Nissan JUKE Ti-S 2015 Review

Any car that looks unconventional will inevitably leave the reviewer pleasantly surprised if it proves itself to be even half capable.

Such was the case with the Nissan JUKE Ti-S 4WD, which recently spent a week with motoring.com.au. To borrow from the old joke, at least getting behind the wheel of the JUKE one didn't have to look at it! Its tadpole looks do the small, crossover SUV no favours, but it compensated with unexpectedly good driveability and respectable packaging.

Starting with the mechanicals, the 1.6-litre turbo engine drove through a CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) to Nissan's part-time all-wheel drive system, which you can opt to leave in front-drive exclusively, or switch over to full-time four-wheel drive on demand.

Reaffirming that Nissan really knows its stuff when it comes to developing this type of transmission, the CVT was quiet in operation and there was practically no droning present, despite the wait for a gear change that never came. Nor was there any labouring from the drivetrain encountered during the test, because the CVT was always holding the right ratio, irrespective of the load on the engine. It did get confused on occasion, maintaining a set ratio longer after it adapted to your driving style – assuming your style is to sink the right boot firmly into the carpet.

With the constantly changing ratio and the effortless power delivery from the 1.6-litre turbo four-cylinder, the JUKE whisked up to speed readily. Driving through all four wheels in this variant ensured it would stay ahead of traffic even in the wet – and provided the driver was sufficiently committed.

That was helped in no small way by the lively powerplant. It wasn't an especially smooth or charismatic unit – on the scale from rough-as-old-hessian to velvety smooth it fell somewhere around about a cotton/polyester blend. At idle it was neither heard nor felt however, and its power delivery was responsive and linear from low revs right up to redline. Performance was on tap almost instantly, to the engine's credit, and it shows there's a future for this type of mill.

Despite its accessible performance, the JUKE impressed too with its frugal fuel consumption. Even around town and in bumper-to-bumper traffic it posted an average below 9.0L/100km. More open-road driving will reduce that further, to a figure in the 7.0 to 7.5L/100km range.

Ride quality was composed over secondary-level bumps, but firmed up a bit over heftier changes in the road surface at speed. The JUKE cornered with little body-roll apparent and would turn in responsively and muster high levels of on-road grip. Brake pedal feel was meaty under foot and instilled confidence.

Naturally, entering this high-riding hatch-like machine was rendered easy for most adults and older kids, thanks to the carefully measured hip point, and the JUKE offered sufficient head- and legroom for average-size adults in the rear. There were no face-level vents back there, which is an oversight in a car priced above $33,000. The boot was small and the floor was high, but the rear seats folded down to free up additional luggage space for two people or goods from the local hardware store. In other words, the JUKE lacks the internal volume of a QASHQAI, let alone an X-TRAIL, but it's a practical small car right throughout the week.

From the driver's seat the JUKE felt snug, but in an amenable way. The centre console, fascia and dash wrap around the driver. Only a centre armrest would have improved the position. That said, the handbrake is closer to the front passenger than the driver and the indicator stalk is on the left, but there are two useful cupholders very close by. One is deeper for big-glug-style cups.

The seats were very compliant in the cushioning, but also generally held the occupant in place properly. My only misgiving was that the seat was better suited for smaller occupants. Both the squab and base were stingy.

The JUKE is not especially cheap, being built in Britain and shipped around the world from there – with the added cost of a four-wheel drive system and a bundle of advanced comfort, convenience and safety features. If you don't actually need to go off-road, there are plenty of small SUVs in a broadly equivalent footprint that offer better packaging at a lower price.

But few offer the same level of all-round performance and on-road competence as the JUKE. The JUKE is a bit of a charmer, what's more – provided you can set aside any qualms about the JUKE's style. In this market segment, the JUKE is a genuinely different offering from its peers. It's practical but a wee bit sporty – yet it doesn't cost the earth to run. And it deserves a few brownie points for character.