Nissan Juke review

The original Nissan Juke was an absolute trailblazer. Designed as an alternative to conventional small hatchbacks, its high-riding stance put an SUV within the grasp of buyers on modest budgets.

And despite its quirky looks not being to everyone’s tastes, the Juke sold by the proverbial bucketload and inspired a raft of other small SUVs. The trouble is, even if you loved the way the original Juke looked, there weren’t many logical reasons for buying one.

Thankfully, the latest second-generation version has changed that, vastly improving the Juke in areas where it was previously flawed. You now get a smarter interior, a bigger boot and better engines. Speaking of which, there are two options – a 1.0-litre petrol and a regular hybrid 1.6-litre petrol.

As for rivals, there are quite a few other cars you might be considering – ranging from the Ford Puma and Renault Captur E-Tech to the Toyota Yaris Cross and VW T-Roc.

So how does the latest Nissan Juke stack up against the best small SUVs for practicality, efficiency, reliability and more? Read on to find out...

The Nissan Juke engine line-up starts with the 112bhp 1.0-litre turbocharged petrol (badged DIG-T 114). It's hardly quick – in our tests it took a lengthy 11.7 seconds to sprint from 0-60mph – but it's gutsy enough as long as you keep the revs above 2,000rpm and we reckon it's the best choice for most Juke buyers.

Equivalent engines in the Skoda Kamiq and VW T-Roc are stronger, but not by a great deal. The mild-hybrid engines in the Ford Puma (especially the 1.0 Ecoboost Hybrid 155) – are another matter, and offer significantly faster acceleration than the 1.0-litre Juke.

The other option is the Juke Hybrid, which has a 141bhp 1.6-litre regular hybrid engine. It's not rapid, achieving a 0-60mph time of 10.4 seconds in our tests, and is slower than a Renault Captur E-Tech hybrid we timed on the same day (9.7 seconds). A Toyota Yaris Cross feels more lively when driving on just its electric motor, but the tables are turned at higher speeds, when the Juke’s petrol engine and electric motor work together to provide strong acceleration.

The Hybrid has regenerative braking with an e-Pedal button to increase the braking effect. On the highest setting, the car slows down to walking pace fairly swiftly when you lift off the accelerator pedal, making stop-start driving less work.

The petrol engined Juke isn't horrendously uncomfortable by any stretch, and the suspension takes the sting out of bigger bumps and road scars reasonably well. However, sharper imperfections cause the car to fidget annoyingly no matter what speed you're doing.

For the best comfort, we suggest sticking with the smaller 17in wheels fitted to entry-level cars and avoiding the 19in rims fitted to Tekna trim and above. Still, no version is as smooth as the most cosseting small SUVs such as the Kamiq and T-Roc. The Puma is less agitated too.

The Juke Hybrid has firmer suspension, so comfort is even less impressive than in the 1.0 DIG-T 114. It’s worse with the large 19in wheels fitted on posher trim levels, with a constant fidget at most speeds and larger bumps amplified even more than on cheaper versions.

Despite its lofty stance, the Juke doesn’t sway around through tight twists and turns as much as you might imagine, and it feels more tied down along undulating roads than the softer Captur.

There’s a reasonable amount of grip, so it feels safe and competent when driven at moderate speeds, but the car soon begins to lose its composure if you push it harder. The steering wheel also feels too keen to return to the centre position when you're going round a corner (almost as though you've wound up an elastic band). That robs you of a lot of confidence and a sense of connection to the road.

The Puma isn't only sharper and more agile than the Juke – it's also much more fun to drive. In fact, even the Kamiq and T-Roc are more composed through corners, while the steering in the Yaris Cross responds more naturally.

The Juke’s 1.0-litre petrol engine is quieter than equivalent engines in the Kamiq and T-Roc, although you do hear some strange whistling noises from the turbocharger when you accelerate with any vigour. The Juke Hybrid is even more hushed when running on electricity alone, but when you ask for a burst of acceleration, its 1.6-litre petrol engine disrupts the calm by transmitting vibrations through the pedals and generating a coarse note.

The standard six-speed manual gearshift in the DIG-T 114 is relatively light and easy, but the shift actions in rivals such as the Puma, Kamiq and T-Roc are noticeably more precise. The optional seven-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox is decidedly jerky and best avoided, while the Juke Hybrid's auto box, with its clunky gear changes, isn’t much better.

