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Buying used: I like the Nissan Juke, but is there a better AWD alternative?
car review
JATON TCHIR
Special to The Globe and Mail

This article was published more than 9 years ago. Some information may no longer be current.

I like the Nissan Juke. People tell me I shouldn’t. But I still want one. Are there real reasons not to get one? And is there a better, not-boring-as-[heck] AWD alternative for around $25,000 or less? – Matt, Saskatoon

The Juke doesn’t shirk when it comes to quirk, but there are other, er, interesting-looking compact SUVs and wagons.

The 2013 Mini Countryman came in second and the Juke came in fourth out of 10 small SUVs on J.D. Power’s 2016 dependability survey.

The not-quirky Buick Encore finished first.

Previous versions of the two don’t fare as well with Consumer Reports – it says to avoid the 2011-12 Juke and the 2011-2012 Countryman.

The Kia Soul and the Scion xB hatchbacks have more cargo room, but no AWD.

There’s also the Fiat 500L – but Consumer Reports said it “ranked at the bottom” of its charts for reliability.

Back to the Juke – the biggest complaints are about its looks. In 2014,