Driven: Nissan Juke mk2

Nissan’s mk1 Juke entered the market back in 2010. The protruding headlamps mounted on the bonnet and the unusual, curvy shapes of the body work gave it an extremely distinctive look.

The new Juke, which we first saw back in September 2019, shares some of the same quirky characteristics but could appeal to a much wider audience. We spent a week in the new mk2 Juke to get a feel for the car in the real world.

Exterior

“If we go back to the first one [Juke], we made an iconic design,” recalls Matt Weaver, director of design at Nissan Design Europe. “Some people liked it, some people didn’t and that’s fine. We knew it was a little bit raw. But one of the prerequisites of this version was that we definitely wanted to make it more sporty. So that set up the idea of how the car would sit – this agile, little street urban thing. I believe cars should be designed how they’re going to drive.”

At the front, the eyes are firstly drawn to the ‘V-Motion’ grille. It is small in width, and the chrome outline seamlessly meets the slim, blade-like strip of LEDs that slice back to finish above the wheel arches.

Directly below these are the two main headlamps, which are circular like on the mk1 Juke. They have a new Y-shaped signature, designed to complement the grille. The body panel around each of the headlamps is punctured by grooves that underline the lights and hang over two small air intakes. The grooves also work to lead the eye back to the grille.

There is a single groove on the sides of the Juke, running from the top of the front wheel arch across the door panel and then up to the rear lamps. It is subtle at first, and then gradually gets stronger to provide a chunky stance to the back.

Looking at it from a front/side view shows that the design team were clearly linking the grooves to those on the bonnet as well as the LED strips. This ties the car together, making the overall appearance fluid and attractive. It is reminiscent of the 2015 Nissan Gripz concept.

Interior

Nissan has opted for simple and fun when it comes to the inside. The top-of-the-line Tekna version we drove included the two-tone interior with bright orange leather used on the middle section of the dash, half of the doors, the Alcantara seats, and parts of the centre console.

Other sections, like the top and lower half of the dash, use a matt black plastic material that is far less smooth to touch. There is also a metallic black plastic finish to smaller parts, such as the centre console beneath the gearstick and the surrounding area of the three central air vents.

The vents are circular, like the front headlamps, and give the interior an old-school character. The three in the centre sit below a small touchscreen, and although it sits high on the dash, it isn’t too large that it dominates the space.

There is plenty of room in the back thanks to a slightly longer wheelbase than the previous mk1 Juke. In fact, according to Nissan, knee room has been increased by 58mm. The sloping roof, however, could perhaps be an issue for taller occupants in the back.

Driving and UX

But room in the driver’s seat is plentiful. The semi-SUV nature of the Juke makes it seem as if the driver is positioned fairly high above the road, ensuring a decent line of vision ahead.

It comes fitted with a 1.0-litre three-cylinder DIG-T engine (direct injection gasoline-turbocharged), which is also featured on the Micra. Although it’s more suited to urban, fuel-efficient driving than sporty jaunts (Nissan states a combined fuel economy figure of 44.1mpg), the little engine does pack a punch and makes the car surprisingly nippy despite its size. There is a noticeable lag when moving off from stationary, but otherwise the engine set-up is adequate.

The model we tested had a 7-speed dual-clutch (DCT) automatic transmission. The paddle shifters positioned behind the steering wheel are possibly overkill and merely provide an alternative to what is a smooth auto transmission.

Wind and tyre noise are minimal at higher speeds, and the ride is soft thanks to a cushiony suspension system. Steering is light and responsive, and the turning circle seems to be relatively small. Nissan has done a good job on making sure the Juke can take on those cramped city roads full of potholes and uneven surfaces.

Assistance systems are more suited for outside of the city. The new Juke comes equipped with Nissan’s ProPILOT technology – a term used to group electronically assisted steering, acceleration and braking – essentially the company’s own version of advanced cruise control. It is handy for motorway driving, but perhaps in the future, the Juke could benefit from a more advanced system that is particularly designed for city driving.

That said, there is a suite of safety tools on offer such as Intelligent Emergency Braking with Pedestrian and Cyclist Recognition, which does help in urban areas. The Juke is also the first Nissan to come with Blind Spot Intervention. When changing lanes, the system warns the driver when another car is in a blind spot before nudging the Juke back into the lane.

Infotainment includes all the features you would expect, such as compatibility with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto. It can even be paired to the Google Assistant, allowing the driver or passengers to have control over certain functions like the interior lights.

The icing on the cake in the top-of-the-range Tekna spec is the Bose Personal Plus sound system. It includes eight speakers, two of which are integrated into each of the front seat headrests.

Summary

The relationship between the new Juke and the mk1 model is clear to see. Nissan’s designers have been careful not to cut out some of the features that made the first Juke special, and have tactfully added new features that make it a strong competitor in the segment today. It may not be the most extravagant car on the market, but the Juke is a well-executed model that would suit families or young professionals both in and outside of urban areas. In fact, no boxes have been left unticked.