Many days of hair pulling and deep sighing had finally paid off last week when I finalized a deal on my new flat. Massive relief and excitement evaporated immediately when it occurred to me what this meant: moving. Nearly a month of not-so idle window-shopping and PR freebies meant two suitcases and a metro card were no longer sufficient. I needed something bigger. Hang on. Didn’t we get a long-term Nissan Juke a couple of weeks ago?
Safe to say that the packing, re-packing, and heavy lifting involved no little amount of swearing and scuffed elbows, and it was only after enjoying all of these that a thought struck me. The new flat and the Juke weren’t that dissimilar.
Let me give you a few examples. Both offer a lot of space – and that’s not even including secret cubbyholes you stumble upon in due course – and the view, though 36 floors apart, are plentiful in both. Dig deeper though and you’ll find more.
Just as the flat has scrapes and knocks, the Juke’s parcel shelf can sometimes rattle at high revs (though in fairness it’s forgotten almost as quickly). Then there’s comfort. Dropping the heaviest of two suitcases on my foot was not particularly pleasant, nor is hitting a speed hump at more than 15kmh: stiffened suspension means the Juke’s rear wheels don’t land quite as softly as we’d hoped.
I’d never experienced torque steer in a power shower before last week. Turning the taps on full causes the nozzle to whip 180 degrees instantaneously, the unlucky recipient able to do nothing more than flail their arms and intake breath sharply. Nail your right foot down when exiting a corner and the Juke’s steering wheel can fight gamely to wrench itself free from your grip.
Background music is a must, though sometimes fate plays a dastardly hand. Just as I was only aware how much questionable music resides in my iPod when it was played at high volume in front of my new neighbours, the Juke’s impressive entertainment system was demonstrated courtesy of four open windows, nearby motorists at a set of traffic lights, and an unexpected B*Witched song requested on Dubai92.
There are other comparisons, but none of them really matter. Yes, the Juke has its minor foibles, but they’re offset by more than enough positive attributes: comfort at cruising speed; good driving position; a charismatic interior; its surprising exclusivity. Wonder how it would look on the 36th floor? >>>
