All About Japan Autos

Daily Auto News

The 2011 Nissan Juke made its U.S. debut at this week’s New York Auto Show. The compact crossover “will be priced from ‘just under $20,000’ when it hits U.S. showrooms this fall,” according to Edmunds Inside Line.

The price is affordable, but it’s the Juke’s funky styling that really sets it apart from competitors. Not surprisingly, Automobile Magazine notes “Nissan is building the Juke upon its B-platform, which is also at the heart of the equally funky Cube.”

Autoblog describes the new Juke’s styling as “polarizing moon-buggy styling” and adds: “Having seen this vehicle in person already, we can tell you that its ‘Baby Predator’ front end takes some getting used to, but it all comes together better than expected, and the interior seems surprisingly roomy and well-resolved.”

The New York Times isn’t quite as kind, calling the Juke “Bulbous, like a Murano that is paying the price with odd bulges for that second piece of cake. Like the competition in this class, the look can be either classified as weird or very cool. Point of view, and age, I suppose, are everything.”

Under the hood, the Juke comes with a turbocharged 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine that makes 180 horsepower. It comes with a six-speed manual transmission or an Xtronic continuously variable automatic.

Options for the Juke will include a rearview monitor, smart key, power moonroof, and a navigation system with real-time traffic information. Among the Juke’s cooler features is a dashboard that changes colors.

With the Juke’s low price, funky look and unique features, it’s obvious that Nissan is targeting a young crowd with this new crossover.

If you’re in the market for a new car, check out the U.S. News rankings of this year’s best cars as well as this month’s best car deals.