Sharp Juke retains the cutting edge

Matt Allan finds out if there’s substance beneath the style of the allnew version of Nissan’s groundbreaking crossover

TheNissanJukecanmakeareasonable claim to kicking off the B-SUV segment that’s now taking over the world.

Itlaunchedin2010withtruly wild looks that even brandnew rivals can’t touch but after adecadeitwaslookingandfeeling tired elsewhere, hence the arrival of this all-new Juke.

At the press launch of the car almost every second word seemed to be “sporty”. From the engine to the chassis, styling, and even the wheels - everything is, apparently, sporty.

In reality, looks aside, there’s not much sporty about the Juke. That’s not necessarily a criticism and is unlikely to bother most buyers but it’s not whatthemarketingbodswould have you believe.

Based on a new platform, thisJukeiscompletelynewand features element such as active tracecontrolaimedatmakingit better to drive. The B-SUV segment is not a market that demands on-the-edge thrills and the Juke’s moderate body roll and uncommunicative steering are on a par with most rivals. More important is how it rides and here the Juke acquits itself better, sprung with enough softness to breeze over bumps but not so baggy that it feels uncomposed.

TheJukecomeswithjustone engine - a 1.0-litre, three-cylinder petrol turbocharged to produce 115bhp and 148lb/ft - with eitherasix-speedmanualorseven-speeddual-clutchautomatic.

In the Juke, the engine loses someofthelivelinesspresentin theMicra,whereitalsoappears. It’s powerful enough to haul th e Juke along and proves pretty refined but wi th a 0-62mph time of 10.4 secnds o it’ s not “s p ort y ”. If y ou want to get the most performance from the engine the manual gearbox is the one to go for while the auto blunts it slightly but makes up for it with a smooth, easy shift.

You can’t discuss the Juke without referring to its looks. The last one set the bar for individuality and was a true loveit-or-hate-it car. The new car hasn’tstrayedtoofarfromthatdesign. All but entry-level £17,395 The massive circular lights, Visia cars get an eight-inch slim upper lights and gawping touchscreen housing a more grille are still there, and the roofline connected infotainment system. tapers down towards the rear As well as Android Auto in a coupe style. The B-SUV segmentisoneofthemoreadventurous and Apple CarPlay, higher-spec versions feature sat nav with for design but this new Juke live traffic and Google Assistant still manages to stand out as particularly functionality.Thisletsyousend bold. navigation instructions to the

Under the new skin the Juke carevenwhenyou’renotnearby addresses two of the biggest problems andaskittoreportonthingslike with the original model. It’s fuel levels and tyre pressures. longer and wider with a substantially Cruise control, autonomous longer wheelbase, meaning emergency braking and there’s a lot more interior space. lane intervention are standard Rear passengers get nearly 6cm across the range while the highergradesbringeverythingfrom more kneeroom and 1cm more headroom. parking sensors and automatic

The interior fit and finish is also air condition to Propilot with a massive step forward. Nissan adaptive cruise and active lane saystheJukeisthebestinteriorof keeping,andBosePersonalPlus any Nissan and it’s hard to argue. headrest-mounted speakers. Thelayoutissimplifiedandsensible,andthematerialsareeasilyon According to Nissan, when the Juke launched it had no a par with most of its rivals. competitors but today it has 24.

That’s a tough market but the new model is competitive everywhere it counts, from price to comfort, connectivity and safety technology. It also retains the unique styling and characteristics that set the mould for this rapidly growing segment.