In 2010 the Nissan Juke went into production, as the 2011 Nissan Juke. It made it’s premier at the Geneva Motor Show, followed by it’s western debut at the New York International Auto Show. This mini-crossover was meant to compete with the Mini Cooper Countryman, Toyota RAV4, Chevy Equinox and the Honda CR-V.

The Jukes that are sold in Europe are manufactured at Nissan’s plant in Washington, England. The Jukes that reach the remainder of the world are made in Nissan’s Oppama, Japan manufacturing plant.

During the initial month the Juke became available to the Japanese public, orders surpassed Nissan’s goal by more than 8 times the original number. In North America, sales of the Juke were comparable, with 30,000 being ordered within the first 3 months.

While no one can argue that the Juke certainly has a unique – some would say downright ugly – appearance, it has received mixed reviews about performance and functionality. Many consumers and test drivers claim it has quick, responsive handling, while others say that the handling is lackadaisical. In the 2 brief years it has been out, the Nissan Juke has already been the recipient of 3 different accolades. In 2011 the Juke was named the Semperit Irish Car of the Year It was awarded a Top Safety Pick for 2011 by the IIHS (Insurance Institute for Highway Safety) and was named the 2011 CUV (Compact Utility Vehicle) of Texas.