Nissan has just released pricing details for their fast and funky new crossover, the 2011 Juke. The turbocharged runabout goes on sale in October starting at $18,960 for a base front-wheel drive model.  Top of the line “SL” models with all-wheel drive will run for $24,550.

While plenty of crossover bill themselves as part sports car and part sport utility vehicle, Juke pulls off the claim better than most. The car’s profile is dominated by a rising beltline and sloping roofline that shout speed. Fenders flare out aggressively to highlight handsome 17-inch alloy wheels and rear door handles are hidden to suggest a coupe-like presence.

Under the hood is a brand new 1.6-liter turbocharged engine that pumps out a stirring 188-horsepower; enough to beat the Juke’s closest hatchback-on-steroids rival, the 181-horsepower Mini Countryman S. Fuel economy is excellent, too, with 27 miles per gallon city and 32 highway for front-wheel drive models with the CVT automatic transmission. A 6-speed manual transmission is also available (front-wheel drive models only) for those who prefer to select their own gears.

Nissan engineers are particularly proud of the Juke’s new torque-vectoring all-wheel drive system which can route power side-to-side on the rear axle to enhance cornering. It’s a high-tech feature that has until now been found only on high-end machines like the Acura RL and BMW X6.

The upscale technology doesn’t stop at the wheels, either. Juke comes with a Bluetooth hands-free phone system standard and offers navigation, rearview camera, USB/iPod interface, and keyless ignition as options. A new I-CON Integrated Control system allows drivers to toggle between Normal, Sport, and Eco drive modes, tailoring throttle response, steering feel, and automatic transmission shifting to the driver’s mood.

With such a bold design and sporty hardware, the Nissan Juke is not for the faint of heart. But this lunar buggy might be just the thing for fashionable urbanites who want utility and all-weather traction in a city-friendly size. We’ll take ours in red, please.

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2011 Nissan Juke Models and Pricing:

Juke “S” front-wheel drive, automatic transmission: $18,960

Juke “SV” front-wheel drive, manual transmission: $20,260

Juke “SV” front-wheel drive, automatic transmission: $20,760

Juke “SL” front-wheel drive, manual transmission: $22,550

Juke “SL” front-wheel drive, automatic transmission: $23,050

Juke “S” all-wheel drive, automatic transmission: $20,460

Juke “SV” all-wheel drive, automatic transmission: $22,260

Juke “SL” all-wheel drive, automatic transmission: $24,550

More details on equipment and trim levels can be found here at the Juke’s pre-launch website.

General Motors today released pricing details for the hotly-anticipated Chevrolet Volt. The extended-range electric vehicle will go on sale with a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $40,280 (before $720 destination charge). A federal tax incentive of $7,500 drops the price to $32,780.

The Volt comes well-equipped with a standard navigation system, Bluetooth hands-free phone system, Bose premium audio, and 5 years of complimentary OnStar coverage. The only options will be chrome wheels, three premium paint colors, a rear park assist feature, and heated leather seats.

But how does the Volt stack up against the Nissan Leaf, its closest rival in the zero emissions race?

Nissan made waves earlier this year when they announced that the all-electric Leaf would be priced at $32,780. Factor in the $7,500 federal tax incentive and the effective price plummets to a very reasonable $25,280, which Nissan points out is comparable to a well-equipped Toyota Prius hybrid.

Compare the Leaf to the Volt, however, and you’ll find that the Chevy commands a stunning $7,500 price premium over the Nissan.

GM’s new vice president of US marketing, Joel Ewanick is quick to point out that the Volt has something the all-electric Nissan doesn’t: an onboard generator that runs on gasoline and that can keep the car moving for an additional 300 miles after the initial 40-mile all-electric range is depleted. ”No other automaker offers an electrically driven vehicle that can be your everyday driver, to take you wherever, whenever.”

And while the Leaf’s driving range of 70-120 miles may not make it as road-trip-worthy as the Volt, the Leaf is eligible for an additional $5,000 state tax incentive for California residents. This expands the Nissan’s price advantage to $12,500 in what is sure to be a critical sales market for electrically-driven cars.

Consumers will ultimately decide if range anxiety – their fear of running out of electricity before they can find a charging station – is worth the extra $7,500 to $12,500. As some EV enthusiasts have already pointed out, the price difference would cover a lot of rental cars for those times when 70-120 miles just isn’t enough.

