Mazda CX-5 vs Nissan Juke

What's the difference?

What does the Mazda CX-5 have in common with the VW Golf, Lotus Elise and Porsche Cayenne?

They all saved their respective carmakers from going under.
Keeping rivals like the Toyota RAV4, Hyundai Tucson and Volkswagen Tiguan on their toes since launching in 2012, the Japanese medium-sized SUV has wooed buyers with its styling, quality, driveability, ease and brand reputation ever since.

Now, after 14 years, five million-plus examples of essentially the same vehicle, a third-generation CX-5 has launched, and we have questions.

Like, what’s actually changed? Are the changes enough? How does it drive? And where’s the hybrid?

Keep reading for answers and more.

The Nissan Juke was meant to herald a new era for Nissan in Australia.

It was the first in a slew of new-generation SUVs and has now been joined by the Qashqai, X-Trail, and Pathfinder as part of a new-look Nissan.

Unlike those others, though, the Juke hasn’t quite resonated with buyers. Since arriving to what Nissan probably expected to be fanfare back in 2020, the new Juke has since sunk to the bottom of its compact SUV segment, outselling only a handful of other models.

So, what went wrong? Is the quirky styling of the Juke too much? Are there too many appealing choices in the compact SUV space? Alternatively, could the Juke be an underrated gem worth checking out?

I find myself in an upper mid-spec ST-L to find out.