Fortunately, the Juke settles down to be a relatively quiet cruiser. Apart from some wind noise by the front windows and the suspension thumping over potholes, the Juke is better insulated than a Yaris Cross, with far less road noise resonating inside at 70mph. A Captur is slightly quieter overall, with even less engine and road noise, but for hushed cruising manners in a small SUV take a look at the T-Roc.

“I find the Nissan Juke deals with lumps and bumps better than its predecessor, but it still jostles you around noticeably along uneven roads, while badly broken patches send noticeable shudders through the car.” – Will Nightingale, Reviews Editor

It's easy to get comfy behind the wheel of the Nissan Juke – in fact, much easier than in earlier versions, which had steering wheels that adjusted for height but not reach. The seats we’ve tried in Tekna trim provide plenty of side support to hold you in place. Our only real demerit is that you don’t get adjustable lumbar support with any version.

If the reason you’re considering a small SUV rather than, say, a family car is that you like a lofty driving position, it’s worth noting that you feel a bit higher up when sitting in a Juke than in a Skoda Kamiq but a Renault Captur E-Tech has an even more commanding position.

One thing we really like about the Juke’s interior is that you get physical controls for the air conditioning on all versions. The large rotary knobs make it far less distracting to adjust the temperature when you're driving than using the infotainment touchscreen (as you have to on many cars). The Juke also has a big 12.3in digital driver’s display that’s larger than the Captur's, although it’s less configurable and the graphics are not as sharp.

Your view out of the front and diagonally out of junctions is mostly good, although the rear-view mirror is mounted quite low so some drivers will find it impedes the view out of the top section of the windscreen. It’s easy to see over the Juke's dashboard and the windscreen pillars are slender.

Less impressive is the view back over your shoulder, which is more obscured than in rivals, including the VW T-Roc. The blame lies with the chunky rear pillars and small rear screen, although you get a reversing camera to help out with parking as standard.

If you choose Tekna trim or above, the parking camera is upgraded to a 360-degree one that gives you a bird’s eye view of the car, making manoeuvring in tight spaces even easier.

Every Juke comes with a 12.3in touchscreen infotainment system with DAB radio, Bluetooth, sat-nav, Android Auto and Apple Carplay.

The system is a vast improvement on previous versions, with far sharper, more modern graphics. Even so, there’s still a delay when you open different parts of the system, and it's not as responsive as, for example, the Range Rover Evoque system.

You get a four-speaker stereo with entry-level Acenta Premium trim, but you get a six-speaker one on N-Connecta trim. There’s also a really punchy 10-speaker Bose sound system on all the other top-spec trims, which come with additional speakers built into the driver’s headrest for a more immersive experience. That’s an impressive upgrade by small SUV standards.

This is an area where the Juke has improved in leaps and bounds compared with the original model, and that's continued with the 2024 facelift. It feels really plush, especially in the Tekna+ and N Sport trims, which have suede-like Alcantara material on plenty of surfaces.

No matter which version you go for, the Juke feels better built inside than a Ford Puma. There’s a broader palette of materials used and the turbine-style air vents are surprisingly upmarket, making a satisfying click when you close them. In fact, only the hard plastic on the tops of the doors lets the side down a little.

The Juke combination of material plushness and build quality puts it up there with the best small SUVs – beaten only by premium-badged models such as the Audi Q2.

“The Nissan Juke’s interior is one of the best in the small SUV class. It’s easy to use, well made and has plenty of showroom appeal. I like the supportive seats that hold in place when cornering and the Bose speakers in the headrest are a nice touch.” – Neil Winn, Deputy Reviews Editor

There’s plenty of space for tall people in the front of the Nissan Juke, thanks to ample head room and seats that slide a long way back.

Storage space is nothing to write home about but there’s a small cubby below the central armrest, two cupholders just in front of that, a decent-sized glovebox and a small area for your mobile with a wireless phone-charger built in.

There’s a fair amount of leg room in the back of the Juke, and even six-footers won’t have to suffer with their knees digging into the seat in front.

Head room is merely acceptable though. If you’re long in the body or have a particularly high hairstyle, you might find you need to duck to avoid pressing the back of your head against the sloping rear roof line.

The Juke feels a little more claustrophobic in the back than some small SUVs – including the Skoda Kamiq and VW T-Roc – because of its smaller windows.

