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The Nissan Juke is an affordable and stylish way into hybrid motoring, but is it now feeling its age? Lawrence Allan finds out in this review.
Things you'll like
- User-friendly interior
- Tidy handling
- Plenty of standard equipment
Things to consider
What is the Nissan Juke Hybrid?
Nissan has three key models that have made their stamp on history in the 21st century. The Leaf was the first mass-produced electric car, the Qashqai arguably popularised the family SUV sector, and then there’s the Nissan Juke.
Small crossovers, supermini SUVs, whatever you want to call them: the Juke was the catalyst for their explosion in popularity. When it arrived in 2011 it didn’t have any real rivals, but within five years there were around 20 competitors. Now, all mainstream car brands offer at least one alternative, and most are huge sellers.
Key to the Juke’s appeal is its bold, somewhat divisive styling. When it first came out people loved and loathed its striking design in equal measure. In fact, the original still looks so contemporary this second-generation model (launched in 2019) didn’t change the recipe much.
Under the skin, though, things improved. The Juke became more spacious, more high-tech and - with a long-awaited hybrid version arriving in 2022 - more in-keeping with the times. It’s still built in Sunderland, too, and was designed in the UK.
In 2024 the Juke received a mid-life refresh. Nissan didn’t see fit to change the styling, claiming it’s the biggest reason customers choose it. Instead, it gets key interior and tech upgrades. This review focuses specifically on the hybrid version.
Verdict: is the Nissan Juke Hybrid a good car?
The Nissan Juke certainly isn’t the newest kid on the block, but the changes made to the cabin in 2024 have brought the quality and technology closer to the class best. The Juke is well-equipped, decent to drive and offers a pleasingly user-friendly cabin, but while the hybrid systems is efficient and affordable it could be smoother and quieter.
Pricing, specs & rivals
The Nissan Juke isn’t the cheapest small SUV on the market, but it’s still keenly positioned, and the car’s relative age means you could be more likely to find good deals than with some fresher rivals.
The overall Juke range kicks off from £23,500 (pricing correctas of January 2025) in Acenta Premium spec with a 114hp 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol engine. You’ll need £25,000 for the dual-clutch automatic version, which is more comparable to the hybrid.
You can’t get the hybrid in entry-level trim, only in mid-level N-Connecta and above. Priced from £29,095, the cheapest hybrid version is just over £2,000 than the automatic petrol version in the same trim.
That looks high relative to the Toyota Yaris Cross hybrid, which starts from just over £26,000, and particularly the related Renault Captur E-Tech – a snip at under £25,000.
Still, N-Connecta has a good level of standard kit including climate control, keyless start, wireless phone charging, the full suite of infotainment and front and rear parking sensors with a rear-view camera.
It’s probably our pick of the range, but if you don’t mind spending a bit more then Tekna trim (from £30,595 in hybrid form) brings 19-inch alloys, a Bose audio system with headrest speakers, heated front seats, a heated steering wheel and windscreen, ambient cabin lighting and a 360-degree parking camera system.
Tekna+ trim (£31,995) focuses on styling upgrades with two-tone alloys and a contrasting roof colour, satin grey detailing, leather and Alcantara upholstery, while N-Sport (the same price) adds different styling upgrades. Really, we can’t recommend spending the extra for these trims, particularly as most of the upgrades are aesthetic.
Rivals
There’s plenty of small SUVs with mild hybrid engines (the Ford Puma and Jeep Avenger, for example) but it’s fairer to compare the Juke to rivals using full-hybrid tech – running on electric power alone for much longer periods.
The closest is the Juke’s sister car, the Renault Captur E-Tech, while the even cheaper Dacia Duster is available with the same hybrid system too. It’s also worth checking out the Toyota Yaris Cross, the Lexus LBX and the top-value MG ZS Hybrid+. Further options include the Hyundai Kona and Kia Niro hybrids, the Honda HR-V hybrid and the Suzuki Vitara Full Hybrid.
Nissan Juke Hybrid: Interior comfort, quality & technology
Updates to the Nissan Juke for 2024 are focused on aesthetics, with new alloy wheels and paint colours for the outside, but the cabin upgrades are more significant with new materials and infotainment (more on that below).
The upgrades go some way to modernising the Juke’s cabin, even if it’s still not the freshest small SUV out there. Quality is improved thanks to new soft-touch materials and (on higher trims) lashings of Alcantara, giving it a classier air than before. Overall it feels built to last and nicer than a Yaris Cross, but well short of the upmarket feel of a Lexus LBX.
