At one point during the weekend, I inadvertently pressed the Eco button in our longterm 2011 Nissan Juke. My life sucked for 21.3 seconds.
Until I realized my folly, the Juke was a slug -- in Eco mode the Juke stubbornly refuses to move until the throttle is practically pinned. Ugh.
They should rename it "Suck". Does anyone actually use the Eco mode of the sundry vehicles thusly equipped? Do these people hate their lives?
On a somewhat unrelated front, I got to thinking that the Juke's puny 1.6 turbo mill would play nicely in, say, a small, mid-engined sports car. It's got to be a featherweight thing, and the transverse layout means the engine (and 6-speed manual, of course) could just be slapped directly into such a car as-is. Okay, sure, throw in a twin-scroll turbo and a little extra pep. I won't complain.
Yeah, maybe I've got too much Alfa Romeo 4C on the brain since I returned from the Geneva show...
Jason Kavanagh, Engineering Editor
firstwagon says:
01:22 PM, 03/ 7/11
I haven't tried the Jukes ECO mode but simular ideas in other cars always seem to work well in traffic.
With endless cars in front of you, you might as well relax and save some gas... you're not going anywhere quick anyhow.
ed124c says:
02:07 PM, 03/ 7/11
I can't believe the 4C is going to be 1,875 lbs when it gets to the US. Unless it has some kind of a limited production exemption.
Even if Nissan tried to duplicate the 4C with the Juke drivetrain, I doubt they could get it under 2500 lbs.-- if they intended to sell it at a Miata/FT-86 price.
stovt001 says:
02:32 PM, 03/ 7/11
Apparently Mazda is aiming to get the ND Miata under 2200 lbs. I too am having a hard time believing the 4C's targeted weight, but I appreciate the few manufacturers who do realize lower weight pays dividends for both performance and economy. Others (coughLotuscough) should take note. The 4C is also a great looking car. If only I could afford the anticipated price...
elgac says:
04:06 PM, 03/ 7/11
It would be a great engine for a new 240sx or Silvia.
bodyblue says:
05:46 PM, 03/ 7/11
You would leave it in ECO mode if you had to pay for the gas.
atomic13 says:
06:19 PM, 03/ 7/11
"It would be a great engine for a new 240sx or Silvia."
Oh how I wish! I keep dreaming and begging but nooo, Nissan insists on making things like the Juke and the Murano bathtub-on-wheels convertible, and the Cube. If all the buzz around the FT-86 hasn't made it clear, people WANT an affordable (key word), tossable, RWD sports car. Why is this so hard for them to understand???
bradyholt says:
07:03 PM, 03/ 7/11
I used the Eco mode in a Kia Optima, and it worked well in gentle driving and was easy to deactivate as needed. I don't know if it actually saved gas, but it wasn't a problem.
DLu says:
07:16 PM, 03/ 7/11
Yes, real people who pay for their own gas
v8vader says:
08:58 PM, 03/ 7/11
i've been championing the idea that Nissan could take two of those little suckers and throw them together at 90 degrees into a 3.2L turbo V-8 for the next Z car. development pains aside, whuddya think?
eldaino2 says:
02:25 AM, 03/ 8/11
DLu: +1000
machplane says:
05:09 AM, 03/ 8/11
Toyota MR2 Spyder woould be perfect for this drivetrain
happyjukester says:
07:15 AM, 04/ 1/11
When inching forward at 0 to 10 MPH during rush hour, yes.
Not all of us spend our days daydreaming about over-powered cars on test tracks.
People who haven't driven this vehicle long-term are really underestimating it. The car is fun and sporty when you want that, cheap and simple when you want that, and for that 1% of the time you are in the Denver snow or the campground mud, you get 4WD and nice ground clearance. Spiffy enough for a date, big enough for some groceries or a couple friends driving across town. This is just a really nice single-guy kinda car.
Meanwhile, you keep dreaming about your $60,000 Alfa, and I'll enjoy my $20,000 Nissan.