Nissan Juke Review 2024

Nissan Juke At A Glance

3/5
Honest John Overall Rating
The stylish Nissan Juke is a desirable all-rounder that won't cost a lot to buy or run. It's more spacious than before, while there's a generous amount of safety kit fitted as standard. Even the hybrid model isn't that efficient, though, while it's not as comfortable or as fun to drive as certain rivals.

+Much more competitive than the original Nissan Juke. Represents good value for money.

-Ride on the firm side, even with smaller wheels. Infotainment system could be better. Avoid the base-spec Nissan Juke Visia. Toyota Yaris Cross is a more convincing hybrid.

On average it achieves 0% of the official MPG figure

The Nissan Juke has grown up. It's now more spacious than before, has a much smarter interior and comes fully loaded with technology to keep you safe on the road. It's now quite a convincing small SUV – but does it have what it takes to tempt buyers away from the Ford Puma, Renault Captur and Skoda Kamiq? Read our full Nissan Juke review to find out.

It's fair to say the original Nissan Juke was a triumph of style over substance. It didn't even look that good in our eyes – but it still sold by the proverbial bucketload.

Fortunately, when the second-generation Nissan Juke went on sale in 2020, the brand had clearly listened to existing owners and addressed their key concerns. Based on the same platform as the Renault Captur, the Juke is now fractionally bigger than before. It's the length between the front and rear wheels that has changed the most significantly, meaning there's now a very useable amount of room inside – including a big boot and space for rear passengers.

Standard equipment is also impressive, provided you avoid the entry-level Nissan Juke Visia. Acenta models and above get an eight-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, which is positioned high on the dash and is easy to use without relying too heavily on touchscreen operation (the graphics do look a bit dated, though).

Buyers get the choice of two engines – a little 1.0-litre DIG-T petrol (a three-cylinder unit with 117PS) or a new hybrid model which pairs a 1.6-litre petrol with an electric motor.

Although it's not particularly sprightly, the smaller unit should be fairly efficient and is a match for similar entry-level engines found in alternative small SUVs. It's available with a six-speed manual gearbox or an impressive seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission, which ought to be a lot more reliable than the CVT used in the previous Nissan Juke.

If you're in the market for a new Nissan Juke, though, we'd recommend looking for a hybrid model. It's more refined around town than the petrol as it can run under electric power alone at speeds of up to 34mph – not for any great distance, mind (for that, you'd be better looking at a plug-in hybrid alternative like the Renault Captur).

No matter which engine you choose, the Juke's been designed to be stiffer than the Captur, although it's not as fun to drive as a Ford Puma. It does feel a bit firm over uneven road surfaces but it's a lot less floaty than, say, a Citroen C3 Aircross.

With prices starting at less than £20,000, we reckon the Nissan Juke represents impressive value for money. Even the highest-spec models won't break the bank, with top-of-the-range Nissan Juke Hybrids only just nudging £30,000. Having said that, we're struggling to find an area in which the Juke really excels. It's a very competent all-rounder, but is that enough in a class that also includes the Volkswagen T-Cross, Toyota Yaris Cross and Ford Puma? We're not so sure.

Ask Honest John

What do you recommend as a Suzuki Swift replacement?

"I have had my Suzuki Swift for 5 years now and it's been a brilliant little car. Cheap to run and, most importantly, reliable after a rather sad and expensive two years wasted on a Peugeot 308. However the Swift has now got 126,000 miles on the clock and will need a bit of maintenance (it’s on its original clutch!) in the coming months. I have looked and looked and can’t find anything to replace it with. I want cheap tax, 50-plus MPG and a bigger boot than the Suzuki. Ideally petrol as the Peugeot put me off diesels with expensive Turbo and DPF failures. I have a budget of around £6,000 plus part exchange on my car. I could possibly compromise on the tax, but need the reliability and MPG, and something that doesn’t look like an old man's car! I like the Suzuki Vitara but these are out of budget at present, don’t like Ford Fiestas, want to stay away from anything French."
I'd consider the Nissan Juke or the Skoda Yeti. The Nissan has oddball looks that mean it stands out and it combines them with a practical interior for its size. Diesel models will return more than 50mpg but the 1.2-litre petrols get close to that and don't suffer from the issues you highlight. You can read more about the Juke, including issues we're aware of, here: https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/nissan/juke/2010/ The Skoda Yeti looks like a cross between an SUV and a normal car. Its boxy shape means it's very practical – it'll have a lot more room inside than your Suzuki – however it still handles like a car in corners. It's also available with a range of petrol and diesel engines that can return fuel economy around the 50mpg mark, although its best to avoid four-wheel drive models. Our Yeti review is here: https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/skoda/yeti/
Answered by Russell Campbell

Nissan Juke door fault - can it be fixed?

"The button on Nissan Juke driver's door has stopped working. Can it be easily fixed?"
If the wiring has come loose or damaged then the door card (the plastic interior covering of the door) will need to be removed so the fault can be identified and repaired.
Answered by Dan Powell

Should I buy the automatic Nissan Juke for motorway commuting?

"I'm 24 and I'm looking to buy a new or secondhand car. A lot of my driving is on the motorway and do at least 10k miles a year. I'd like an automatic as it'll be easier in motorway traffic for me, and I was looking at getting a Nissan Juke. Do you know if it's a good car and will fit with what I need? Are there any other cars that are similar in size to the Juke? Thank you."
The old Nissan Juke is a funky looking car, but I wouldn't recommend buying one due to its ever-increasing list of automatic gearbox failures: https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/nissan/juke-2010/good The new Juke is highly rated, however, I'd struggle to choose it over the excellent Ford Puma: https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/ford/puma-2020
Answered by Dan Powell

What small crossovers do you recommend?

"I'm looking for a new car - my absolute must-haves are a high driving position and rear sensors. I have about £20k to spend on a car and was thinking Nissan Juke or VW T-Cross. "
The T-Cross is a better option than the Nissan Juke. We'd also recommend a Skoda Kamiq – it's very similar to the T-Cross with a shared platform and engines but your money will go futher. We'd also recommend a Ford Puma.
Answered by Andrew Brady
More Questions

What does a Nissan Juke cost?

Buy new from £17,994(list price from £20,985)