Just in time for Earth Day, Nissan has announced a priority reservation system for their upcoming electric vehicle.  The Leaf’s 115,000 registered fans can secure their place in line nearly a month before the general public is allowed.  Reservations require a $99 placeholder fee that is fully refundable.

Though Tesla was first to market with a modern highway-capable electric vehicle, Nissan has a significant advantage when it comes to price.  The Tesla Roadster starts at $101,500 compared to the Nissan Leaf’s $25,280 (yes, batteries are included).  A federal tax credit of $7,500 is used in both cases to reduce the vehicle’s base price, though additional state and local incentives can reduce the price even further.

Nissan is getting extra creative by preemptively rolling that same $7,500 federal tax credit into a very aggressive lease deal.  Customers will be able to lease a Leaf for 36 months for only $349 per month (with $1,999 down payment).  Three-year leases on Toyota’s Prius range from about $330-$540, depending on the level of optional equipment, putting the Leaf within easy striking distance of the popular hybrid.

The attractive lease deal is a clever move on Nissan’s part because it allows skeptical consumers to try out the Leaf in the real world without the need for a long-term commitment.  If owners find that the 100-mile driving range is too limited, they won’t have to worry about finding an eco-minded buyer to take the car off their hands.

Nissan doesn’t think that demand will slacken, though.  The Japanese carmaker is already hard at work on several new electric vehicles to sell alongside the 5-seat, 90-mile per hour Leaf and has been partnering with state and local governments to develop an extensive network of public recharging sites.

Carlos Ghosn, Nissan’s CEO, cites research indicating that more than eight percent of automobile owners in Europe, Japan, and the US want for their next vehicles to be powered solely by electricity.  “We are very optimistic,” he said at the Geneva Auto Show earlier this year.  “We may have to rush to build capacity for cars and batteries.”

It’s no secret that most people hate haggling over the price of a new car.  Fighting with salespeople is awkward and no one wants to drive home and find out that their neighbor got the same car for $500 less.

Why can’t a dealership just tell you how much a car costs and then give you a fair price?  Do they really think that they can get you to pay more by being sneaky?

Results from a 2008 study by Synovate eNation found that most consumers don’t have a problem with dealers making a fair profit – but they do have a major fear of getting stuck with a bad deal.  So the more a dealer tries to hide the truth, the harder most consumers will fight back in negotiations.  This practice is bad for customer satisfaction and bad for profit margins.

At Honk, we figured that if we can show you how much a car really costs, you’ll know whether or not you’re getting a good deal.  So we started with a clean sheet of paper and built a pricing section that skips the gimmicks and shifts the balance of power to you, the consumer:

How do you know if you’re getting a great deal?

Want to know how much a car costs?  Want to know what other people actually paid?

So do we – and that’s exactly why we feature pricing data from TrueCar.  They analyze transactions from around the country and can tell you which deals are good, great, or laughable.

The number you probably want to know most is the TrueCost figure, which estimates how much the vehicle actually cost the dealership.  Once you know this figure you can estimate how much – or how little – a dealer is making on the sale.

The TrueCost is especially handy when you need to know whether or not a salesperson is lying after they shout, “But we’re not making any money on this deal!”

We think that TrueCar rocks because they give you the perspective you need to judge an offer and the details you need to win a great one.

Skip the haggling altogether

Even better, if haggling stinks so much, why not just skip it altogether?

Honk has an auto buying service that can help you skip the haggling on new cars in most major markets.  The prices are pre-negotiated and posted up front.  All you have to do is build the car you want to buy and we’ll show you up to three prices from dealers in your area.  You don’t even have to give up your name or email address until you’ve selected a dealer to work with.

Other car sites will promise you a price and then sell your contact information to multiple dealership as a sales lead.  That means that you won’t get a price until someone from Crazy Joe’s Car Emporium interrupts your dinner the next night with an obnoxious sales call.

Honk’s auto buying service is designed to keep you in charge.  We’ve even integrated TrueCar pricing data so that you can see for yourself how the Honk price stacks up against what you could negotiate on your own.

Long story short: we think we’ve built a better way to research and buy a new car.  Just remember to tell Crazy Joe that Honk sent you.