Nissan Juke
The first generation Nissan Juke was launched in 2010; is it just me or does it feel like it’s been a fixture on our roads for much longer than that? Maybe it’s because it’s one of those kind of benchmark cars that similar models launched since have been compared to? Either way, the Juke brought us something new when it was released; the smallest of SUVs with next-to-no off-road ability, striking, divisive looks and practicality ultimately sacrificed in the name of style and design.
Juke, just with rounded-off edges
This is very obviously still a Juke. The basic shape and its distinctive ‘face’ with a slashed pair of headlights sitting above two football-shaped lights mean it couldn’t be mistaken for anything else. But it’s definitely evolved. The lines are easier on the eye – less bug-like and the whole silhouette is just smoother, more flowing. Instead of following the usual car design path and pressing 110% on the photocopier, the new Juke has gained some wheelbase by pushing the wheels outwards but the overall length hasn’t increased that much; more room inside, still a doddle to drive and park.
Even the lowliest spec Juke sits on 17” alloys which are plenty big enough and don’t lose any of the car’s dramatic look. Go for the new N-Sport spec like the one we’ve got here and it sits at the top of the Juke range with its black 19” rims, contrasting floating roof and black leather & yellow Alcantara interior.
Is the new Juke any roomier?
Extending the wheelbase has made the Juke far more liveable inside – not the forte of the original car by any means. Operate the hidden rear door handles and the rear seats are still accessed via some slightly unconventionally shaped apertures but once in it’s noticeably more roomy. The original Juke’s boot space was rather stingy at 251 litres. Not only that but the sloping hatchback and intrusive wheel arches meant carrying anything of real size was tricky at best. This new Juke still isn’t exactly a 1990s Volvo estate but the capacity’s been increased by nearly 50% to 354 litres in the hybrid versions and it’s almost doubled in petrol variants to 422 litres.
How much does the new Juke cost?
The Juke comes in five flavours; the cheapest is the Acenta Premium which starts at £23,500 but that’s only available with a 1.0l, 3-cyl 113bhp petrol engine. Working up the range there’s N-Connecta, Tekna, Tekna+ and this new N-Sport that, along with the Tekna+ sits at the top of the tree at £28,400. All of the top four spec Jukes come with either pure internal combustion mated to either a 6-speed manual or 7-speed DCT ‘box or the 1.6l, 4-cyl 141bhp hybrid powertrain which is naturally automatic only. All Jukes are FWD which shouldn’t come as a surprise.
Hybrid, not that you’d notice
Our Juke has the 141bhp hybrid engine under the bonnet and it’s actually a very clever system that makes driving a hybrid as pleasant as possible. It does this basically by staying in the background with the electric motor acting as a backup to the petrol engine which is the main event. From standstill it’s electricity only and the petrol engine subtly kicks in either when you want more performance, go above 35mph or beyond the Juke’s electric only range which isn’t far to be honest.
Is it any good to drive?
On the road the Juke is fun and direct enough and thankfully Nissan has been able to soften the chassis somewhat compared to the previous generation. The smallest wheels available are still 17″ so there’s not much sidewall to soften things; go for the versions that sport 19″ wheels and more serious road imperfections can jar through the seats.
A bit less beeping and bonging please
The Juke holds a five-star Euro NCAP rating and has many safety features such as lane intervention, traffic sign recognition and driver, passenger, side and curtain airbags. Obviously a car like this that’s designed for carrying families around needs to be as safe as possible, that goes without saying. It’s now compulsory for new cars to have overspeed warnings but the way the Juke goes about it is particularly annoying – alerting the driver should they wander 1mph over the limit. It continues sounding an alert either until the driver acknowledges the overspeed or gets back beneath the limit. This then repeats every time an ‘incident’ occurs. Surely to deter drivers from deactivating these alerts, there should be a little bit of leeway, shouldn’t there?
Should I buy a Nissan Juke?
The first Juke was hugely popular, despite being an object lesson in style over substance. This new Juke has been smoothed out and refined and is far easier to live with, without losing what appealed about the original.
By Ben Harrington
2024 Nissan Juke N-Sport HEV Specifications:
Engine – 1.6l self-charging hybrid petrol, Transmission – Auto, Layout – Front engine, FWD, Power – 141bhp,Torque – 148Nm, Emissions – 111g/km CO2, Economy – 57.6mpg, Maximum Speed – 103mph, Acceleration – 10.1s – 0-62mph, Price – £31,995 OTR
The 2024 Nissan Juke is available now, priced from £23,500. For full details go to:www.nissan.co.uk
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