Nissan Juke (2024 - )

Since landing on UK shores back in 2010, the Nissan Juke has always made an impact. Some find its quirky design a little too outlandish, while others (myself included) like its funky character.

A second generation car was launched in 2019 and now Nissan has given its five-door city model a mid-life facelift and reintroduced the iconic yellow shade from the first-gen model.

In addition, there is revised styling both inside and out, along with improved in-car technology, plus upgraded safety features to keep the car bang up-to-date with current regulations.

The entry-level Visia and Acenta Premium specifications have been ditched, but there is still plenty of customer choice with grades called N-Connecta, Tekna, Tekna+ and a new N-Sport trim that sits at the top of the tree alongside Tekna+. 

Prices start from £23,500 and there are two powertrain options. The electrified version is the Juke Hybrid which is available from N-Connecta upwards and sees a combination of a 1.6-litre petrol engine with electric motor. Or the pure petrol version uses a 1.0-litre petrol engine.

We opted for the range-topping Juke Tekna+ with the petrol hybrid powertrain for our test drive. And it was supplied sporting a brilliantly bright yellow shade.

The five-door Nissan Juke maintains its sporty good looks and is now available in a range of new colours, including Iconic Yellow which is a nod back to the original car.
Eye catching features include plastic wheel arch mouldings, door mouldings, front and rear bumpers, plus a black contrast roof, rear door handles that are flush to the bodywork, LED headlamps with daytime running lights, privacy glass, front fog lights and 19-inch aero wheels.
But the main cosmetic changes are visible inside the car where Nissan designers have improved the quality throughout. There are upgraded seats that have been crafted from more upmarket black PVC with quilted inserts. These look sporty, but offer ample support and, with plenty of manual adjustment, getting comfy is a simple enough process.
The infotainment system within the latest Nissan Juke has been upgraded with the introduction of larger screens. The main focal point is the smart infotainment screen that has increased from eight to 12.3 inches so is much clearer to see and easier to operate on the fly. 
Behind the steering wheel, the driver information display has grown from seven to 12.3 inches too making it much simpler to see the vital driving data at a glance than in previous models. This display be switched between two layouts called Classic, which is fairly simplistic with just two dials, or Enhanced which can show additional details.
Our range-topper was packed with tech too, including a pitch perfect Bose sound system complete with headrest speakers, sat nav, wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto smartphone connectivity, DAB radio, Bluetooth, heated seats, a heated steering wheel, Amazon Alexa voice recognition, a rear view camera, along with a separate panel for all the climate control settings. 
On the downside, there is some quite shiny piano black trimmings on the car and they do cause a few reflective glare issues in brighter sunshine.
 

Powering our front-wheel drive Nissan Juke was a three-cylinder 1.6-litre petrol hybrid unit that delivered 94hp and 148Nm of torque. That may not sound much, but the Juke weighs in at just 1.37 tonnes so that powertrain has ample oomph when put to the test.
Yes, there are faster and more dynamically-rewarding rivals out there, but the Juke was never designed to compete in the hot hatch stakes. But it’s no slouch either and can sprint from 0-62mph in a respectable 10.1 seconds, topping out at 103mph.
One of the major selling points of the Juke is how stress-free it is to drive, making it a great choice for people of any age. It’s comfortable, the driver visibility is excellent and all the controls and readouts are perfectly positioned for ease of use.
The acceleration through the automatic gearbox is smooth enough, although not particularly rapid. But you can sharpen up the responses via the drive modes called Eco, Normal and Sport. No prizes for guessing which is the most fun of the three!
On twisting country lanes, the Juke is nicely planted so can be pushed along into sharper bends with confidence. It can also cruise with ease at 70mph, although wind and engine noise do become more noticeable. And then when faced with busy, congested town centres, the Juke is agile and easy to manoeuvre through the busy streets. 
The hybrid powertrain automatically selects the most efficient power source between the petrol engine and electric motor or a combination of the two. The car will predominantly run in electric mode in city driving and it also boasts an e-Pedal setting which means you can drive using just the accelerator in stop, start traffic.
The suspension system seems quite firm, so you will feel the full force of unexpected potholes and the engine can also get quite vocal when pushed on, but they were my only real gripes.
 

The Nissan Juke is compact in its styling measuring just 4,210mm in length, 1,983mm across (including mirrors), 1,593mm in height with a wheelbase of 2,636mm. But despite its small dimensions, the cabin is deceptively spacious. There is bundles of room up front for two adults – of the taller variety - to sit comfortably. And back seat passengers are treated quite well too with room for a couple of youngsters provided the front seats are not pushed right back.
The boot capacity is certainly large enough for the weekly shop with all seats upright at 350 litres, and this limit increases to 1,114 litres with the 60:40 split-folding rear seats dropped flat. However, the boot on the pure petrol version is slightly larger at 422 litres, increasing to 1,305 litres. This is due to the positioning of the battery pack on the hybrid version, as tested.
Another improvement on the latest Juke is the increased capacity of the glovebox which is up by 29 per cent to 6.6 litres making it far more practical to store bits and pieces. Elsewhere, the armrest, which is longer on the new model, lifts to reveal a centre storage cubby with a clip to hold credit cards and there are door bins with space for a bottle, seat back pockets, a wireless charging pad and front cup holders.  
 

The Nissan Juke line-up costs from £23,500 and the price rises to £28,400 for the new N-Sport version as well as the Tekna+ model that we tested. Our car also featured a number of optional extras, that along with the first registration fee and road tax, saw the final cost increase to £31,115. 
When it comes to the day-to-day running costs, the Juke Tekna+ can deliver a WLTP-tested combined 58.8mpg with carbon emissions of 109g/km. This CO2 figure would result in a first-year Vehicle Excise Duty charge of £185, dropping to the standard annual fee for hybrids of £180 after 12 months. From April 1st, 2025, hybrids will no longer receive a discount, meaning the standard annual rate will align with petrol and diesel cars at £190.
While the price of the Juke has increased quite significantly over the years, it is possible to keep costs down by choosing a lower trim level and resisting the temptation to add lots of options to the mix. And, in fairness, that is quite simple as all models are generously equipped as standard.
 

The Nissan Juke has always boasted its own sense of individuality and that hasn’t changed over the years. It oozes charm and looks striking when approached from any angle. The interior has certainly moved a notch or two upmarket and the level of on-board technology also impresses on the latest car.
And it’s worth remembering that this five-door city car boasts a comprehensive list of safety features to protect occupants and other road users alike.
It no longer has a bargain basement price-tag, but very few cars of this quality do these days.