Nissan was among the first manufactures to build and successfully sell a smallish crossover. Ten years ago, 2010, Nissan introduced the first generation Juke to our market, it was a success from the start and it has been a favourite in the crossover market for a decade. Designed, engineered and manufactured in the UK, the new Juke has been developed specifically for European markets, with Sunderland the only production location for this second-generation compact crossover.
Its launch comes almost ten years after the original Juke’s bold styling broke the mold in the B-segment, and Nissan has raised the bar again, bringing new levels of technology and connectivity to the compact crossover category. An efficient three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine powers the new Juke. A seven-speed dual-clutch auto gearbox drives the front wheels.
Designed, engineered and manufactured in the UK, the new Juke has been developed specifically for European markets, with Sunderland the only production location for this second-generation compact crossover.
Nissan has made the new Juke ready for the ’20s, the new Juke looks smart. It’s got a squatter, more purposeful stance, pumped-out arches are muscular, add to the Jukes purposeful look.
The new Juke’s wheelbase has grown a whopping 105mm, and the upshot of that means more knee-room. The boot’s now 20 per cent bigger than before, and the opening is more comprehensive.
The interior – Ferrari influence, anyone? Look at that triplet-set of circular vents. Very supercar- and retro like the rest of the Juke’s cabin is proper, more spacious, the touchscreen is more significant on the top of the dash, right in your eye line and opening up more space for vents and buttons below. The heater controls are tactile, the dials are clear. There is plenty of storage for smartphones and sweeties. It’s so sensible it’s worth considering the bright orange leather-ish trim inside. It massively boosts the perceived quality and pumps the ambience.
On the road, the Juke is good; the driving position is as good as I have felt in a crossover, the engine works well for what it is designed for, it feels enthusiastic without ever feeling strained, and the auto gearbox makes changes smoothly without any fuss. The Juke will sprint 60mph in 10.4 seconds and the significant performance figure nowadays, Fuel Economy is useful, the Juke returns a good 46 Mpg. The Juke is fun to drive as the suspension is quite firm, not uncomfortable; the steering feels sharp and precise. It is excellent in a city/town environment, where I suspect most will be used, the auto gearbox makes driving stop-start in traffic effortless and relaxed, for the busy school runs.
The Juke is successful in its class, and the new MK2 model will put the Juke top of the class.
