12 – Nissan Juke

Remember when Elaine’s roommate, George’s girlfriend, got the nose job? Things didn’t turn out so well. So before you ask Nissan to take the Juke to some Hollywood miracle surgeon, keep that memory in mind.

Besides, aren’t we all adjusting to the Juke’s nose? At first it was frightening, then just a little scary, then offensive, odd, and unique before finally becoming cute. Now the Juke’s previously unsightly face is just part of the little Nissan’s personality.

And boys does the Juke ever have personality. From the way the tiny turbocharged engine ramps up the power to the way the all-wheel drive Juke effortlessly rotates around a corner under full throttle, the Juke exudes happiness in an era when cars have grown so serious. Tell a joke. At the very least, have a sense of humour. Joie de vivre, and all that.

The Nissan Juke is loaded with features, though not overloaded with the feeling of costliness. But therein lies the Juke’s greatest asset: it’s cheap. Few cars under $30,000 offer more thrills per minute. No other car, at any price, offers such a quantity of thrills while consistently causing passersby look twice, once out of horror; once more out of curiosity. 

Engines: 188 horsepower; 177 lb-ft of torque from a turbocharged 1.6L four-cylinder

Base USD/CAD Price: $19,770 / $19,998

City Fuel Economy: 25-27 miles per gallon

It’s Not Perfect: Rear seat space is at a premium, too serious a premium if you’ll typically have rear seat passengers any larger than Nathan Gerbe. Moreover, rear seat space was not sacrificed with cargo room in mind, as load-lugging isn’t the Juke’s forte, either.

Sales Stats: Had Nissan intended for the Juke to take over the small crossover world, they probably would have insisted the designer come up with a less controversial face. In fact, the Juke is a small-time hit, out-selling the Volkswagen Tiguan, Mini Countryman, and Mitsubishi Outlander Sport in the United States. Monthly and yearly sales figures for the Nissan Juke can be viewed here.