Kia enjoyed an unexpected monster hit last year with its "attitude" crossover SUV, the Soul. This year, Nissan's hitting back with a similarly snarky compact crossover SUV of its own, the 2011 Juke. It'll be hard to miss, with its aggressive pontoon-style fender flares, hood-mounted projector-beam headlights (backed-up by 747-sized fog lights built into the lower front fender), "shaved" rear door handles and swooped-back roofline like a '50s Greaser.
It'll backup its tough-guy looks with a standard 180 hp turbocharged 1.6 liter four with direct injection (massively one-upping the Soul's standard 122 hp engine and its optional 142 hp engine) teamed with either a CVT automatic or six-speed manual transmission. Front-wheel-drive and all-wheel-drive versions will be available.Expect the Juke to start showing up at Nissan dealerships around September.
