2021 Nissan Juke vs 2020

What's the difference?

The Juke Ti is a tough one. There is a lot here that I was surprised and charmed by, even having reviewed the Juke before. This is a fun-looking, engaging little car, with a strong personality and surprising practicality.

It’s frustrating, however, that there are so many areas where even small improvements would turn a good car into a great one. The engine and transmission are at their worst in an urban scenario, and despite a unique and comfortable interior vibe and excellent Bose sound system, this car could really do with some of those high-end tech items like a digital dash, head-up display, and wireless charging to help it better appeal to a youthful urban buyer.

The latest Juke impresses on so many important levels that the ST+ ought to be at the top of every small SUV shopping list. Nissan’s done a terrific job turning its one-time enfant terrible into a cultured and mature alternative to a Mazda CX-3.

But the 1.0-litre turbo’s laggy and jerky behaviour can infuriate driver and passengers alike with frustrating, heartbreaking regularity, blinding them – as it nearly did us – to the progress that the new model has made over old.

As a result, Nissan’s job isn’t quite done. Please find a fix or a more responsive engine for the otherwise charming and capable Juke, and fast.

The Juke is all design, I’d say the look is perhaps its biggest selling point, but this time around form meets function, too.

The Juke is part of a new generation of eye-grabbing small SUVs that serve up a serious dollop of street style, for better or worse. This new car references the curvy, edgy lines that made the previous model loved and hated in equal measure, but does so with a confidently modern execution. LED lights and huge wheels combine with the subtly finished contrast panels to complete this car’s contemporary look.

I’d say it’s more of a balanced, well-rounded design than petrol versions of Hyundai’s recently updated Kona, for example. The Juke also offers an interesting alternative to the similar Toyota C-HR, which stops a little short of being quite this eye-grabbing.

Our Ti leaves me with the overall impression this car is essentially an automotive sneaker. Cool looks, a wide stance, and signature highlight points really set it apart, but perhaps above all the new burnt-orange paint glows in the light like few other colours, giving this Nissan a unique kerb appeal.

Inside is where the Juke easily pulls ahead of the C-HR, at least in my mind. Where the Toyota plays it mostly safe with familiar Corolla switchgear, the Juke goes full whacky with the orange synthetic leather dash-filler really off-setting the dark plastics and leathers and matte silver highlights. It’s a lot to take in, but it’s meant to be and is designed around wowing onlookers.

Again, it’s too bad the Juke doesn’t double down with an equally impressive tech package, as many rivals are now offering screens which measure in the double digits, and at this top-spec price point, a fully digital instrument cluster to match.

Instead, the Juke leans into its familiarity with other Nissan legends, with some subtle and not-so-subtle references to cars like the iconic R35 GT-R in its circular vent fittings and raised, leather-bound console elements.

Overall, the Juke’s design won’t be for everyone, but it leans so strongly into its street-cred element that those it does appeal to will be absolutely sold. If nothing else, the Juke is a signature for Nissan, standing the brand well apart from rivals on the road.

Is there anything that isn’t interesting going on here?

The old Juke divided critics and buyers alike with its wilfully bold – some unkind folks might even say Jar Jar Binks-like – face, high-hipped stance and pert to-the-point-of-squashed-up proportions. But sell the baby SUV did away from Oz.

Today’s F16 is a far-more mature effort, sitting prettier within its similarly-styled-but-entirely-different skin. The Nissan’s styling has moved away from the fringes, visually connecting to contemporaries, such as the Mazda CX-3 while still maintaining the circular headlight motifs and hidden rear-door handles. And the extra length balances the proportions no end.

Perhaps the most normal part of the design is rear-on, which loses the old car’s ‘Nike Tick’ tail-light style for more-conventional rectangular units. You’d still call the Juke II interesting, though.

It's no secret that practicality was one of the worst elements of the previous-generation Juke. It had a tiny boot and back seat, next to no cabin storage, and woeful visibility.

The great improvement with this new one is its migration to a global platform it shares with Renault’s new Captur. This means all of these elements have been thought about from a wider perspective. Both cars need to look good and function just as well to give them the best chance of success, and I think both brands have really achieved it this time around.

