Nissan Juke Review 2022
Nissan Juke At A Glance
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).
There's just engine available for now, although a new Nissan Juke Hybrid is on its way. In the meantime, you'll have to make do with a small 1.0-litre DIG-T petrol, which is a three-cylinder unit that provides 117PS. It doesn't feel quite as sprightly as some turbocharged engines we've tried in rivals, but it should be efficient and is more than adequate for town use. A six-speed manual gearbox is fitted as standard, although buyers are also given the option of a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic (which replaces the problematic CVT transmission sold in the previous Nissan Juke).
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. 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.