Review - Nissan Juke

With some of the most radical styling of the entire small SUV segment, it’s worth asking the question of whether or not there’s some true substance underneath that Japanese style. 

With company like the Mazda CX-3, Toyota Yaris Cross, MG ZST, Hyundai Venue, Kia Stonic, Ford Puma and the Volkswagen T-Cross, the Juke needs to truly perform in order to win over buyers. 

With that in mind, let’s take a look at how the Nissan Juke range translates to Australian roads, how it can serve growing families and how well it positions itself in the compact SUV segment as a value for money proposition. 

Starting Price: $27,990

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Nissan Juke (ST) Specifications

For more details and other variants, check Nissan Juke car page.

How Much Does It Cost?

The Nissan Juke lineup kicks off from $27,990 for the entry-level Juke ST, which jumps to $30,740 for the Juke ST+. From here, the range moves to the ST-L and ST-L+ variants, which are priced at $33,940 and $35,140 respectively, while Nissan’s range-topping Juke Ti is priced at $36,490.  

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What Features Does the Nissan Juke ST Have?

The entry-level Nissan Juke ST comes riding on a set of 17-inch alloy wheels, and receives a set of automatic LED headlights, wheel-mounted paddle shifters, a reversing camera with rear-mounted parking sensors, as well as an 8.0-inch infotainment system fitted with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. 

Juke ST+ Features

Stepping up to the Juke ST+ variant adds a set of heated front seats, as well as parking sensors on the front of the body, LED fog lights and satellite navigation upgrades for the infotainment system. 

Juke ST-L Features

Opting for the ST-L variant adds a set of 19-inch alloy wheels, adaptive cruise control system, surround-view camera, ambient interior lighting, electric parking brake, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and gear lever, as well as a 7.0-inch digital instrument cluster and some leather finishes for the interior. 

Juke ST-L+ Features

Moving to the ST-L+ adds a white leather finish for the upholstery with black cloth contrasts, as well as white leather accents for the dash, doors and arm rests, as well as an eight-speaker sound system from BOSE. 

Juke Ti Features

Finally, the range-topping Ti receives a quilted black leather upholstery finish with a choice of alcantara or leather seats with orange highlights, illuminated door sills and a choice of alcantara or orange leather for the dashboard, doors and arm rests. 

Range Features: 

• 17-inch alloy wheels 

• Automatic LED headlights 

• Wheel-mounted paddle shifters 

• Reversing camera with rear-mounted parking sensors 

• Cruise control 

• 8.0-inch infotainment system with Apple CarPlay & Android Auto 

• Satellite navigation (ST+) 

• LED fog lights (ST+)

• Front parking sensors (ST+) 

• Heated front seats (ST+)

• 19-inch alloy wheels (ST-L)
  Adaptive cruise control (ST-L)

• Surround-view camera (ST-L) 

• Leather-wrapped steering wheel (ST-L) 

• Ambient lighting package (ST-L) 

• Eight-speaker BOSE sound system (ST-L+) 

• White leather upholstery with black cloth contrasts (ST-L+) 

• Quilted black leather with alcantara or black leather seats (Ti) 

• Illuminated door sills (Ti) 

• Alcantara or orange leather highlights (Ti) 

Nissan Juke Colours

Is it Comfortable to Drive? 

Compact crossover SUVs are designed primarily for the city, and in this respect, the Nissan Juke is no different. It’s compact proportions make it perfectly suited to weaving between traffic and in and out of tight car spaces, while the perky engine is perfectly suited to bursts of acceleration off the line. 

You’ll be glad to know that all Juke variants, from the entry-level ST to the range-topping Ti are powered by the same engine. This is a tiny little 1.0-litre three-cylinder unit that produces 84kW and 180Nm which, translated to English, means that the Juke has enough power to get up to speed in a smooth, steady fashion thanks to its seven-speed dual-clutch transmission which offers extremely fast shifts between gears as you pick up speed. 

