Nissan Juke vs Ford Escape
What's the difference?

Nissan Juke

$22,990 - $36,485

2024 price

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Ford Escape

$14,868 - $35,990

2022 price

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Land Rover Discovery Sport

Mercedes-Benz GLA-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLC-Class

Mercedes-Benz GLE-Class

Mini Countryman

Mitsubishi ASX

Mitsubishi Eclipse Cross

Summary

2024 Nissan Juke

2022 Ford Escape

By Tom White

By Matt Campbell

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Turbo 3, 1.0L

Turbo 4, 2.5L

Fuel Type

Premium Unleaded Petrol

Premium Unleaded/Electric

Fuel Efficiency

5.8L/100km (combined)

1.5L/100km (combined)

Energy consumption

14.7 kWh/100km

Electric range

69 km

Battery capacity

14.40 kWh

Seating

Likes

Funky looks
Decent interior space and boot
Full safety equipment

Good genuine electric driving range
Decent packaging
Palatable price

Dislikes

Frustrating dual clutch auto
Missing a few tech items rivals get
Could do with a hybrid version

Why ST-Line spec?
Make sure your use case fits the limitations
A lot more expensive than petrol-only ST-Line

2024 Nissan Juke Summary

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.

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2022 Ford Escape Summary

We might have been excited to see the new generation Ford Ranger and Ford Everest models in 2022, but the real star of the show for the Blue Oval brand could well be this - its first electrified model to make it to Australia, the new Ford Escape PHEV.

If you’ve seen the letters PHEV before and not understood what it meant, don’t stress - you’re not alone. It stands for Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle. And what that means is that this car comes with a battery bank and electric motor, a port to plug it in and recharge it to drive on EV power only, and it also has a petrol engine to make sure you’re not stuck when you run out of charge.

I’ll run through all the details on the drivetrain below, but think of it this way - if you want a Toyota RAV4 Hybrid but want the possibility to drive on dedicated electric power for up to (and in excess of) 50 kilometres on a charge, this could be the right car for you…

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Deep dive comparison

2024 Nissan Juke 2022 Ford Escape

Verdict

The Juke is a fun little car. It looks cool, it packs most of the important features and safety equipment, but while it can be fun to drive, it’s also a little clunky around town.

It’s so frustrating, because there is a great car in there somewhere, and it would take only small tweaks and enhancements to bring it out.

Verdict

The Ford Escape PHEV is a good option for a customer who knows they’ll live within the parameters set by the car. That’s the case with any plug-in hybrid, really, so in that regard, this new model is hardly a standout.

And it isn’t particularly outstanding in any other way either. I personally would have appreciated it if Ford had decided to add the plug-in powertrain to the Vignale flagship model instead - that model is more about luxury than sportiness, and would better fit the character of this powertrain in my opinion.

It’s a decent addition to the brand’s SUV range, and a welcome one to the segment, though it won’t be on its own for long.

Nissan Juke vs Ford Escape What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Nissan Juke vs Ford Escape
What's the difference?