It’s not without its issues, though. The Juke is still a bit light on the cabin storage up front, letting potential areas for storage bays give way to its overt design elements.

The centre console, for example, looks impressive with its raised shift-knob and synthetic leather cladding, compared to the previous Juke, but offers only a pair of cupholders and a tiny storage tray (which barely fit my iPhone 12) for stowing objects. There is also a truly tiny console armrest box, and some small storage bays in each door, but that’s it for front passengers.

Thankfully, unlike the previous Juke, the front seats are superb in quality and finish, an area which is becoming a Nissan strong point. The soft synthetic leather trim continues into the doors, and even the seating position and visibility are much improved this time around.

Rear passenger seating impressed me. While entry isn’t as easy as it is for front passengers, thanks to those small coupe-like doors, I was surprised to find I actually fit comfortably behind my own (182cm tall) driving position with a little room to spare for my knees.

The excellent seat trim continues (although it’s a little more flat and less supportive than the front), and even the rear doors come with a single large bottle holder and soft strips for your elbows. Amenity-wise, there’s a USB outlet for charging and a small tray on the back of the centre console, but no adjustable air vents. The small and heavily tinted windows also conspire with the abundance of dark trim and headliner to make the rear seat feel a bit claustrophobic and hard to see out of, despite decent head and leg room for adults.

Thanks to some smart design, the Juke also has a surprisingly large boot. Coming in at 422 litres (by no accident a figure identical to its Renault cousin) it’s big for the small SUV class and has a wide, open, and mostly square space, which fit our entire CarsGuide luggage set with relative ease, even with the cover in place. The only issue owners might run into here is the tall rear bumper, which might make loading heavy objects a chore. Under the floor the Juke has a space-saver spare wheel.

Overall, there’s a bit more to the Juke than just looks. This is now a small SUV, which can haul decent amounts of luggage and four adults with relative ease.

Harbour no doubts. The Juke’s biggest step forward over its predecessor has been inside, with a palpably larger and roomier body moving beyond the more than just cursory ‘2+2’ space for adults stuck in the back seat. And all that without losing the sporty coupe-SUV style that has been so central to the Nissan’s appeal.

Entry and egress are now no-longer hindered by narrow door openings and instead are aided by overhead grab handles for all but the driver’s side. There’s ample legroom and shoulder space for larger bodies up front. The driving position is nigh-on perfect for most people, assisted by a lovely three-spoke wheel (with paddle shifts), excellent ventilation and thoughtful placement of most switchgear and controls. Storage options abound, including a massive glovebox. And the old feeling of cheapness has been confined to the dustbin.

Likewise, the dashboard also represents progress, ditching the old F15’s garish toy-like plastics for something that scores for design, quality and presentation. Large, clear dials flanking a central screen offering an auxiliary digital speedometer, driving data, vehicle settings and multimedia info are a nice touch. It all still looks individualistic like the last one, but without the twee tat. Top stuff.

Actually, there’s very little wrong with the rear-seat as well, thanks to equally wide apertures to help get in and out, comfy cushions, bottle holders in all doors, a mobile phone receptacle and well-sited elbow rests. The backrest angle is acceptably angled, headroom is fine for your 178cm tester, big feet can fit beneath the front seats, and even the centre isn’t purgatory for short trips. Again, for a small SUV, it all works fine.

However, being an ST+, you miss out on a USB charger, while no Juke has a middle folding armrest or adjustable back air vents. While there are bottle holders in the doors, there's nowhere to store a cup unless you stretch forward to use the ones in the centre console beside the front-seat occupants.

Still, the natty Nissan’s rear seat is not the confining and dispiriting cattle-class cabin it once was. There’s even enough light streaming in to avoid it seeming like you’re sat in a black hole, while both windows drop almost all the way down.

As far as luggage space goes, the littlest Nissan SUV pulls another rabbit out of the hat, being deep and wide and very useful, though beware the high loading lip. Cargo area measures in at 422 litres (up from 354L), rising to 1305L with the rear backrests dropped. A space-saver spare lives beneath the flat floor, but note that there is no bridging false floor for a completely flush load area to the rear of the front seats when the split/fold backrests are not erect.

