Nissan Juke
FINAL REPORT A long-overdue camping trip highlights the SUV’s practical appeal
AS with a lot of people in 2020, my summer holiday plans were kicked into touch rather quickly. So after I, my girlfriend and the Nissan were all released from lockdown-induced hibernation, it seemed like a good opportunity to get out into the countryside for a spot of camping.
The Juke has spent the vast majority of its time in and around London, commuting to and from the Auto Express office and rarely carrying more than two people at a time. So a trip with friends to more rural areas, loaded up with camping gear and four people, would be a test for this city-dwelling SUV. Having laid out two tents, four overnight bags, various pieces of folding camping gear, such as chairs and tables, as well as sleeping bags and a load of toiletries, I was already weighing up what equipment was going to have to be left behind. There was no way everything was going to fit in the boot.
But to my surprise, as we kept on loading items the Juke swallowed everything that was thrown its way. The split-level boot floor was a bit of a life-saver, with the bulky folding table and chairs slotting neatly out of sight. It meant all of the soft luggage could be crammed into the main load bay. It didn’t leave much visibility out of the rear window
– yet that’s not the Juke’s strong point to start with. After a quick trip to the supermarket to stock up on essentials, we headed south east, across London from Hammersmith towards Streatham to pick up our friends.
Over my time with the Juke, I’ve realised driving in busy cities is not where it feels most at home. The ride quality is the main problem; it’s soft, but the body control is poor, meaning large road imperfections or potholes crash through the suspension, causing the car to wobble and rattle. In a city as busy and badly surfaced as London, it quickly sours the driving experience.
Once finally loaded up we navigated out of London on the A20 and onto the M20 towards Kent. On fast A-roads where the smoother tarmac suits the Juke’s soft set-up, it is far more pleasant to drive. The 1.0-litre turbo is even pretty efficient, because the car managed a none-too-shabby 44mpg over the duration of the weekend. Another highlight
“As we kept on loading up, it swallowed everything that was thrown its way”
was the brilliant Bose sound system, although the design of the headrests that are supposed to look like headphones won’t be to all tastes.
Overall, this Juke feels like Nissan missed an opportunity, which might sound odd given that the original car invented the compactcrossover class. But such strong competition really highlights the Juke’s flawed quality, tech and drive. Yet the fact that it looks interesting and offers seemingly infinite personalisation options could be its saving grace.