2nd Gen R60 Countryman Most liked posts in thread: Nissan Juke VS MINI Countryman

Every Countryman should have a Juke parked along side of it. That is the only way the Countryman is going to look good. Yes they look better than a Juke, but is that really saying much?

 

The Juke is one ugly car. Looks like its holding its nose in the air. Prior to buying my MINI, I read some of the reviews in the leading mags and it seemed to me that all they would praise is "lots of power" and if they did not think the car had that then it was dog. The U.S. is in love with the mussle car concept.

Jim

 

Not a glowing article by any stretch of the imagination.

They picked the Juke over the Countryman...:confused5:...FOR HANDLING!!!

 

We can all be shocked...

but after having driven some "torque vectoring" vehicles, it's shocking how much it can aid in turning. Too bad the MINI doesn't have it.

Really, the tech gap between what was in the first new MINI vs the rest has been shrinking every year. The MINI has some better engine tech, the Juke has some better drivetrain tech.

It will be interesting to see how it's recieved as more units get out to the press and the public.

Matt

 

I just threw up in my mouth a bit...........those are some fugly cars.

 

Heck....

all the Mazdas have that dorky "Happy Face" look. But the Miata is still a hoot to drive. The Acuras have the ugliest front on the market today, but the TL with SH-AWD is a very competent sedan.....

And really, anyone who would buy one will convice themselves that it's the most beautiful thing ever....

Matt

 

About 30,000 people liked the Aztek enough to buy one.....

As we used to say in the car bidness......there's an a$$ for every seat.....but you won't find mine in a Juke, TYVM.

 

The front end can only be described as bizarre.
http://www.nissanusa.com/juke
I don't know if I can get past the exterior styling but otherwise I think the car is appealing and torque vectoring seems like a great feature.

BTW, Gabe on MotoringFile keeps saying that the Countryman's rear seat is too narrow to meet US regulations for 3 in the rear, but the Juke seats 5 even though it is 1" narrower (and 1" longer) than the Countryman.

 

But MINI

has some 80s GM in it, where the stuff that they put on the door is really thick. Some of the GM products from that era were large outside and positively claustrophobic inside because of that packagine. I think that MINI blew it by not starting with a spec for 3 wide in the rear and making the stuff work around the envelope. There will be many that look at the Countryman then drop it from consideration because it only seats four.

If the teaser stories about the competitor to the Evoke are correct, and they're contemplating a shorter 2 door 2 seater to go against at 2 door 4 seater, it will be the same mistake, only worse.

Matt

 

I'll reserve judgement until they drive a FWD Countryman and actually post some numbers and I test drive one. It is clearly a more "interesting" article to say that the Juke is comparable and better in some ways. Even in acceleration, where they say it "feels" like they're about the same, the numbers don't exactly agree.

Of course, this is all ignoring the fact that, no matter what you think of the Countryman's looks, the Juke is one of the ugliest vehicles ever designed.

 

Gabe occationally...

says stuff that seems like right out of the mouths of MINI. There's the rear seat stuff, that is BS if you look at the width of other cars that get three across in the rear. Another common misquote is the diesel emissions stuff, but that's a lot more technical in nature and one has to do some real digging to see what's going on with the evolving regulations. Anyway, minor sins for sure.

But overall I agree. Seems really like a rookie move to design a vehicle for a target market yet fail to take into account the requirements of those that will buy in that market. Dumb dumb dumb....

Matt

 

Yes, I've commented on MotoringFile that the Countryman at 70.4" is actually quite wide. All of these cars seat 3 in the rear with US regulations but are narrower: Toyota Yaris (66.7″), Honda Fit (66.7″), VW Golf (70.3″), VW GTI (70.0″), Honda Civic (70.0″), Ford Focus (67.8″), Subaru Impreza (68.5″), Mazda 3 (69.1″)… too many more to mention.

It was just a matter of MINI telling the engineers that they wanted it.

 

I can hear the meeting now....

Vee have three across in der rear zeat boss!

But Americans have fat assses! They need wider seats than us svelt Germans.

Shieza! But vee have used all that nice space for very stylish door panals! (Everyone nods and you can hear all the "Ja, Richtig!"s across the room.) Vee cannot change them! Zat vould not be cool!

Vuck the fat Americans! Zey can habt dis "rail" thing! Den vee can act like vee planned it all from zee beginning!

Yah! Zer gut! I vunder what MINIUSA will say?

Vuck them! They are just stupid Americans anyway..... Zay vill zay dat it is very cool! Ve can habt ein "kontest" und habt dem vigure out vat to do vit it!

Everyone laughs.....

Matt

 

LOL Aztek reminds me of that movie in the 80's "Total Recall" looks like the "Johnny Cab" especially when you see a yellow one driving down the road.

 

LMAO! That was funny! That's how they talk too! The French are worse especially living there for 3 years...lol

 

the Juke is ugly. looks like its trying to hard. that's a car that just needs to relax and stop trying to show everyone how cool it is.
quick 2 cents on Mini: seems to me they are missing a market opp by not doing a Hybrid. the Mini Countryman goes "bigger" which is ok i guess but why not also make a Hybrid version? i mean if other cars can make HUGE suv style Hybrids why not MIni?
my 2 cents anyway.

 

Whenever I see one I want to laugh - they look like the automotive equivalent of a young lad who's put a couple of rolled-up socks in his underwear to impress...:rolleyes5:

 

I work right next to the Nissan campus in Franklin, TN and I see these ugly cars all the time. I hate the way the blinkers/headlights (?) look like they were slapped on the hood at the last minute with no real rhyme or reason. I can't resist yelling "UGLY CAR!" every time I see it. Nissans, in general, are just so damn vanilla. I'll take my MINI over a Puke any day, regardless of what any car magazine has to say!

 

It sounded like they just did not like the mini before they even saw it.

 

MINI has a Hybrid...The MINI E.

We want the Diesel in America.