The fit and finish back there is also up to expectations, while we experienced no rattles or broken trim during our fortnight with the ST+.

So far, so very good then.

If the new Juke wore a Volkswagen rather than Nissan badge, would we cut it some slack for seemingly steep prices?

After all, it kicks off from $27,990 (before on-road costs) for the base ST, and that’s nearly $4000 over Hyundai's dinky Venue Active, nearly $3000 above the ageing Mazda CX-3 Neo Sport and $1000 more than the spanking-new Toyota Yaris Cross auto equivalents.

As the cliché goes, though, there’s more here than meets the eye.

For starters, the Juke is built in the UK primarily for its adoring European market. This fact is evident in the surprisingly pleasing quality finishes found inside, as well as the efficiency-prioritising, small-capacity three-cylinder turbo and dual-clutch transmission powertrain underneath. 

So, maybe it’s best and fairest to compare Nissan’s English import with similarly-priced Euros, and autos at that, since no manual is currently offered, sadly.

Let's see...  there's the Volkswagen T-Cross 85TSI Life DSG and its Skoda Kamiq 85TSI DSG fraternal twin (both also from $27,990), Ford's box-fresh Puma from $29,990, the new Juke’s coming kissing-cousin Renault Captur II – out soon – that's set to also start from around $30K, the equally all-new and highly-specified Peugeot 2008 Allure 1.2T from $34,990, and even BMW's Mini Countryman Cooper Classic from $44,500.... why not, given it’s also a style-driven Brit. 

That’s a motley group of Continental compact crossovers if ever there was one.

Secondly, the ST is far from bare in there, brandishing the urban safety stuff you need (including autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane-departure warning and lane-keep assist, forward collision warning, rear cross-traffic alert, blind-spot warning, traffic-sign recognition, hill-start assist, a reversing camera and rear parking sensors), as well as the good gear you want.

With an 8.0-inch touchscreen offering voice recognition, Apple CarPlay/Android Auto connectivity, CD player (yes!), paddle-shifters, manual air-con, cruise control with speed limiter, a part-digital instrumentation display, electric folding mirrors and 17-inch alloy wheels, even the entry-level Juke seems mid-spec, bar one glaring omission: no wireless smartphone charger – a curious misstep for such a freshly-hatched SUV so obviously targeting techie urbanites.

Still, in contrast, almost all entry-level rivals look or feel stark and sparse inside and out, but not the ST.

Our test car ended up being the $30,740 ST+, so that’s plus digital radio (essential nowadays), plus satellite navigation (less so), plus heated front seats, plus automatic air-con, plus LED foglights and plus front parking sensors – but still minus that wireless charger. Oh well. Collectively, all make the Plus feel comparatively plush for the extra coin. Stepping up to the ST-L and flagship Ti add $3200 and $5750 to our Juke’s price respectively. Premium paint (as per our vehicle) costs another $595.

This is a solid start for the baby Nissan SUV’s quest for Aussie acceptance.

This is where the Juke starts to fall behind. Coming with this new look and globally focused underpinnings is a new 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine in a rather messy looking engine bay. It produces a very average 84kW/180Nm. This lands it on par with its 1.2-litre four-cylinder turbo C-HR rival, but crucially there’s no hybrid variant of any kind, which ultimately prevents it from getting near the front of the segment here.

It is mated to a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission and drives the front wheels only.

For various reasons this combination has its good points and its bad points, which we’ll look at in the driving section, but one thing worth noting is the transmission has had a software update for the 2021 model year to improve some of its less-appealing characteristics.

Right now, only the Renault-Nissan HR10DDT 999cc 1.0-litre direct-injection in-line three-cylinder turbo petrol is available, driving the front wheels via a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT). Engine outputs are 84kW at 5250rpm and 180Nm at 2400rpm – with power being somewhat down against the 85kW/200Nm T-Cross, 92kW/170Nm Puma and 110kW/195Nm CX-3.