All versions of the Juke come with 60/40 split folding rear seats – handy on those occasions you need to carry lots of clobber, or something particularly long or bulky.

The rear seats don’t slide back and forth as they do in the Renault Captur E-Tech or VW T-Cross but that’s a rare feature in the small SUV class.

Opening the Juke's tailgate reveals a wide entrance and a boot that is a usefully square shape. Most versions have a height-adjustable boot floor as standard and if you set it to its highest position, there’s virtually no lip to negotiate. When the rear seats are folded down, there's no step in the floor of the extended load area.

In the DIG-T 114's boot capacity is 422 litres, which is almost as much as what you get in the larger Nissan Qashqai. We managed to fit six carry-on suitcases below the load cover, which is impressive by small SUV standards, although a Ford Puma swallowed eight cases.

The Juke Hybrid gets a smaller boot due to the battery pack raising the height of the boot floor, so we only managed to squeeze in five carry-on cases, which matches the Captur but not the Toyota Yaris Cross (seven cases). Aside from the drop in height, the load bay remains uniform in shape that helps when packing.

“The previous Nissan Juke was so cramped in the back that it did a reasonable impression of a 2+2 coupé. Thankfully, this current model is much roomier with lots more rear leg room than I initially expected. Head room is merely acceptable though.” – Lawrence Cheung, New Cars Editor

The Nissan Juke’s starting price looks reasonable, especially as it costs a little less than an entry-level Skoda Kamiq. However, the poshest trims push the price up by many thousands of pounds, moving the Juke well into VW T-Roc and even Audi Q2 territory. Meanwhile, the cheapest Juke Hybrid is pricier than an entry-level Toyota Yaris Cross (which is a regular hybrid).

Fuel economy and CO2 emissions are respectable but not class-leading. The Ford Puma Ecoboost 125 is more efficient than an equivalent Juke DIG-T 114, while the real-world fuel economy figure of 46.5mpg achieved by the Juke Hybrid on our test route is disappointing. On the same day, a Renault Captur E-Tech hybrid achieved 56.7mpg, while a Yaris Cross achieved 57.7mpg.

The Juke is predicted to hold on to its value reasonably well, but the T-Roc is expected to depreciate more slowly, which should equate to lower monthly payments on PCP finance. You can check you're getting the lowest price by searching our New Car Deals pages.

In the past, the Juke came with a fairly sparse entry-level trim, but now even entry-level Acenta Premium comes with 17in alloy wheels, air-conditioning and cruise control. We think it's worth upgrading to N-Connecta, which keeps the cost competitive but includes useful extras, including climate control, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror and rear-privacy glass.

Stepping up, Tekna is next in the range. It adds larger 19in wheels, heated seats, a heated steering wheel, a heated front windscreen and an upgraded Bose sound system and rear-view camera. Alternatively, you can pay a little extra for Tekna+, which gets some style upgrades. 

At the top of the range is N-Sport. It costs the same as the Tekna+ but has sportier styling on the exterior, and smarter materials inside. We think they're both too expensive to recommend.

In our 2024 What Car? Reliability Survey the Juke finished bottom in its class of 23 small SUV models, which is worrying. Meanwhile, Nissan came 28th out of 31 brands.

You get a three-year/60,000-mile warranty as standard, although that can be extended for an extra cost. That's pretty average, and beaten by Hyundai (five years), Kia (seven years) and Toyota (up to 10 years/100,000 miles if you get an annual service at a franchised dealer).

The Juke was awarded five stars out of five for safety when it was tested by Euro NCAP – but the tests have since become more stringent.

We looked into the results more deeply and discovered that in the adult occupancy test the Juke was found to offer "marginal" protection in a sideways crash, which gave it a lower score than the Skoda Kamiq. It performed slightly better than the Kamiq in the child occupancy and pedestrian tests though.

All Jukes come with automatic emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian detection, lane-departure warning and traffic-sign recognition. You get more safety kit if you go for Tekna or higher, including blind-spot detection and rear cross-traffic alert (to warn you of cars that are about to cross your path when you’re backing out onto a road).

“Although the Nissan Juke was awarded a five-star safety rating that was in 2019 and the test has been updated twice since then, in 2020 and 2023. I found the Toyota Yaris Cross, by comparison, was awarded five stars in 2021 under a stricter testing regime.” – Darren Moss, Deputy Digital Editor

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