2021 Ford Puma vs Nissan Juke

What's the difference?

S FAR as makeovers go, Hollywood has nothing on the transformation of Ford's small SUV.

Based on the Fiesta supermini only sold here in sizzling ST form, but using a stretched and widened version of its platform with heavily reworked underpinnings, the strikingly styled Puma is as charming – beguiling even – as its EcoSport predecessor was awkward. And we're talking about capabilities that are more than merely skin deep here.

We're not alone in our admiration – one respected UK publication awarded the Ford a 'car of the year' gong – and after nearly a month with our range-topping ST-Line V (for Vignale), we can understand why.

But the German-engineered, Romanian-made Puma is also a complicated proposition in Australia that requires some context, because it is certainly not for everyone.

I get asked this question frequently by concerned friends: Who is the target audience for the Nissan Juke?

I think the answer is a pretty easy one. This little SUV has always been about the way it looks over all other attributes. In the same way that people are willing to fork out hundreds of dollars for big-name sneakers that offer no tangible benefit over a $50 pair, the Juke is all about having something a little bit different from your neighbour.

In some ways, then, it’s the Tokyo street style alternative to many of its rivals. Unlike the first Juke, though, this new one has a few more edgy small SUV rivals on its hands, more of which are throwing around significant words like “hybrid” and “electric.”

So, can the conventionally unconventional Juke cut it in one of Australia’s most competitive and rapidly growing segments? I took a top-spec Ti for a week to find out.