There is something endearing about the Nissan Juke, probably because it looks super weird yet is still a hoot to drive. China doesn't get the Juke, but they do now in the form of a Juke Nismo RS with Infiniti ESQ badges on it. And it's surprisingly appealing.
This Juke is endearing in the weirdest way. It's a Juke Nismo RS without the stripes and aggressive additions. It has the same 1.6 liter turbo four, the same CVT transmission, and standard all-wheel drive.
Instead of Nismo badges, it says ESQ all over, like a new lawyer that's just a little too proud of his accomplishments. The interior looks basically the same, except with some new details and sweet stitching on the seats. It goes upmarket, but not too much.
But why Infiniti didn't give this a name with a Q at the beginning, like Q20 or something, is beyond me. They make this whole stink about starting all model names with Q and then they decide to make an entry into a new market with a car that has a name nothing like their new nomenclature.
Ugh.
But anywho, the ESQ is neat. I don't really know why.