Supplied by German transmission specialists Getrag, it is set-up with short lower ratios for intended lively acceleration and longer higher ratios that prioritise economy and efficiency. Higher-spec Juke models like the ST-L and Ti also feature a Drive Mode Selector, offering Sport/Standard/Eco settings. This is worth remembering.

A warbly though solidly punchy little powerplant that revels in a rev, the HR10DDT is actually related to the larger engines found in some smaller Mercedes-Benz models like the A200. 

Some markets also have a choice of a six-speed manual gearbox but, like we said, Australia is denied such a pleasure. 

The Juke has a claimed/combined consumption figure of 5.8L/100km, courtesy of its small-capacity engine, placing it well amongst rivals.

Over a week of largely urban testing, our car returned a figure of 7.6L/100km, which is about right for this engine around town.

Because of its very European turbo engine, the Juke also requires mid-grade 95RON fuel. It may seem like this engine and transmission is offering up more than a few downsides, but it’s worth remembering this emissions-compliant combination will allow Nissan the economies of scale to sell this new-generation car in Europe.

Averaging an official 5.8L/100km, Nissan reckons the Juke is one of Australia’s most fuel-efficient SUVs, and it certainly seems tuned for economy rather than performance in its present stake. Up to 800km between refills can be expected.

Over a period of several weeks, ours managed an average of 7.5L/100km according to the trip computer, which is pretty impressive given how enthusiastically – and at times hard even – it was driven.

Note that the Juke requires at least 95 RON premium unleaded petrol – another giveaway of its European heritage.

The Juke certainly has its pros and cons here. I’m a fan of this car’s driving position; despite its design it offers fantastic visibility and ergonomic seating and steering adjustments. The functions, too, are controlled relatively easily, with dials for the key features and a multimedia screen, which is close and full of large touch elements on the stock software, making it easy to operate.

Unfortunately, and this is especially true around town, the Juke’s transmission is still annoying. It’s hesitant, jerky, and uneven to engage from a stop, and it particularly dislikes hills.

The software update recently rolled out has had some major benefits compared to when I first drove this car in 2020, with each progressive shift being smooth and effortless, instead of indecisive and slow, the opposite of what a dual clutch should be.

This improved shift-mapping pairs nicely with the turbocharged surge from the little engine to allow it to punch above its weight despite its low power figures, comparing well to the almost anaemic C-HR. While you’ll still have to overcome some turbo lag, I dare say this engine becomes fun when you’ve got a nice piece of road. It even trades out its ragged mechanical tone at low speeds for a more gruff and purposeful bark when you’ve got some revs going, adding to the experience.

The steering is fairly organic, light without being too much so, allowing the driver scope for some engagement with this car’s relatively refined chassis. There’s certainly fun to be had here, even if it has to be eked out on the right road and with a more aggressive driving style. Sport mode will even make the shifts snappier, but does nothing to arrest the shuddery launch behaviour.

The huge wheels do work with the firm suspension to make for a bit of a harsh ride, though, so it’s a far cry from the more comfortable cars in this segment, like the Toyota C-HR and Volkswagen T-Roc. Instead, the Juke deals poorly with more abrupt bumps and is noisy over road corrugations and textured surfaces, the likes of which are common in Australia’s population centres.

The drawbacks of this car just make it a little frustrating in an urban scenario. There’s a great car somewhere in here, with lots of admirable elements in the chassis, steering, ease of parking, and gruff little engine, but they’re not at the forefront, with the negative characteristics of the transmission, ride, and turbo-lag especially evident in the close-quarters of a city.

A hybrid option, which would alleviate many of the low-speed stresses this car is burdened with, can’t come soon enough.

If you’ve read this far down, you’re probably wondering if the reborn Juke in ST+ guise is THE small SUV buy of the 2020s. Distinctive, spacious, comfortable, practical, safe and strong value. So, where’s the catch? 

Here's where things get complicated for a car we actually like quite a lot.

