Nissan Juke (10 on) - Review

There's not many gaps in the car market but Nissan is determined to find them. The 'crossover' is a relatively new concept in the car industry and the Japanese firm has decided that this is where it's at. Nissan started its crossover campaign in 2007 with the Qashqai - a 4x4/hatch combination - and has followed it up with the Juke which is purportedly a sporty 4x4/supermini. Yep, it has a high riding position and there is a four-wheel drive set-up on the top-powered petrol version, but let's get real, you're not going to be using your fancy new Juke for farm work. Essentially, this is a cut-price boutique item aimed at young go-getters who, inevitably, want 'something different'. Nissan says it was initially aimed at young adventurous, sporty young men, but on reflection realised young women will also be attracted by the funky, unconventional design. Whatever, it's big draw will probably be the price. The entry level model will set you back a very affordable £12,795 and with that you get a funky looking car, a decent engine and plenty of kit. In that respect it makes much more sense that buying a bog-standard Ford Focus, which is a little larger, or top-spec Fiesta that's a little smaller. There's three trims available for the Juke - the Visia, Acenta, and Tekna - and two engines to choose from: the 1.6-litre petrol in either 115bhp or 187bhp power outputs, and a 108bhp 1.5-litre diesel. Prices range from £12,795 to £19,995.