Nissan Juke review: SUV is well equipped and has head-turning looks

The small SUV segment is one of the most competitive in the country but Nissan’s new entrant certainly stands out from the crowd.

Nissan Juke.

Some said the old Nissan Juke looked like a frog.

It could never be accused of being dull, and although this new generation mini Nissan isn’t quite as madly styled, you’d hardly mistake it for anything but a Juke.

It’s larger, better equipped and has a safety suite to make many prestige vehicles costing twice as much blush. It’s priced from $30,490 drive-away but our family sampled the mid-range ST+ for $33,490 on the road.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

Jules: Well, it’s not pretty, but it’s a lot better looking than the old one.

Iain: The old Juke was definitely bought by those wanting to stand out. This new one’s more grown-up and sanitised looking, but is funky enough.

Jules: I like the new skinny LED daytime running lights, but why those big boggle-eyed orbs below?

Nissan’s new Juke isn’t as wildly styled as the previous version.

Iain: Those are actually the headlights. Inspired by rally spotlights.

Jules: Is the Juke a rally car?

Iain: It is not.

Jules: You certainly get noticed. I love the bright red paint and racy 17-inch alloys on ours, but it’s so angular with those funny dent shapes in the side.

Iain: Somewhere, there’s a Nissan designer cursing you right now. I think it’s funky and certainly should appeal to, I’m guessing, empty nesters and style-conscious younger women.

THE LIVING SPACE

Jules: It’s a light SUV but front space is impressive for two adults.

Iain: Surprisingly roomy for rear travellers too. This isn’t a shoebox like a Mazda CX-3.

Jules: And heated cloth seats? That’s unusual, but welcome during our winter test. And I love its circular air vents. They’re easy to adjust and look brilliant.

Iain: It’s an eye-catching car inside and out. There’s strange but appreciated dashboard padding, a flat-bottom steering wheel, and I like its stubby little gear shifter.

The interior is well equipped.

Jules: There’s an 8-inch touchscreen running Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, while there’s good space for my phone upfront and my coffee in the glossy sculpted centre console.

Iain: That console looks good now, but it’s a big wad of shiny plastic that could scratch easily. A few more grumbles. It may have heated seats, but how about a centre armrest? And the plastic door tops look cheap for a car costing more than $30,000.

THE COMMUTE

Jules: For that money, I feel hard done by in a few areas. There’s no keyless entry and no keyless start, and the doors close with an unsatisfactory cheapie clunk.

Iain: Typical of small Nissans I’m afraid. On the road the seats, while warming my bum, also numb it — they’re quite firm. They’re supportive, but my two-hour highway commute wasn’t the comfiest.

Jules: For a light SUV it’s lovely on the highway. Quiet and solid feeling, and the sound system’s a banger.

The dual-clutch auto is jerky at low speeds.

Iain: That means good, right? The top Juke grade gets Bose sounds, but I agree, our car’s audio is a high point. There’s no radar cruise control or built-in satnav for this model — you need the grade up.

Jules: I don’t like the Juke’s gearbox at low speeds.

Iain: Nissan usually slings CVT single-speed autos in these cars but the new Juke has a dual-clutch auto. It’s great when racing but jerky and hesitant at low speeds.

Jules: Its response time is a worry. It hesitated coming out of junctions.

I ain: The Juke’s three-cylinder turbo engine’s actually quite lovely, if only they offered a manual — as with other markets — it’d be a gem. In Australia, we’re not given the choice.

THE SHOPPING

Jules: Rear camera and sensors front and rear avoids bingles, but when parking that gearbox again made life difficult. While trying to manoeuvre, it’d offer nothing then suddenly jerk forwards.

Iain: Positively, what a great boot for a light SUV. Deep and long and far more practical for family life than expected.

SUNDAY RUN

Jules: It’s a car for being seen in, if you like attention. I’d suggest it’d be a hit outside favourite cafes or in university car parks.

Iain: Here’s the thing. I really enjoy the Juke on a back road. It handles nicely and like most three-cylinders, it’s revvy and quite charming. The double-clutch gearbox works well when you’re booting it through corners, and steering wheel paddles mean you can quickly drop down gears for extra zip.

Jules: Fair point, but who uses a Juke this way? It’s a city slicker. It doesn’t suit a sporty gearbox.

There is plenty of room in the back for the kids.

THE FAMILY

Iain: See how those high-mounted rear door handles keep the Juke’s rear so fluid? Nice touch, unless you have a five-year old and the handles are too high for her to open the door.

Jules : Rear space is kid-friendly though, and there’s enough head and leg room for two adults to be comfy.

Iain: But no rear air vents or USB points shows our Juke wasn’t really designed with rear travellers in mind.

Jules: Amazing safety systems make it family-friendly. It will stop me crashing into cars, pedestrians and cyclists, keeps me in my lane, tells me the speed limit and checks my blind-spot and traffic crossing while I reverse. Well done, Nissan.

Iain: The family budget must consider the Juke’s quite high purchase cost and it swallows pricier 95 petrol, but our return of 6.2L/100km was good, and fixed price service charges are reasonable.

THE VERDICT

Jules: Snazzy styling, classy cabin plus loads of safety and included kit are strong points, and the new Juke’s big for a light SUV. But sorry, I can’t live with that gearbox.

Iain: If most of your journeys are low-speed, stop-start affairs, I agree, the gearbox isn’t smooth enough. A good package otherwise, but I’d take a good hard look at the competition.