ON THE ROAD – IAN LYNAS DRIVES THE LATEST NISSAN JUKE

The Juke has been produced by Nissan since 2010, and it made its first public appearance in the same year at the Geneva Motor Show and later it was introduced to the North American public at the New York International Auto and this compact crossover with eye- catching styling has been a success story for Nissan.

I am often asked the origin of a name which manufacturers use, and in the case of the Juke it is derived from the word jukebox. Since the Juke took to our roads, I have driven several versions, even one with a mighty power output close to 500bhp, which I assure you was one not for the faint hearted! Recently, I was re-acquainted with the Juke, the very latest model- and by far the best to date. I have always regarded this model from Nissan as one for the younger generation or should I say, the young at heart, I reckon I fit into the latter! My test example featured two wheel drive, a hybrid with a very useful 141bhp on tap linked to an automatic transmission, this results in very acceptable performance. I would best describe it  as a lively performer with the aid of three drive modes, Sport, Normal and Eco, rest to 100kph (62mph) in a whisker over ten seconds and on to a top end performance of 166kph (103mph) and a CO2 figure of 114g/km. I have already noted styling and most will agree that it is decidedly sporting and to add further to the looks department my test example had the optional Pearl black roof, worth the extra amount. Not only is the exterior styling sports- like but the Juke has a chunky look which gets my vote. Despite the large alloys and the overall short length I found the ride very acceptable, firm yes, the way I like. I have to give a giant helping of plus marks to the interior which emits quality, the trim level tested – Tekna+.

Today we expect a lot from our cars and for many the interior is high on the priority list, one which not only offers good comfort levels, but the technology we demand. The Juke does not disappoint and for me it had a number of pleasant surprises. Fitted as standard an excellent Bose entertainment system with ten speakers, delivering a high quality sound. Bluetooth, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto for those who enjoy music on the move. Other features, wifi and voice recognition and Nissan Connect Services. Not to forget a very user friendly sat nav system.

Safety is a priority with Nissan and the Juke has an array of features to keep driver and fellow travellers safe; ABS with EBD and Brake Assist, Moving Object Detection and so the list goes on. The Juke can boast levels of safety aids that most will associate with larger more expensive cars. Comfort and who does not enjoy this in the modern car and again I score this Nissan well; heated seats on a winter day, just the thing to get your motoring day off on a good note. Automatic Climate Control another comfort feature and in this area I add the multi functional steering wheel and cruise control with speed limiter. Yes the distinctive Juke does all things rather well, only minus lacking in boot space, a minor criticism for a car which held a number of surprises for me.

Ian Lynas