Auto Express – August 20, 2019

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk SpecialIssue 10

purposefullyonthecentreconsole;the
shorterthrowisevidentthemomentyou
selectagearandreleasethehandbrake.
Thesuspensionandsteeringonourtest
carwerevirtuallyfinished,showcasingthe
Juke’ssportynewcharacter.OnMillbrook’s
tarmac,theJukehasaslightlyfirmeredge
thansomeofitsrivals.Butthetrade-off
forthestifferset-upisstrongbodycontrol;
drivenbacktobackwiththeoldcar,the
Mk2Jukeimmediatelyseemsmorepoised.
Engineershavefocusedonhowthecar
reactstoundulationsandsuddenchanges
ofdirection,anditfeelsmuchmoresorted.
Thesteeringismoredirectandtherack
feelsfaster,butthere’sstillnofeedback.
Asfortheengine,there’sstillsomework
tobedone,such asreducingvibrationat
idle,butit’sarefinedthree-cylinderturbo
anditequipstheJukewithmorethan
enoughpowertoperform.Nissansaysit
emits136g/kmofCO 2 ,butfueleconomy
figureshaven’tbeenannouncedyet.
Around45mpgshouldbepossible.
Asforthenewsix-speedmanualgearbox,
it’sbetterthanbefore,butthegearlever’s
actionisn’tthesharpest;Nissansaysthis
willbeimproved.Thearrivalofanew
seven-speedDCTgearbox,replacingthe
unappealingCVT,isgoodnewsthough.
We can’ttellyoumuchaboutvisibility,
giventhatourlightlydisguisedtestcar’s

BASEDonourshortpre-production

driveinthenewNissanJuke,one

thingisobvious:thisisacarthatthe

designandengineeringteamshave

thoughtlongandhardabout.Even

atthisstage,itfeelslikeastrong

evolutionoverthefirst-generation

model.Thenewplatformandengine

deliverabetterdrivingexperience,

whilethefreshtechandpracticality

willmakeiteasiertolivewithdayto

day.Newcustomersmaywanttowait

untilwe’vetestedtheproductioncar

againstitskeyrivals–butfromhere

itlooksliketheJukeisset,once

again,totakethesegmentbystorm.

Verdict

rearwindowswerecovered.Norcanwe

showyoutheinterioryet,althoughduring

abehind-the-sceneswalkaroundofthecar,

Weaverinsistedhewantedtocarryover

someoftheoriginal’scharacter.

Aneweight-inchtouchscreenwillsitat

thetopofthenewlydesigneddash,and

there’saseven-inchdigitaldisplayinthe

instrumentpanel.Thedesignisflamboyant,

sportyandrounded,abitlikeaMINI’s.

Nissanpromisesthattherewillbeplentyof

personalisation,andhasconfirmedarange

oftrimthemesandcolourstochoosefrom.

“Aneight-inch touchscreen will

topthe dash, while aseven-inch

display is reserved forthe driver”

NissanJuke NEWS

“It hasaslightly firmer suspension set-up than its

crossover rivals, but the trade-off is strong body control”

STEERING

Quicker rack boosts the Juke’s

sportiness,but there’snofeel

We’recautiously optimistic that

new Jukewill be even moreof

asuccess than the outgoing car

GEARBOX

The manual is betterthan

before; autoisadual-clutch

CITROEN C3 AIRCROSS

QuirkyC3crossovercapitaliseson

comfort,butitshugebootandroomy

interiormakeittopchoiceforfamilies

RENAULT CAPTUR

Despitelookingliketheoldcar,this

Capturisallnew.Itsharesaplatform

withtheJukeandarrivesthisautumn

FORD PUMA

PumaisbasedonthefantasticFiesta,

whichbodeswellforkeendrivers,and

we’llbetestingthenewcarsoon

THEMk2Jukehasmanymorerivals

thanitspredecessor.Thesearethe

carsitmustwinagainstifit’stofly

outofNissanshowrooms

Despitelookingliketheoldcar,this

Capturisallnew.Itsharesaplatform

withtheJukeandarrivesthisautumn

What the new

Jukehas to beat

SEAT ARONA

OneofourfavouritesmallSUVs,the

Aronamixespracticalitywithdriver

engagement.It’satopall-rounder