Nissan Juke Hybrid evaluate: Imbued with a spirited, full of life character

I confess I’ve all the time preferred the insectival Nissan Juke. It appeared like a large alien hungry beetle when first it landed in 2010, and although now fairly acquainted, was a little bit of a shock when the first-generation mannequin appeared to a startled car-buying public, after years of inoffensive, anonymous-looking Nissan Cherries and Micras. It utilized the once-revolutionary idea of the SUV “crossover” pioneered by the Qashqai to the smaller automotive market, and it labored. A brand new model got here in 2019, and, virtually as uncommon as its seems to be, this can be a small automotive that’s really designed, engineered and in-built Britain, I feel uniquely. It’s truthful to say it’s been an excellent success.

So one thing to be pleased with, however what’s new? It’s had some styling tweaks, which solely essentially the most devoted car-spotter may establish, and, extra necessary there’s a brand new hybrid model, albeit that the Juke is fairly late in becoming a member of that specific swarm. The quick story in regards to the petrol-electric hybrid Juke is that it gives you a ten mpg benefit over the equal petrol-only mannequin, for a premium of £1,730. So, for a ten,000-mile-a-year household it’s going to pay for itself in about 4 years or so, on present gasoline prices. Subsequently the Juke makes a reasonably good case for itself, in that comparability, however in fact you can all the time take the extra radical step of going absolutely electrical, with one thing just like the Kia e-Niro (shortly to be up to date), or get extra on your cash through our outdated buddy the Dacia Duster.

A extra direct competitor is the Renault Captur E-Tech, which shares similar expertise with the Juke Hybrid through the Renault-Nissan Alliance, whereas there’s additionally the Toyota Yaris Cross, which even affords a four-wheel drive model. The Captur additionally affords a plug-in hybrid choice, so you’ll be able to add some battery cost through the mains. Different small crossovers embody the VW T-Roc, Seat Arona, Skoda Kamiq and Peugeot 2008. Heaps and much, then, to check out, however, on the entire, with the present provide shortages and commensurately larger costs, it is smart to attend a little bit longer for the market to stabilise earlier than making a purchase order or taking out a lease/PCP. Even the automotive brokers can’t provide help to that a lot in these loopy occasions.

In a crowded subject, by some means Nissan has imbued the Juke with a spirited, full of life character that helps it stand out and provides it that likeable high quality. They’ve taken care to make sure the hybrid energy practice doesn’t undergo from the same old whiney noises and that it’s adequately responsive, agile and feels sporty, even when it isn’t actually. It’s all right down to a really intelligent gearbox and related software program that melds the facility from the petrol engine and electrical motor in pretty seamless vogue. There’s fairly a selection of driving set-ups, in reality, to go well with the circumstances – economic system, regular and sport modes, plus an non-compulsory “e-Pedal Step” through which you brake the automotive merely by lifting your foot off the accelerator.

On all-electric automobiles, together with Nissan’s personal Leaf, these e-pedals can have fairly a dramatic impact, like driving a dodgem, however not on this case, the place I discovered it barely perceptible. Sporty mode is definitely extra pressing and noisy, however frankly a bit tiring. Not like the primary era Juke, by the way in which, there’s no frantic Nismo model, nor a diesel nor plans for battery-electric solely propulsion. The one actual fault I discovered with our take a look at Juke was a little bit of wind noise from the outsized door mirrors and its fairly bluff entrance finish. You may also argue the display is a bit small by trendy requirements, and it’s nonetheless not that massive within the again, and there’s no spare wheel. In any other case, it was as refined as you need it to be, and irreproachable.

For some motive the Hybrid Juke is obtainable as a type of premium mannequin, solely accessible with the posher trim ranges, which implies you do get loads of very helpful security gear, good leather-based and faux-suede materials, and flashy however foolish large 19-inch alloys. Nevertheless that does additionally imply that you could be end up paying £30,000 or so for, nicely, a Nissan Juke, and it’s not simply because I don’t perceive inflation that I discover that proposition considerably alien. Which, as I say, is fully becoming for such a humorous little automotive.