One aspect of the Juke’s relative age in design is the simplicity of its cabin controls. Nissan has avoided going the fashionable route with touchscreen-heavy controls and touch-sensitive switchgear, using physical buttons on the steering wheel and for the climate controls and even a ‘proper’ old-school automatic gearlever.
Again, while aspects of that may look old-fashioned, having controls that are so intuitive you don’t need to concentrate on using them will be a big bonus for many motorists.
All Jukes now have a comfortable and widely adjustable driving position because (unlike before steering wheel reach adjustment has been added – the only black mark is no adjustable lumbar support on any model. Forward visibility is decent, although you’re reliant on the standard reversing camera instead of looking out the small rear window.
Infotainment, sat-nav, stereo and connectivity
The pre-facelift Juke’s clunky old eight-inch touchscreen was far from the slickest unit in the class, but this new 12.3-inch screen looks much better thanks to a bright display and modern graphics.
There are more responsive touchscreens on the market, but it isn’t bad, with intuitive menus and (on N-Connecta trim and above) integrated sat-nav with live fuel pricing data. Voice recognition is improved, too, while wireless Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are also included.
All Jukes also come with a sharper digital dial display – seven inches on the base model, the full 12.3 on higher trims. It’s clear and gives you access to all key information easily, although some rivals have more configurable display.
Front and rear USB-C ports are standard fitment, while wireless phone charging comes with N-Connect trim and above. Base Acenta Premium gets a slightly weedy four speaker audio system, which is upgraded to six speakers in N-Connecta and then a punchy ten-speaker Bose system with two headrest-mounted speakers on the top grades.
How practical is the Nissan Juke?
The latest Nissan Juke is considerably more practical than the rather cramped original. Its dimensions of 4.21m in length, 1.8m in width and 1.59m in height make it slightly larger than a Toyota Yaris Cross but considerably smaller than an MG ZS Hybrid+.
Up front there’s a decent amount of space, with tall occupants unlikely to struggle with headroom or legroom and just enough cabin width to avoid banging elbows with a front-seat passenger.
In the rear legroom is pretty good for a small SUV – six-footers can sit behind someone of similar height without feeling squashed, and although headroom is more limited than in some alternatives due to that sloping roofline only the very tall will find their heads wedged against the roof.
Children or small adults have plenty of space, however. It’s worth noting that the Juke’s styling and narrow windows does make it feel a bit more claustrophobic in the back than some rivals.
Storage and boot space
Storage in the cabin of the Nissan Juke is unremarkable. The glovebox is an acceptable size (larger than before, at least) and there are okay-sized door bins, but the space underneath the redesigned armrest is still pretty tiny. Still, there’s a useful tray for your mobile phone (with wireless phone charging across the range) and a pair of cupholders in the centre.
In the rear, you’ll find smaller door bins, a pair of small pockets in the front seatbacks and, well, that’s about it other than a tiny phone charging space. There’s no centre armrest, and the seats don’t slide or recline like they do in the Captur E-Tech – but not many other small SUVs do that.
The rear seats fold in a typical 60/40 split, expanding boot space beyond the 354-litre capacity. If that sounds a bit limited, it’s because the Juke Hybrid loses 72 litres of capacity over the petrol model because of the hybrid components taking up space underneath the floor. A Yaris Cross has 50 litres more space.
Performance & drive: What is the Nissan Juke Hybrid like on the road?
We’re not talking storming acceleration here, but the Juke Hybrid is comfortably the fastest and most powerful version in the range.
Of the total 143hp combined output, 95hp comes from a 1.6-litre naturally aspirated four-cylinder petrol engine and 49hp comes from an electric motor powering the front wheels. A second electric motor also acts as a starter-generator.
It’s linked to a modest 1.2kWh battery pack (slightly smaller than the 1.5kWh a Yaris Cross offers) and power goes to the road via a four-speed clutchless ‘dog’ gearbox. How it works is all very complex, so we won’t bore you with technical details.
All you need to know is that, on electric power alone, the Juke can travel up to 34mph for a couple of miles at the most. When the engine fires up it will act as a generator to charge the battery, but the electric motor only drives the wheels.
Under heavy acceleration both the engine and electric motor can directly power the wheels, giving a 0-62mph sprint 1.7 seconds faster than the petrol Juke. But in normal driving it’ll try to prioritise running in electric mode – Nissan reckons 80% of the time in town you’ll be in this mode.
The system works best when pottering about, where it juggles power sources without you really noticing. When you floor the throttle it does build speed pretty well, but with only four gears the engine can get caught out and take time to build up revs – which it does so noisily. Occasionally under sustained full power you’ll feel a very slow gearchange where power drops for about a second, which feels odd.
