What_Car_UK_-_August_2020

NissanJuke1.0DIG-T 117 N-Connecta

Mileage 2142

Listprice£21,035TargetPrice£19,737

Priceastested£23,475

OptionsttedPaintOption(£1145),

AdvancedSafetyShieldPack(£1000),

HeatPack(£295)

Testeconomy45.0mpg

Ofcialeconomy47.9mpg(combined)

82 August 2020 whatcar.com

Nissan Juke 1.0 DIG-T 117 N-Connecta

We’re nding out whether Nissan’s new and improved

small SUV hasthe substance to match its style

IPASSEDMYdrivingtestmorethan15 years

ago, and looking back to that time, it feels like

cars used to be rather more one-dimensional.

If you wanted something city-friendly, you

bought a small hatchback and accepted that it

would make your ears bleed on the motorway.

If you wanted an SUV, it would be a proper

mud-plugger with four-wheel drive and

high running costs.

By contrast, today the market is flooded

with cars to suit every niche, many of which

claim to satisfy more than a single desire. My

Nissan Juke, for example, is part small car and

part jacked-up SUV, so it combines compact

dimensions with seating for five and a higher

driving position. The question is, does this

leave it feeling compromised or make it ideal

urban family transport?

To help me find out, I’ve chosen a mid-

range N-Connecta model that’s powered by a

115bhp 1.0-litre turbo petrol engine, connected

to a six-speed manual gearbox (although

an automatic is optional). N Connecta trim

includes all of the basic necessities and a lot

more besides, including 17in alloy wheels, an

8.0in touchscreen infotainment system and

safety aids such as lane departure warning

and traffic sign recognition. That said, I’m

already regretting sticking with the standard

cloth seats; they aren’t the most comfortable

on long drives and, to my eyes, do nothing for

perceived interior quality.

Given that this is supposed to be an

affordable small SUV, I thought I’d better

be reasonably conscientious about adding

options to my car. The Heat Pack (£295) seemed

a no-brainer, because it brings heated front

seats and a heated windscreen. I also think

the Advanced Safety Shield Pack (£1000) is

worth having, because it brings several useful

driver aids, including lane-keeping assistance,

adaptive cruise control and blindspot

monitors. A key part of this long-term test

will be seeing how unobtrusive these systems

prove day to day; I’m sure I’m not alone in

hating trigger-happy safety technology that

screams at you prematurely.

Despite its lofty stance, the Juke handles

rather well; there’s a decent amount of grip

and it turns in nicely. Only the steering lets

the side down, offering little in the way of feel,

even when you select the Sport driving mode.

However, overall the new Juke is still much

more pleasant to drive than its predecessor

Then there’s the interior. Aside from the

polished plastic casing beneath the electronic

parking brake, which seems to have been

carried over from the previous model as a

styling cue, everything from the steering

Two-tone paint with black roof and door mirrors is a striking £1145 option; mid-range N-Connecta trim comes with plenty of kit, but the front seats aren’t the most comfortable

wheel to the air vents has been redesigned and

restyled and now looks a million times better.

Crucially, the ergonomics are vastly improved,

too, with physical buttons on the wheel (rather

than rocker-style switches) and a larger digital

screen between the dials.

I’m happy enough with the infotainment

system, too. Okay, it isn’t the quickest on the

market, but the menus are clearly labelled and

relatively easy to navigate. Thankfully, you get

good old-fashioned shortcut buttons to get

you easily from sat-nav to radio, for example,

while keeping your eyes on the road.

While styling is subjective, I happen to think

Nissan has done a great job with the design of

the new model. It still looks unquestionably

like a Juke, but without the awkward angles

and bonnet lights of the original.

Like any buyer, however, I need to live with

the Juke every day, and as such, it can’t afford

to put style ahead of substance. The outgoing

model suffered from a cramped interior,

restricted rear visibility and an overly firm ride.

Does this new model right those wrongs? I’m

happytosay,things are looking good so far.

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LouisShaw

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