By Ewan Kennedy
Nissan Juke arguably has the boldest shape in its class and of any vehicle currently on sale in Australia.
It’s become even more radical thanks to a major makeover, front and rear.
Juke is all about funky style.
The front and rear wheel arches bulge up and out to give it a muscular stance. The disguised rear door handles make it look as though it’s a coupe-like three-door – but the handles are there and provide the convenience of four-door entry that most motorists demand these days.
What appear to be large headlights are actually foglights, while the headlights sit high on the bonnet. The turn signal repeaters previously sat on the top of the headlights. Some drivers found this distracting, particularly at night, so Nissan has moved them to a more conventional position on the door mirrors.
In its Series 2 iteration, the Juke’s forward area is based on the Nissan V-Motion front, with strong curves and a big lower area setting off a slimmer upper section.
New colours have been added, including Bumblebee Yellow, Magnetic Red and Ink Blue – which makes a pleasant change from endless greys and silvers.
Inside, Juke’s styling isn’t quite as radical as is the body. But the big instruments, large centre console and gear lever housing continue the circular theme.
There are changes to the engine lineup. A 1.2-litre turbo-petrol used in the entry level 2WD Juke ST performed well with the six-speed gearbox. The previous 1.6-litre non-turbo powerplant is still offered in the 2WD Juke ST and has had some upgrades.
The topline Juke Ti-S has a turbocharged 1.6-litre petrol engine. Shared with the Pulsar SSS, it provides handy grunt all the way from 1600 to 5200 rpm – most people will be driving in this range almost all the time. We loved it.
Interior space is pretty good for a small SUV, though taller rear seat occupants could find their heads close to the roof.
There’s good front headroom and the driver’s seat is comfortable and supportive.
All Juke models get front, side and curtain airbags; stability and traction control; ABS brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution and brake assist; ISOFIX child seat anchorages; and a reversing camera.
Nissan Juke joins stylish small SUVs such as Ford Kuga, Holden Trax and Renault Captur in a hard-fought market segment.
All these compact SUVs have plenty of style, but the Juke dares to be really different and many buyers, especially younger ones, love them. The oldies are finding the accessibility of the high-set seats and large boot, at least in the Juke 2WD, make it kinder on ageing bones.
