Nissan Juke

Nissan Juke at a glance

The Juke is widely seen as the car that started the class of compact B-segment urban crossovers. It is a monocoque crossover with a transverse engine, MacPherson struts at the front and a torsion-beam rear axle in both generations. More Nissan models are listed in our Nissan catalogue, and an extreme one-off take on the model is covered in our Nissan Juke-R 2.0 article.

History

The Juke was previewed by the Qazana concept at the Geneva motor show in 2009, and the production first generation was presented there in March 2010. An update in 2014 refreshed the exterior, carefully improved the interior and revised the technology. The second generation was officially revealed on 3 September 2019, simultaneously in five European cities.

Nissan Juke generations

First generation (2010–2019)

The first Juke's styling divided opinion, which is exactly what attracted some buyers and put others off. Narrow lights sit high up, above the bonnet line, with halogen units as standard and LED lighting optional. The unusual grille carries the Nissan badge in its centre, while round main headlights are set into wells in the bumper, alongside air intakes and compact fog lamps. Muscular wheel arches, mirror-mounted indicators and rear door handles hidden near the rear arch give the side its character, and a sloping roof meets a rising window line. Wheels are 17 or 18 inches and ground clearance is 180 mm. At the back, L-shaped tail lights, a small spoiler with a third brake light and plastic inserts in the bumper complete the look.

The cabin is as distinctive as the exterior. A three-spoke wheel carries media controls, and the sporty instrument panel has deeply recessed dials. Higher versions have a 5.8-inch infotainment screen. The centre tunnel is painted in a bright colour chosen by the owner from a palette and holds two cupholders, the gear selector and the handbrake. Front seats are sporty and heated; design and ergonomics are good, but hard plastics and glossy inserts that mark easily lower the perceived quality, while expensive versions have leather. Three adults can sit in the rear, but space is not generous. The boot holds 354 litres, rising to 1,189 litres with the rear seats folded, with a space-saver spare and tools under the floor.

The best-known engine is a naturally aspirated 1.6-litre four-cylinder with multi-point injection, a timing chain, 16 valves (DOHC) and variable valve timing, producing 86 kW (117 PS) and 158 Nm. It is paired with an Xtronic CVT and front-wheel drive: 0–100 km/h takes 11.5 seconds, top speed is 170 km/h and combined consumption is about 6.3 l/100 km. The Juke uses the front-wheel-drive Nissan B platform with a high proportion of high-strength steel, MacPherson struts at the front and a semi-independent torsion-beam rear, with coil springs and anti-roll bars at both ends. Steering is rack-and-pinion with variable electric assistance, and the dual-circuit brakes use discs all round with ABS and EBD.

Equipment on the first generation could include six airbags, climate control, 17-inch alloys, ABS, EBD and ESP, heated front seats, electric windows and mirrors, cruise control and a leather steering wheel. Higher versions added navigation, a surround-view camera system, leather upholstery, xenon headlights, lane and blind-spot monitoring, rain and light sensors, 18-inch wheels and keyless entry.

Second generation (2019 onwards)

The move to the CMF-B platform made the second Juke 75 mm longer, 35 mm wider and 25 mm taller, yet 23 kg lighter. The designers kept the original's unusual shape and proportions but refined them: round headlights with a Y-shaped light signature, a larger V-motion grille merging with slim daytime running lights, a reshaped bumper and bonnet, and muscular haunches over the rear wheels. The rear door handles remain hidden in the window frame. Wheels range from 16 inches as standard to 19 inches optionally, and ground clearance is 180 mm. New faceted LED tail lights, a revised tailgate and a redesigned bumper complete the rear. Eleven paint colours are offered, including Fuji Sunset, and a contrasting roof is available.

Inside, the old dashboard and fuel-tank-shaped centre tunnel are gone. Clear dials, a free-standing infotainment display, round air vents and a neat climate panel define the new layout, with well-bolstered seats that have integrated headrests. Materials include soft plastics, leather, Alcantara and suede. Equipment includes LED lights, a multifunction wheel, an electric parking brake, push-button start, an 8-inch NissanConnect touchscreen, an eight-speaker Bose Personal Plus system with two speakers in the front headrests, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, Google Assistant, TomTom navigation, a Wi-Fi hotspot and over-the-air updates. The NissanConnect Services app can lock and unlock the car remotely and check oil level and tyre pressures. Rear head- and legroom have increased, and the boot now holds 422 litres; folding the 60/40 rear seats gives a flat floor almost 1.5 m long and 1,088 litres.

Engines and transmissions

The 1.0 DIG-T has 12 valves and variable timing on both intake and exhaust camshafts. It uses about 4.8–4.9 l/100 km; 0–100 km/h takes 10.4–11.1 seconds (the manual is quicker) and top speed is 180 km/h. Eco, Standard and Sport driving modes are available. No all-wheel-drive version was offered this time; instead, in 2022 Nissan added the Juke Hybrid, which combines a 1.6-litre petrol engine with electric motors for a system output of 105 kW (143 PS).

The second generation keeps MacPherson struts at the front and a torsion beam at the rear, with coil springs and anti-roll bars, rack-and-pinion steering with electric assistance, and disc brakes all round - 280 mm ventilated at the front and 260 mm solid at the rear.

Safety and driver assistance

The second-generation Juke recognises road signs, pedestrians and cyclists, and offers lane keeping, automatic emergency braking and blind-spot monitoring. Higher versions have ProPilot, which keeps the car in its lane, accelerates and brakes to hold a safe distance, warns the driver of danger when changing lanes or overtaking and steers back into the lane, and also manages the cruise control and adaptive headlights. Even the base version has front and side airbags, ABS, EBD and ESP, full LED lights, an electric parking brake, electric windows and mirrors, air conditioning, a four-speaker audio system, 16-inch alloys, cruise control and automatic braking.

Key specifications

Strengths and weaknesses

Owners of the first generation highlight its ground clearance, economy, reliability, compact size, safety, decent performance and suspension; even without all-wheel drive it copes with light off-roading. On the downside they mention handling, ergonomics, sound insulation, a cabin slow to warm up and a small boot. The second generation is more modern and stylish, roomier and better equipped, with a larger boot and a turbocharged engine, but at launch all-wheel drive was missing. Rivals include the Renault Captur, Opel Mokka, Peugeot 2008, Ford Puma, Volkswagen T-Roc and Suzuki Vitara.