Review of the new Nissan Juke range

What has Nissan got against 'ordinary' cars? We'd been trundling about quite happily in our family saloons, hatchbacks and superminis for decades when the Japanese marque decided it was time for a change. It's had a good go at effecting that change too, largely by pushing the 'crossover 4x4' as a more stylish and satisfying way of getting about in the 21st century. The Murano left the public largely unconvinced but the more manageable Qashqai went down a storm. The Juke is smaller still but equipped to make a king-size impression.

Nissan has shifted its emphasis away from what you might term the traditional market sectors in recent times. The Micra supermini is still going strong but above that, where other brands offer Focus-sized family hatchbacks and Mondeo-sized medium range saloons, Nissan relies on a cluster of 4x4s and small MPVs. The Juke is the marque's littlest 4x4 to date, a crossover model that sits below the Qashqai, X-Trail, Murano and Pathfinder in what is one of the most diverse collections of off-roader type models you'll find anywhere.

We use the term off-roader in its broadest possible sense because the purpose of the Juke's rugged design is aesthetic rather than protective. Nissan would like us to see the car as a cross between 4x4 and sportscar, a macho alternative to a supermini for youthful urban motorists.

".the Juke takes things to the next level offering a bold and dynamic alternative to a conventional supermini"

To look at the Juke, you'd think it had just come off a stage of the Paris Dakar Rally. The big wheels, extended ground clearance and body protection clearly hint at some all terrain ability but much of the effort that has gone into developing the car was actually focused on creating a sporty feel on the road. The MacPherson strut front suspension is tuned to optimise ride comfort and handling with a cradle-type front subframe included for extra lateral stiffness. Although the front-wheel-drive versions of the Juke have a basic torsen beam at the rear, the all-wheel-drive models get a special multi-link set-up, of a type not usually found on a car this compact.

The 4x4 set-up itself is Nissan's advanced All-MODE 4x4-i torque-vectoring system. As well as distributing power between the front and rear axles, it can also split drive between the two rear wheels, reducing under steer and increasing general stability in corners. Whether front or rear-wheel-drive, the Juke has the ground clearance and chunky tyres to help it cope with the high kerbs and traffic calming measures that litter our urban centres.

There seems to be a huge amount going on with the Juke's design but against the odds, the various elements do mesh together in cohesive fashion. The look is highly adventurous with two sets of headlamps staring out from the front end, vast bodywork bulges over the wheels and the striking dogleg roofline that slopes away violently from the top of the windscreen. The interlocking circles cut into the under bumper, the rear door handles integrated into the C-pillars, while the boomerang-shaped rear lights add yet more points of interest.

The Juke is 4,135mm long while the majority of today's superminis dip fractionally under the 4-meter barrier. It's also 1,765mm wide which, again, is larger than most supermini products but not by much. When you factor the Juke's wide track, flared wheelarches, beefy bumpers and long bonnet into its dimensions, the expectation must be for an actual cabin that's somewhat less roomy than the leading supermini rivals. The 251-litre boot includes an underfloor storage area and 60:40 split rear seats help to increase luggage capacity.

The design inside shows the same ambition as that of the exterior. The centre console from which the gear lever protrudes is modelled on the top of a motorcycle's fuel tank and finished in high gloss paint. The instruments too resemble a bike's, with twin clocks shrouded by heavy cowls.

There's a choice of petrol and diesel engines to power the Juke. A clever 115bhp 1.6-litre petrol unit opens proceedings with direct fuel injection using two injectors per cylinder and dual variable valve timing. Despite all this technology, it's still the 1.6-litre turbocharged version engine that will best highlight the Juke's sporty side. Here there's a meaty 187bhp at your disposal and 240Nm or torque. The diesel is a 1.5-litre dCi with 108bhp and the same 240Nm torque output at the more powerful petrol.

The diesel is mated to the two-wheel-drive versions of the Juke and a six-speed manual transmission. The normally-aspirated petrol engine also gets only a pair of driven wheels but has a five-speed manual or the XTRONIC CVT automatic gearbox. The turbocharged petrol engine can come in the two or four wheel-drive models with a six-speed manual or the XTRONIC auto.

In order to enhance the efficiency of the 1.6-litre turbocharged engine, Nissan has taken extensive measures to reduce friction losses. It also shares the some of the variable valve timing technology found on the normally-aspirated 1.6-litre unit but not that engine's clever use of two fuel injectors per cylinder. On the diesel engine, Nissan's DPF diesel particulate filter is employed to trap harmful emissions and burn them off at intervals using a small injection of fuel.

Nissan has been one of the pioneers behind the growth of the crossover 4x4 and now it's looking to replicate the success of its Qashqai with the more compact and vividly-styled Juke. The crossover's blend of tough 4x4 looks and road-going composure has hit the right notes with buyers and the Juke takes things to the next level offering a bold and dynamic alternative to a conventional supermini.

TOP 5 JUKE DEALS

The results below show the top JUKE deals on buyacar

Nissan Juke 1.6 Acenta 5dr CVT [Premium Pack] Hatchback
Price £14,737 Read Juke Reviews	Save £1,853
Nissan Juke 1.5 dCi Acenta 5dr [Premium Pack] Diesel Hatchback
Price £15,008 Read Juke Reviews	Save £1,887
Nissan Juke 1.6 Acenta 5dr Hatchback
Price £12,804 Read Juke Reviews	Save £1,686
Nissan Juke 1.6 Tekna 5dr CVT Hatchback
Price £15,237 Read Juke Reviews	Save £2,353
Nissan Juke 1.5 dCi Acenta 5dr Diesel Hatchback
Price £14,088 Read Juke Reviews	Save £1,807
VIEW MORE DISCOUNT JUKE DEALS