It's hard to stay positive these days. Sure, you can do your best to focus on the little things and make smart decisions, but that doesn't change the fact that the news is basically all disasters, deadly conflicts, and disappointments. If it's starting to feel overwhelming, I really recommend talking to your doctor, and then throwing money at a silly distraction that you definitely don't need, but will almost definitely have a blast driving. That's right, pal, we're buying this 2015 Nissan Juke NISMO RS and running away from our problems, even though one of those problems is how expensive gas has gotten!
The Nissan Juke probably isn't your dream car. It's weird and unloved, and even if you go for the absolute highest-performing model, you'll still be driving a subcompact crossover, built on a front-wheel drive platform, with an engine that started life in an economy car. It's no Lotus Elise, and it's definitely no Ferrari. What it is, though, is ridiculous. The Juke Nismo RS is the performance version of the Nissan Juke, a car that was never going to be a real performer unless you were to, I don't know, wrap Juke bodywork around a GT-R powertrain to create the sadly never-mass-produced Juke R.
This particular Nissan Juke NISMO RS does look a little more ridiculous than most, since a previous owner added an aftermarket mid-hatchback rear spoiler that you'll probably want to remove, but you can't get too mad. Because this Juke also comes with a manual transmission, which means you're in for one of those row-your-own adventures and most likely having way more fun behind the wheel than you would have if the original owner had gone with the CVT instead. And who couldn't use more driving fun at the moment?
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We're still talking about a decade-old Nissan, so the plastics and faux-suede that decorate the cabin aren't exactly showroom-fresh. Still, with only 42,400 miles on the odometer, driving seems to have been limited to a few thousand miles a year, and the interior is about as close to pristine as you can reasonably expect from a mainstream car that wasn't immediately locked away in climate-controlled storage. As for the exterior, aside from that rear wing, the only notable flaws appear to be minor chips and scratches.
Under the hood, you get a turbocharged, 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine good for 215 horsepower and 210 pound-feet of torque, and it sends that power to the front wheels via the six-speed manual transmission. That's not a face-melting level of power, but the Nismo RS only weighs about 3,000 lbs, and the real fun comes in the corners, where you'll experience the NISMO-tuned suspension, limited-slip differential, upgraded performance brakes, and sweet, deeply bucketed Recaro front seats. It's a surprisingly practical daily driver, but it's been fine-tuned for on-street fun.
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The best part is, there's no way you can take yourself seriously while you're driving this thing. You can hammer on it as responsibly as your current belief system allows, have an absolute blast, and if you get in all grumpy and sullen, that mood won't last long. Apparently, all the rules are made up anyway, so why not break the one that says you aren't supposed to love a Nissan Juke NISMO RS with a manual transmission? It'll be silly and fun and good for your mood, and that means it's technically a medical expense. I'm sure your doctor would approve.
