Press ESC to close

Honk Honk Honk Honk

Nissan Juke Car Review

Today, we’re sliding behind the wheel of the Nissan Juke. A car that, much like my good self, has a personality you can spot from a mile away. It’s the sort of car you’d expect to see weaving through the urban jungle, or parked up outside a boutique – because the Juke has always been for the trendsetters, the pioneers, the ‘I-don’t-want-a-boring-hatchback’ crowd.

Nissan has always been a bit of a mad professor in the world of car making, daring to tutor the Juke in the ways of distinctive quirk since its birth in 2010. It’s like they threw the conventional design book out the window and started doodling with crayons – much to the delight of some, and the bemusement of others.

This latest incarnation of the Juke, nestled into the compact SUV market, is still unmistakably ‘Juke’ in its flavour. It’s like that mate who always turns up in the loudest shirt at the party – you can’t ignore it even if you try. Nissan’s V-Motion grille is front and centre, flanked by the signature high-mounted headlamps, but there’s a sleekness to it now, a maturity that says ‘I’ve grown up, but I’ve not gone dull’.

Inside, the Juke’s cabin seems to have had a bit of a cheeky nip and tuck too. The materials don’t scream luxury, but they’ve certainly been hitting the gym. It’s all rather nicely put together. The infotainment system? Crisper than Clarkson’s white jeans, and that’s saying something. It’s got all the connectivity you’d want without needing a degree in software engineering to sync your phone.

Under the bonnet, the Juke has gone sensible – but sensible doesn’t have to be a yawn. The turbocharged 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine is much like a terrier; small but with a bark that encourages you to take it for a brisk walk every now and then. It’s no fire-breathing GT-R, but there’s enough pep to get you zipping around without feeling like you’re in a sleepy Sunday driver’s club.

Handling is as sharp as James May’s wit, with a firmness to the suspension that surprises you into thinking, ‘Hey, this elevated hatchback can handle a spirited drive’. It’s not going to upset a hot hatch, but it’s certainly game for a giggle.

What we end up with, then, is a Juke that’s grown a sophisticated goatee but hasn’t ditched its outlandish sneakers. It dares to dance differently in a crowded room of sameness. And you know what? That’s rather refreshing. In a car landscape that so often plays it safe, it’s good to see that the Juke is still sporting that relentlessly funky spirit that takes the humdrum of the commute and adds a splash of colour.