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2020 Nissan Juke review: Old dog, new tricks

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The 2020 Nissan Juke is the latest version of the highly successful, bug-eyed compact crossover. I drove it in Barcelona to find out what’s new, how well it drives and if it’s less divisive than its predecessor.

You can barely drive a mile without seeing a Nissan Juke and its big round eyes in the UK. That’s because, despite a mixed reception from critics, the B-segment crossover was a big hit. 1.5 million sales worldwide big.

Naturally, then, there’s a lot riding on the all-new model, which is available now and starts from £17,400, with first deliveries arriving in November 2019 in the UK. Here’s my verdict.

2020 Nissan Juke: So what’s new?

Just about everything on the new Nissan Juke is new, including the chassis that now sits on the CMF-B platform and the introduction of a smaller, more emission-friendly turbocharged petrol.

You can also, for the first time, have a dual-clutch seven-speeder auto that features paddle shifters for manual control. Not that you’ll probably use the feature much on a mighty 1.0-litre.

As you can see, the circular headlights made it across to the new Juke. But the overall design, though still playful, has matured somewhat and is jazzed up by the addition of Y-shaped LED daytime running lights.

To accommodate the world’s increasingly large people, the new Juke comes with extra rear leg room, rear headroom and a 20-per cent larger boot, at 422 litres, which has a more square opening because of the new tail lights that partially reside in the tailgate.

There’s also some ambient lighting to make the cabin more pleasant in the dark and posher, softer materials to make it feel less Del Boy and more Costa del Sol. Plus blind spot prevention, which actively tries to stop you from driving into someone next to you.

To improve visibility, the new Juke also features thinner A-pillars, something made possible by using higher strength steel. Speaking of materials, despite being marginally bigger, the new Juke is actually 23kg lighter.

Unlike in the new Nissan Micra when that launched, the new Juke comes with support for both Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, as well as its own mirrorlink system. So you can use your own music, navigation and entertainment apps instead of Nissan’s.

2020 Nissan Juke: What about upgrades and stuff?

As before, you can make your Juke stand out from the sizable crowd with one of 11 exterior paintjobs, three different colours for the roof, optional leather and Alcantara, fancier monoform front seats and either matching or contrasting colours for the interior.

New to the range is the Tekna+ trim level, which sits above everything and lets you go wild with various options, including three new bespoke interiors. One is called Midnight and this basically decks the cabin out with a mixture of black leather and Alcantara. You also spec fancy 19-inch alloys, at the expense of ride quality.

For the ultimate infotainment experience, which Nissan promises is better than nothing else it’s offered before, you can have an 8-inch infotainment display and the ProPilot system, which handles braking, acceleration and keeps you in lane (even in slow traffic).

2020 Nissan Juke: What about the engine?

Forget worrying about engine choices, there’s just one this time. It’s a three-cylinder that outputs 117PS (115bhp) and 180Nm of torque. This is upped to 200Nm when the over torque function kicks at full throttle for up to 20 seconds.

Unless you go for the new dual-clutch gearbox, you will be using a six-speed manual. Either way, you can expect CO2 emissions in the 110g/km area and fuel economy between 44.1 and 47.9mpg. Those are based on the stricter WLTP testing system, as opposed to the older NEDC.

In case it’s too much hassle to switch between the standard, eco and sport driving modes, there’s now a D-Mode that’s less sexual than it sounds. Instead, it swaps between all three automatically so you can focus on other things.

During our spirited test drive, our Nissan Juke averaged between 33 and 38mpg. More than 40mpg would be doable with more sensible driving, making it cost-effective though less capable than a good diesel.

2020 Nissan Juke: How does it drive?

Far better than its predecessor, in terms of involvement and ease. The chassis doesn’t just get you from A to B, it encourages you to push hard through corners and, somehow, its neutral handling and minimal body roll lets the tyres hold on for dear life. Really, the Juke has no need to be this capable but it is, which bodes well for a Nismo version.

At more sedate pace, the suspension smooths out the road better than before and the cabin is quiet. There is more wind noise at 70mph than I would have liked, more so than in a rival Ford, but Nissan assured me it’s because these cars are pre-production. Only time will tell if that’s true.

The DIG-T 117 petrol engine is the result of ever-tightening emissions. It’s not packed with character, admittedly, but its small displacement is made up for with decent levels of torque.

Even so, progress is never rapid even with the accelerator buried. Sport mode does help make the new Juke feel more keen to please at the expense of fuel economy, as it lets the automatic rev more freely. But it means unusually heavy steering.

Points must be awarded for the automatic, which is smooth on both the upshift and downshift. Such is its ease to waft effortlessly between gears, it rivals that of much pricier and more Germanic offerings.

2020 Nissan Juke: What about the UK price?

The new Nissan Juke starts from £17,395 in the UK and that gets you a 1.0-litre DIG-T 117 Visia. There’s no Visia with the new DCT, so you’ll have to go one trim higher to Acenta if you want to ditch the six-speed manual, starting from £20,395.

For the money no object Tekna+ Premiere Edition, you’ll be parting with £25,395. Or £100 less for the standard Tekna+. My pick of the bunch would be Acenta as it means you get the 8-inch infotainment display with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay support, but these are hardly essential.

One worthwhile upgrade system first seen in the new Micra is the Bose sound system, which includes speakers in the headrests and makes a decent sound.

To give you an idea of monthly finance costs, an £18,995 two-wheel drive Acenta needs a deposit of £1,500 and costs £277 per month for three years, with annual mileage capped at 10,000 miles. Total amount payable would be £21,000, based on 4.99 per cent APR.

Should I buy one, then?

If you have nightmares about the old Juke, I’d still suggest you give the new model a go because it’s more practical, more efficient, more stylish and more enjoyable to drive yet retains that love/hate [delete as appropriate] quirky charm.

My only complaint is that the 1.0-litre engine, though better on CO2 emissions than its predecessor’s engines, needs to be revved a little hard to make useful progress and that makes it thirstier.

As compact crossovers go though, the new Nissan Juke is still one of the more interesting choices. In fact, it’s so much better to drive that I’m genuinely excited for the Nismo version. And given that I hated its predecessor, that’s really saying something.

2020 Nissan Juke: Key Specs

  • Engine: 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol
  • Torque: 180Nm from 1,750-4,000rpm (200Nm with over torque)
  • Horsepower: 116bhp (117PS) at 5,250rpm
  • Acceleration: 0-62mph (100kmh) in 10.2 seconds
  • Top speed: 112mph
  • Dimensions: 4,210mm (L) x 1,800mm (W) x 1,595mm (H)
  • Wheelbase: 2,636mm
  • Boot space: 422 litres
  • With rear seats folded down: 1,305 litres
  • Fuel economy: 44.1-47.9mpg
  • CO2 emissions: 112-118g/km, depending on options
  • Price: From £17,400
2020 Nissan Juke review: Old dog, new tricks
The Verdict
Better in almost every way, the 2020 Nissan Juke is a notable step up on its predecessor marred only by an engine that could, on occasion, do with a little more oomph.
The Good
Looks better in and out
Safer and more tech
Enjoyable handling
The Bad
Engine is thirstier
Paddles are pointless
Wind noise at speed
81
Tribe Score