Nissan Juke vs Subaru Forester
What's the difference?

Nissan Juke

$22,990 - $36,485

2024 price

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Subaru Forester

$43,490 - $55,990

2026 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

2026 Subaru Forester

By Tom White

By Marcus Craft

Safety Rating

Engine Type

Turbo 3, 1.0L

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Fuel Type

Premium Unleaded Petrol

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Fuel Efficiency

5.8L/100km (combined)

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Seating

Likes

Funky looks
Decent interior space and boot
Full safety equipment

Nice interior
Refined on-road
Suitably capable off-road

Dislikes

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

Sluggish acceleration
Needs all-terrain tyres
Intrusive driver alert system

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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2026 Subaru Forester Summary

The sixth-generation of Subaru’s Forester has landed and while the new hybrid versions constitute the biggest news of this batch, the petrol-only variants should not be ignored.

The five-seat mid-size SUV has a 2.5-litre four-cylinder 'boxer' engine, Subaru’s well-regarded 'symmetrical all-wheel drive' system and some new changes inside and out.

So, does the top-spec Touring offer the best value-for-money in the petrol Forester line-up?

Read on.

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Deep dive comparison

2024 Nissan Juke 2026 Subaru Forester

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 MY26 Subaru Forester packs plenty of punch in terms of standard features, a roomy and functional interior and overall driveability. Sure, it’s not the most exciting vehicle to drive on- or off-road but to get stuck on that is to miss the point entirely. This is a decent all-rounder with a solid background and an AWD system that long ago set the gold standard for vehicles of this type.

In a tough mid-size SUV market segment aimed more at those intent on driving through car parks rather than adventuring through national parks, the Forester offers greater versatility than most and should not be ignored.

Nissan Juke vs Subaru Forester What's the difference?

Summary

Deep dive comparison

Verdict

Verdict

Nissan Juke vs Subaru Forester
What's the difference?