Turn the key, and the thrummy little three-pot turbo growls into life, promising hungry, healthy performance. But pulling the lever into Drive and flexing your right foot down on the accelerator is met with a hesitation, that turns into a yawning delay unless you really push down hard. In the following drawn-out order, the revs rise, the turbo kicks in and the Juke then suddenly jolts into action, like it’s been stabbed with a shot of adrenalin in the heart.

There is no way around this nothing-then-boom acceleration unless you pay more for an ST-L or Ti with Drive Mode Select, which features a Sport setting that seems to shorten the lag between pedal-pushing and engine-response. Even using the standard paddle shifters to drop down a few ratios seems to take forever for the DCT to react, making us wish the company would at least offer us Europe’s default manual alternative to speed things along.

Making things worse is that the previous F15 Juke never suffered from such maladies. If anything, some versions – like the fiery 140kW/240Nm 1.6-litre turbo AWD – arguably offered too much muscle.

We’re sorry Nissan, this economy-minded tuning might be acceptable in Europe, where every millilitre of petrol saved assists with some type of a tax break, but in Australia, the resulting performance procrastination, followed by jerky progression, is annoying in stop/start traffic, frustrating when a fast getaway is expected and even terrifying if you only have seconds to join or cross speeding motorway traffic.

Our advice is to take a Juke for an extended test over your usual driving route to see if any heavy traffic, hills or merging elicit off-the-line delays. If they don’t or you don’t care either way, then enjoy the littlest Nissan SUV’s many urban-motoring plus-points.

For example, the ST+’s performance really hits its stride once the engine is spinning and the car is on the move, pulling away quickly and with plenty of torquey punch for spirited overtaking and lively fast cruising. In these scenarios, the Juke feels as eager as most other rivals.

There’s also a neat balance between steering effort and response, for easy round-town manoeuvrability (making it a cinch to park) as well as accurate and controlled handling when you venture beyond the suburban limits. 

And the grip from the Hankook 215/60R17 tyres helps with secure roadholding in both wet and dry conditions. The suspension does a fine job keeping most bumps and thumps out, as well as road and tyre drone from coming in.

A world away from the previous iteration, it’s true that the Juke possesses a high degree of dynamic finesse and sophistication that’s often missing in similarly affordable SUVs. It’s just such a shame there isn’t the low-speed engine response that the rest of the car deserves. 

The ST+ includes anti-lock brakes with electronic brake-force distribution and brake-assist, stability and traction controls, AEB with pedestrian and cyclist detection, forward collision warning, lane-keep alert and assist, blind-spot alert, rear cross-traffic alert, driver attention alert, six airbags, a reverse camera, front and rear parking sensors, auto high beam headlights, Traffic Sign Recognition and an Active Speed Limiter with the standard cruise-control system.

There are also two rear-seat ISOFIX points as well as three top tethers for straps behind their backrests.

The Juke scored a five-star ANCAP crash-test rating, based on the Euro NCAP result achieved in 2019.

ANCAP states that the Juke’s AEB works between 5km/h and 200km/h.

The Juke is covered by Nissan’s class-standard five-year and unlimited-kilometre warranty, competitive with its key Toyota and Hyundai rivals, and offers a capped-price-servicing schedule.

This program is good considering this car’s complex drivetrain, with each 12 monthly or 20,000km service coming in with a yearly average cost of $382.67. Not bad compared to its rivals, and the long service interval is particularly welcome.

Nissan offers an industry-average five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty and roadside assistance.

Intervals are every year or 20,000km, while published basic capped-price servicing is available for 15 years or 300,000km! Their prices vary in the first five years, from $310 to $520, with a big one (as with most new vehicles) at six years/72,000km ($1544).

Among other things, that first-year service includes a system-wide computer scan, recall campaign check, road test, oil/filter change and inspections for wheels, wipers, fluids, windscreen, lighting, locks/hinges/latches, warning lights/chimes, brakes, rear demister, air cleaner filter, DCT oil leaks, hoses and lines, ventilation system, engine belts, battery/alternator charge state, brake booster, power steering, steering linkages, fuel lines/connections and exhaust.

Like most other new vehicles, then.