Overall, it’s not a hybrid system that offers much for a keen driver – a Yaris Cross is better in that respect. But in town, or at a gentle motorway cruise, the Juke Hybrid is a relaxing way to travel.
Power, 0-62mph times (H4)
- Juke Hybrid: 143hp / 10.7 seconds
Ride and handling
You won’t notice much difference between a petrol-powered Juke and a hybrid one when it comes to the way it rides and handles. Interestingly, the Juke’s chassis said to be tuned specifically for UK roads.
It handles in a competent fashion, with good levels of grip, little body lean in tight bends and quick, accurate steering. We’d stop short of saying it was as fun as a Ford Puma it doesn’t steer as naturally, but as hybrid SUVs go it’s pretty good.
Ride comfort is dependent on which trim level you go for. In N-Connecta form with 17-inch wheels there’s a decent amount of give over bumps, with the Juke on the firm side but taking the sting out of potholes. Upgrade to the 19-inch wheels and things get a bit more fidgety, with the car struggling to settle on all but the smoothest roads compared to more isolating rivals.
Noise and refinement
Despite being an older model the Juke is decently refined by small SUV standards, with good insulation from road noise particularly on the entry-level wheel size. Some wind noise from the mirrors is noticeable at speed, but it’s not intrusive.
The hybrid offers tangible refinement benefits at low speeds when running in electric-only mode. That’s great, but when the engine is on (if it’s not warmed up from cold start, if the battery charge is low or if you accelerate) you get vibration through the controls and a racket from under the bonnet. It’s particularly irksome at around 30mph, where the engine refuses to change to a higher gear and drones away at significant revs.
Euro NCAP: is the Nissan Juke a safe car?
The Nissan Juke put in a strong showing when it was tested by Euro NCAP back in 2019 with the maximum five-star rating. An impressive 94% score for adult occupant protection is the highlight, though it’s strong across the board.
The problem is, the Juke was last tested in 2022 when the hybrid arrived, and even though Euro NCAP still considers the rating to be valid, higher standards for safety tech have been brought in for more recent models. It’s not entirely fair to compare this result to newer models, even though it’s still strong.
In terms of key safety kit, every Juke comes equipped with automatic emergency braking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane departure warning and traffic sign recognition.
Nissan’s Advanced Safety Shield is optional on N-Connecta trim but standard on Tekna and above, bringing blind spot warning and intervention, driver attention monitoring and rear cross-traffic alert. It also adds adaptive cruise control with lane assist and stop-and-go tech for more relaxing motorway drives.
Fuel economy and running costs
Probably the biggest reason for choosing the hybrid Juke is to save on fuel – although it costs a bit more to buy or lease, the hybrid offers a 25% improvement on fuel economy to make up for that.
In its most efficient form the Juke Hybrid is capable of up to 58.9mpg combined in official tests – way up from the 46mpg the petrol automatic model can achieve. That reduces fractionally to 57.6mpg if you opt for a higher trim level with bigger wheels.
Overall that’s a decent figure, beating the MG ZS, Honda HR-V and Dacia Duster hybrids - although the Toyota Yaris Cross and Renault Captur E-Tech promise over 60mpg combined.
CO2 emissions from 109g/km aren’t quite in the realms of old diesel models but do place the Juke Hybrid two tax bands lower than the pure petrol version. Sadly, though, full hybrids don’t offer anything like the same company car Benefit-in-Kind savings that plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) offer – the Juke sits at a 26% rate there.
How much does the Nissan Juke Hybrid cost to insure?
Although the Juke Hybrid shouldn’t break the bank when it comes to insurance groups, there are alternatives with lower groupings. In entry-level Acenta Premium form the Juke sits in insurance group 16 - three groups above the petrol manual – while, oddly, higher spec models sit in group 14. A Toyota Yaris Cross, for example, sits in group 12, but the Kia Niro Hybrid starts in group 18.
Nissan Juke Hybrid FAQs
Is the Nissan Juke worth buying?
We reckon the Nissan Juke is a decent small SUV to buy or lease thanks to stylish looks, an improved interior (as of 2024) and a solid all-round driving experience.
Is the Nissan Juke a self-charging hybrid?
The Nissan Juke Hybrid can be dubbed a ‘self-charging’ hybrid because it doesn’t need to be plugged in to charge the battery, The petrol engine, combined with regenerative braking, tops up the charge as and when it’s required, which is then used to help power the car.
How much is road tax for a Nissan Juke Hybrid?
Depending on which trim level you go for, the Nissan Juke Hybrid will cost between £190 and £200 to tax in the first year since registration, then £190 a year for every year after that.
