
Nissan has really made great advances in the SUV sector. They are leaders and are seen by many as the benchmark. Take for example the Qashqai and the X Trail. Both of these cars are seen as class leaders. The Nissan Juke is also setting itself as a benchmark. When this car was first released in 2010 people thought it was funny looking. It received an update in 2014 and it now seems that everyone is taking this car very seriously.
There are one diesel and two petrol models available with the Juke. The petrol models available in the Juke range include a turbocharged 1.2 litre engine which offers 0-100 km/h in 11 seconds and a maximum speed of 178 km/h. The other petrol model is the 1.6 litre engine. This is more sluggish and has a top speed of 168 km/h and it achieves 0-100 km/h in 12 seconds. The diesel offering is a 1.5 litre engine that gives from 0-100 km/h in 11 seconds too and has a maximum speed of 170 km/h.
These figures aren’t the most sprightly that you’re likely to find, so Nissan has made sure to accommodate for the more thrill seeking of you. They offer the very-fun Juke Nismo as an alternative. This can offer 0-100 km/h in 7 seconds and has a top speed of 220 km/h. For those of you who prefer automatic transmission there is an Xtronic gearbox and four-wheel drive available too.
Where the normal Juke suffers a small bit is on twisty roads. The steering is a bit light at higher speeds and it should be a little more responsive. However, drive this supermini around a city and the steering is perfect for the surrounds. Unfortunately the Juke also suffers from body roll on corners. The Juke Nismo is tuned differently and doesn’t suffer from the same issues.
The Juke has a very enclosed interior. The dash and centre console feel bulky and this leads to good insulation from outside noises. There can be some tyre noises but this can be easily fixed by purchasing smaller ones.
The interior is different from that of the Qashqai, the X Trail and the Pulsar. It seems more futuristic and its quirky layout will appeal to many people. The infotainment system is easy to navigate and the buttons are big-enough, which means they’re easy to use if driving. The plastics in the dash board are chunky as already mentioned and they don’t have an air of cheapness to them.
In 2011 Nissan received a full five star rating in the Euro NCAP. They received a score of 87% for adult occupancy, 81% for child occupancy and 71% for safety features. They scored 41% for pedestrian safety. There are six airbags within the Juke and ISOFIX anchor points to the rear. As standard there is a spacesaver spare wheel.
The boot of the Juke does not offer excellent space in the boot with a capacity of 352 litres - rivals do offer better in this department. The back row is crammed and although two adults could fit, there might be some issues with head room especially. The front cabin however offers plenty of space. As mentioned earlier, the space feels enclosed but not claustrophobic.