The result of this engine and transmission combination is a smooth, surprisingly refined and incredibly user-friendly package that is a pleasure to pilot around town. The engine feels perky while picking up speed, and while there isn’t a tremendous amount of push off the line, it’s perfectly suited to the needs of a daily commute and offers some fuel-saving benefits to boot. 

The steering wheel remains exceptionally light while driving, and while there is some feedback on offer for the driver, the Juke remains easy to maneuver at low speeds and while parking thanks to its user-friendly steering rack and welcoming proportions for parking. 

One potential downside of the Juke’s urbanite platform is that the suspension system feels quite firm on some of the rougher Australian road surfaces once you’ve left the city. The benefits of this system is that the Juke remains flat in the corners and proves surprisingly fun to drive, however, the platform remains quite firm during everyday driving and commutes. 

Overall, though, the Juke ticks all the important boxes of its design brief, and offers a fantastic platform for those looking for an urban runaround that is refined enough for long journeys outside the city. 

Is it Practical and Spacious? 

While the Juke is a radically-styled compact SUV, there is a surprising amount of practicality lurking beneath that Japanese styling package. Up front, you’ll find a comfortable set of seats with a heap of adjustment to find the perfect driving position, as well as manual height adjustment for the seat to ensure you have a good view out of the front windshield. 

This extends to the ergonomic approach to the cabin design that thoughtfully positions all the important buttons within reach, with a large central tunnel separating the driver from the front passenger that offers some storage for smartphones and loose items, a set of cup holders and a folding arm rest. 

One of the major criticisms thrown at the first-generation Nissan Juke was the cramped cabin design that made it feel as though the company’s designers were prioritising bold exterior looks over anything else. Thankfully, the latest generation Juke resolves most of these issues, with a heap of space in the front of the cabin and a redesigned second row, although it isn’t without its drawbacks. 

While the second row of the Juke’s cabin offers far more legroom than the previous generation, there are still issues when it comes to headroom for taller rear passengers. This is the result of Nissan’s stylish sloping roofline design that looks great from the outside, but makes sitting inside somewhat problematic for tall occupants. In terms of family duties, the Juke remains a practical offering, so long as you don’t have any adult-sized teenagers squeezing into the rear cabin for long journeys. 

Thankfully, the Juke very much redeems itself when it comes to boot size and cargo carrying potential, with a boot rated at 422L, which is pretty impressive for a vehicle of this segment. Space extends to a whopping 1,305L with the rear seats folded down, making the Juke a surprisingly practical vehicle when it comes to boot space.

Is it Safe? 

The latest-generation Nissan Juke has been awarded a five star ANCAP safety rating when it was tested in 2019, scoring 94 out of 100 for adult protection, 87 for child protection, 81 for pedestrian protection and 71 for safety assistance technologies. 

All Nissan Juke variants receive autonomous emergency braking, blind-spot monitoring, rear cross-traffic alerts, traffic sign recognition, lane-departure warnings and a series of front, front-side and curtain airbags around the cabin. This makes the Nissan Juke a great offering in the context of safety standards and equipment, even in the entry-level ST variant. 

Is it Fuel Efficient?

The small-capacity engine returns a combined cycle of 5.8L per 100km, which makes it a genuinely impressive offering within the compact SUV market for a non-hybrid vehicle. Real-world driving may see these numbers rise to over 6L per 100km, depending on your driving style, however it is entirely possible to better Nissan’s claimed figure of 5.8L per 100km. 

Our Verdict: Is the Nissan Juke Worth it?

While the first generation Nissan Juke was met with some steep criticisms, the latest generation has fast become one of the most attractive offerings in the compact SUV market because of the company’s willingness to listen to, and address these criticisms.

As a result, the latest generation Nissan Juke is well deserving of a spot on your shortlist of compact SUVs, and offers a huge amount of style and premium features for an attractive price.  So long as you’re a young family and don’t need to accommodate tall adults in the rear of the cabin, the Juke is fabulous to drive, and offers impressive fuel economy. 

OnlineAuto Rating: 8/10

Nissan Juke Competition