A real French on the outside, a real Japanese on the inside. The second generation of the Nissan Juke rolls over the streets. Is the jukebox still doing so well? The driving report.
- No more ugly ducklings - the eye-catching city SUV has become more pleasing.
- The passengers have more space, the trunk has grown by 20 percent.
- Unfortunately, the Juke is only available with a three-cylinder engine that takes some getting used to.
Can you make the most beautiful car in the world even more beautiful? Nissan * can. And so, in the second generation, the punky expressive Juke became an adapted, elegant but still expressive SUV. “Love it or hate it!” Was the motto back in 2009 when the Nissan Juke was introduced. Because of hate. The ugly duckling was loved. The first generation of the crossover SUV in small car format sold over a million copies . In Germany, the car, which is reminiscent of the bold design escapades by Citroen (Ami 6, Ami 8), found over 70,000 buyers.
It is not for nothing that the Juke stands on an X. This can be found as an essential design element in the headlights.
© Nissan
A lot of competition for the Nissan Juke II
Juke II wo n't be able to repeat the success story that easily . Because a lot has happened in this vehicle segment in the past ten years. Not only that almost all manufacturers are big here, but also with the design one has become braver. The Volkswagen T-Roc, for example, sells like sliced bread, not least because of its appearance. The striking Ford Puma * has also been added, but BMW X2 *, Audi Q3 Sportback, Mazda CX3 or Fiat 500 X are also waiting for buyers. Not to forget the competition from one stable: Renault Captur runs in the Renault-Nissan group on the same vehicle platform as the Juke.
But back to the Nissan Juke generation two : the rear has become more angular, the headlight covers, which stand out sculpturally from the rear, are striking. The side line also has crisp edges that run from the shoulder to the front door and flow back around the bottom. Like a lying U. Front remains of reaching not be ignored and the entire front V-shaped grille . And the eye-catching round headlights adorn a Y. One could almost think that the designers were inspired by the last third of the alphabet in their design language.
The rear of the Juke looks sculpturally jagged - rear lights and spoilers protrude.
© Nissan
The Juke has not only grown up in appearance, it has actually grown . At least seven centimeters longer in the body, but the decisive factor is the wheelbase that is extended by ten centimeters. This creates space in the interior . Feels, but actually. At the knees there are 5.8 centimeters more in the rear, the headroom increases by 1.1 centimeters.
Even if the Juke has got bigger, the look behind has not improved in the new model either. Thanks to the optically successful but rather impractical coupe shape on this point. A reversing camera is therefore recommended.
The inside of the Juke can be so chic. The red leather inserts are reminiscent of a sports car.
© Nissan
As exciting as the outside appears, inside Nissan serves rather average food. Round instruments for speed and engine speed, which is important in this case because the three-cylinder engine really depends on the speed. More on that later. The 8-inch infotainment screen sits in the middle of the dashboard . Otherwise, black and gray everyday plastic dominate in our test car. There would also have been more chic equipment variants with Alcantara or with striking red leather cladding.
This is what the cockpit looks like if you opt for the subtle-looking Alcantara equipment.
© Nissan
The mobile phone docks quickly via Bluetooth, AppleCarPlay and AndroidAuto are now standard in this vehicle class. And the WiFi network for all passengers can also be installed quickly. The Juke Box in the Nissan Juke offers decent sound without an upgrade. But if you really like listening to music, you should afford the Bose system with the speakers integrated in the headrests. Speaking of sound: the vehicle insulation was obviously saved. You can hardly feel the road through the decent chassis, but you can hear it loud and clear.
This is what the engine of the Nissan Juke II does
In contrast, the three-cylinder petrol engine keeps (running) calm in almost every situation. The 1.0-liter engine is the only engine available in the Juke and is not only good-natured when it comes to noise, but also when it comes to developing power. But only if you drive with low or very high tours. The maximum torque of 180 Newton meters (Nm) only starts at 1,750 revolutions (rpm), and decreases again from 4,000 rpm.
The Juke engine with 117 hp certainly develops sprinter qualities, provided you always have the rev counter firmly in view - at least until you are used to the three-cylinder engine. Otherwise frustration instead of driving fun is announced. Not necessarily disappointment, perhaps rather disillusionment, spreads at the gas station . The announced average consumption of 4.9 liters per 100 kilometers is truly unattainable. In the daily driving mix of one third city, one highway and one country road, it was 6.2 liters .
Eyebrows made of light. The Juke has reduced its punky appearance in the second generation, but you still stand out with this Nissan.
© Nissan
About the details: The luggage compartment, which is 20 percent larger than its predecessor, was noticed positively . Now 68 liters more and thus 422 liters fit into the Juke. Practically the 13 cm wider loading width. On the negative side are small, sometimes annoying details. On the one hand, the disclaimer of the infotainment system always wants its okay, otherwise it won't disappear from the screen. For other manufacturers, this happens automatically after a few seconds, and the Juke is forgetful at the different speed levels (sport, comfort, eco). Every time the engine is switched off, it jumps to the middle level so that the driver has to switch on his favorite mode (whether sport or eco) each time.
Annoying is the fact that the driving mode switch, which is located at the front of the switch housing, always jumps back to normal when the car is switched off.
© Nissan
And something else takes getting used to: the rear door handles are not where you automatically reach, but hide at the top right and are so cleverly installed that you cannot see them immediately. The fact that design does not necessarily have to be practical can be seen from the spoiler, which is attached to the top of the rear. The glass underneath is not reached by a washing machine brush, here you have to help yourself with a rag and water bucket.
As for the equipment list, the Japanese Frenchman remains cheap . In the upscale N-Connecta version , the following features are already on board: the extensive technology package Pro (usually 790 euros) with the autonomous steering assistant for independent lane keeping, the adaptive speed and distance control system, as well as a 360 degree camera including all-round Parking sensors. Not all over-the-top technical gadgets, but practical everyday helpers. The Bose speaker system is a must for fans of a neat-sounding jukebox. In any case, they are worth 600 euros extra. The navigation system with tom-tom services , three years of map updates and voice recognition for audio and telephony (normally 390 euros) is already included.
The conclusion of the new Juke II
Our car tester Rudolf Bögel also looks good in white.
© Bögel
A good car at a reasonable price . But only for people for whom the drive is not particularly important. The three-cylinder petrol engine is sufficient for everyday use, but actually it is a fun brake. The Juke still looks cool. Not quite as ugly as it used to be, but still distinctive.
Read also : One cylinder less - this is how the Jeep Renegade T-GDI drives in the test .
Datasheet Nissan Juke N-Connecta
Displacement: | 999 cc |
Power: | 117 hp |
Torque: | 180 Nm at 1,750 to 4,000 rpm |
Transmission: | 6-speed manual transmission |
Drive: | front |
Length Width Height: | 4.21 / 1.90 / 1.60 m |
Empty weight (perm): | 1,257 kg / 443 kg |
Trunk: | 422 - 1,088 l |
0 to 100: | 10.4 seconds |
Top speed: | 180 km / h |
Standard consumption : | 4.9 l |
Co2: | 112 g / km |
Price: | from 22,990 euros (basic model from 18,990 euros) |
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Rudolf Bögel
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