Our Rating
3.5/5
Pros
Cons
Introduction
The Nissan Juke has been a huge success and helped to kickstart the compact crossover craze. Now in its second generation, the Sunderland-built Juke continues to be as stylish as ever, with its immediately recognisable design and silhouette.
The second-generation car, introduced late in 2019, brought more in the way of technology, as well as additional cabin space for passengers. It’s proven popular as a result, too.
As part of Nissan’s growing electrified range (all of its kind are available as either a hybrid or EV these days), the firm is introducing a new ‘Hybrid’ powertrain. Shared with Renault, Nissan says it offers up to 40 per cent fuel consumption and the ability to drive around town on electricity for 80 per cent of the time. But does it stack up? We’ve been behind the wheel.
Performance
The Juke launched with a single petrol engine option – a 112bhp 1.0-litre petrol available with either a six-speed manual gearbox or a CVT automatic.
But with this new hybrid powertrain comes a completely new setup for Nissan. As we’ve said, it’s the same as that found in Renault models like the Clio and Captur, and combines a 1.6-litre petrol engine with an electric motor and battery. With 141bhp on offer, it’s noticeably up on power compared to the standard petrol. This allows for a 9.9-second 0-60mph time, though this is only a marginal improvement.
The difference, therefore, is efficiency, with the Hybrid’s claimed 55.4mpg being a welcome increase over the petrol’s 48mpg, while CO2 emissions stand at 115g/km, rather than 132g/km.
Ride and handling
Nissan has engineered the Juke to feel more ‘electric’ than other hybrids, and it starts up silently and can travel at up to 34mph before the engine is called into action. It makes it relaxing to drive around town, while the electric motor makes it feel more willing in terms of performance.
The gearbox here is smoother than the CVT in the standard petrol, too, while the ride quality, even on Juke models fitted with the largest 19-inch alloy wheels, remained comfortable.
Interior
There are few changes on the Hybrid’s interior compared to the regular Juke, with the cabin having a good look and feel – helped by lashings of Alcantara and an easy-to-use touchscreen placed prominently on the dashboard.
The fitment of the hybrid powertrain does have a practical disadvantage, however, with the boot’s volume (with the seats up) reducing from 422 litres to 354. Similarly, the ‘seats down’ boot space drops from 1,305 litres to 1,237, which means it doesn’t offer too much more room than a regular hatchback.
Equipment
This new Hybrid version doesn’t get the same level of trim choice as the standard Juke, with the entry-level Visia and Acenta grades not being offered here.
The range, therefore, starts with the N-Connecta, with standard equipment generously including automatic climate control, 17-inch alloy wheels, keyless entry and the NissanConnect satellite navigation system.
Upgrading to the Tekna brings 19-inch alloy wheels, a Bose sound system, heated front seats and further driver assistance tech from the ProPilot Assist Pack, which includes adaptive cruise control, a 360-degree camera and blind spot monitoring. The flagship Tekna+ builds on this with various style-orientated changes, including revised 19-inch rims, two-tone metallic paint and satin chrome exterior accents
Cost
The Juke Hybrid’s £27,525 starting price does make it seem quite expensive compared to the £20,695 tag of the regular Juke, though it’s worth noting that when a like-for-like version is cross-shopped, the Hybrid costs around £1,800 more than a petrol automatic in the same grade.
However, if you split the price down to monthly payments, there’s only around £10-15 a month difference between the two versions, and you may get that back in fuel savings.
Verdict
This powertrain feels like a welcome addition to the Nissan Juke line-up, offering greater perceived performance and enhanced efficiency, for not a huge amount more money, at least on a finance arrangement.
Though the boot is slightly smaller, and this may limit its appeal to some, if that’s not a dealbreaker, it becomes the pick of the Juke line-up.
