When the Juke was launched almost two years ago in South Africa I remember calling it a tequila-induced Nissan lovechild between a Murano and a Qashqai – while Nissan called it the first Sports Crossover in the B-segment.
Two years on not much has changed in terms of visual appeal, but proving that beauty does in fact lie in the eye of the beholder are the good sales figures this plucky duckling has been enjoying in SA. I wouldn’t be surprised if the execs at Nissan have renamed this crossover the Fluke, with the National Association of Automobile Manufacturers of South Africa (Naamsa) declaring a steady 300+ sales a month since launch.
FUN UGLY?
And the strange thing is that my kids actually liked the look of the new turbodiesel offering on test here. They said it was “fun ugly”, which is kid for fugly I guess. Hell even the car guard at the fireworks shop liked it, so maybe I’m being a bit too cynical.
Either way, with sales numbers like that it was obvious from the get-go that Nissan would be milking it for what it’s worth, and since launch they’ve expanded the range to include CVT automatic and All-Wheel Drive (AWD) models, and now a 1.5 dCi – bringing the range offering to seven derivatives in total.
Available in six-speed manual only, this 81kW/260Nm turbodiesel is a spritely number happy to negotiate the daily grind or grab some highway action on the weekends.
NO LAGGARD
Nissan mentions that this gearbox has been refined in terms of better gear ratios for a more responsive result in this application – which translated means a first gear so short it’s almost reminiscent of low range. I can understand the thinking, as it just about eliminates any hint of dreaded turbo-lag, but it also means you have to get to second almost immediately, or end up bouncing on the rev-limiter.
The ratios get longer as you work through the gears, but I can’t help but wonder if a traditional auto (not CVT) may be the answer here. Sixth gear is also a bit of a misnomer, in that it’s purely an overdrive gear set-up to cut revs and help with consumption – it provides very little accelerative ability.
SIPPER WITH A SMALL TANK
The Japanese carmaker claims 4.2 l/100km for the little oil-burner, and I’m pleased to report back that even with my driving it averaged a rather acceptable 6.5 – but I did raise an eyebrow during filling when three hundred bucks moved the fuel tank’s electronic needle from quarter to just about full – meaning there’s a small tank to factor in on those long trips.
The other concern is that this Euro 5 powerplant will only sip low-sulphur 50ppm diesel, which granted is becoming more widely available, but is another consideration for those long-distance travel plans.
LIKES TO CLATTER
Nissan reckons this turbodiesel is more silent too thanks to a reduction in combustion noises. I can tell you that’s absolute hogwash. It sounds like a tractor and clatters away at idle. Thankfully not much of that agricultural soundtrack permeates into the cabin, but it’s a little embarrassing when you start it up to leave a mate’s place after watching the F1.
I like the interior a lot more than the exterior of the Juke, and have a certain affinity to the centre console which, when you switch between driver and climate modes, switches the wording on the physical buttons. It’s a nice touch – as is the boost gauge and G-Force meter display within the centre readout, and the sporty lid over the instrument cluster. It must be said though that the Sport mode seemed to have little impact on engine or throttle response.
The Juke offers a very comfortable driving position and easy to reach and use switchgear, but the boot, because of that sloping shape of this crossover, is a little compromised. It’s essentially a hatch, but that sharp rearward slope means that even with the shelf cover removed you can’t load tall objects. But I guess dropping the rear seats sorts this out – unless you have the kids back there, as was the case.
The steering has no reach adjustability either, which surely can’t cost all that much to include.
Nissan swears that this is a modern drivetrain, quoting things like revised injectors (which reduce the amount of unburnt fuel after combustion), a modern turbocharger (which makes use of a more direct air-intake flow path), and a better exhaust gas recycling (EGR) system. But clatter aside I also noticed that on cold start-up it takes a while to get the glow plugs talking to the cylinders.
VERDICT
It may not sound like it, but by the end of this road test I became quite fond of the ugly duckling, and can understand why it’s so popular in our market. It’s easy to drive, versatile enough for family life, feels both safe and well built, and offers enough driver-satisfaction to make you want to get back into it.
The diesel, at R267 800, I reckon offers good value for money. I just wish it came in auto. -Star Motoring
Follow me on twitter: @mineshbhagaloo
THE FACTS
Engine:4-cyl, 1.5-litre turbodiesel
Power:81kW @ 4000rpm
Torque:260Nm @ 1500rpm
0-100km/h (claimed):11.2 seconds
Consumption (tested):6.5 l/100km
Price: R267 800
Warranty:3-year/100 000km
Service plan:3-year/90 000km
ALTERNATIVES
Ford EcoSport 1.5 TDCi Titanium (66kW/205Nm) - R249 000
Renault Duster 1.5 dCi Dynamique (80kW/240Nm) - R219 900