During the week of the World Surfing Championship in Peniche, the keys to the Nissan Juke 1.5 dCi n-tec reached us… and as expected, missing the call of the Surf Gods was not an option.
Therefore, we hit the road like a surfer hits the waves: always tearing. And here, the Nissan Juke 1.5 dCi n-tec already showed some of its athlete skills. Chunky it's true, but an admirably agile road surfer.
The trip on board was, at times, an authentic peace. Partly because of the legal limit of 120 km/h on the highway, which made little or nothing felt on board our Juke. Comfort thus receives a positive note in this test, as well as soundproofing – contrary to what happened with the Nissan Qasquai, which we also tested. And as if having a pleasantly quiet cabin weren't enough, the sound system – which has 6 good speakers – is also a reference feature in this version. With the sound of good music, trips have everything to be calm and pleasant on board this model. The same will not be said by the passengers in the rear seats, who, due to the shape of the bodywork, lose a little in habitability.
Having arrived in Peniche and even before we saw the Portuguese surfer, Frederico Morais, in action, it was time to evaluate the exterior design of the «mini-godzilla». And this is where opinions divide. If, on the one hand, this is the Compact SUV with the most striking design in the segment, on the other, it has the least consistent lines. Either you love the Juke design or you hate it , there are no compromises.
The aggressive 18″ alloy wheels are the aesthetic element that manages to gather more fans. The black rims are also present in the mirrors, B-pillars and in the “raw” rear aileron, a combination that awakens the more “dark” and perverse side of this Nissan Juke n-tec.
After seeing Frederico Morais eliminate the 11 times world surfing champion, Kelly Slater, we returned to Lisbon with the mission accomplished: test the Nissan Juke n-tec and support the young Portuguese surfer at WCT.
In urban terrain, such as Lisbon, the Nissan Juke was once again surprising. Thanks to the higher driving position, a characteristic that allows us to have a completely different view of the outside world, everything seems more controlled and confidence levels are consequently higher. Not from the perspective of walking with the right foot deep, but one of negatively influencing our composure on the road, that is, we think we are the kings of the road – the problem is when a car larger than ours appears beside us… there if go trust.
The equipment level of this n-tec version is very similar to that of the Acenta version, with an emphasis on the technology «Google Send-To-Car» which allows the driver to send navigation settings to the car even before leaving the house. This prevents drivers from getting distracted by the GPS during the journey.
As for the engine, we tested the more balanced diesel version of the Juke family . The diesel engine with 1,461 displacement and 110 hp of power lived up to the demands, and despite not being the most “sparing” in the segment, we can't complain about the mixed consumption obtained either: 5.2 liters per 100 km traveled.
Note: the test was carried out very dynamically, so the 5.2 l/100 km average achieved is satisfactory, but does not reflect the true «savings» that can be obtained from this 1.5 dCi engine. According to the Japanese brand, the mixed consumption is in the order of 4.0 l/100 km (too optimistic too…).
For those looking for a Compact SUV, the Nissan Juke n-tec should be an option to consider. In this particular case, the design has to be the first consideration, as it's not even worth thinking about everything else if you don't fall in love with the car the first time.
The €23,170 ordered by Nissan can complicate things somewhat, as there are other more affordable competing models. However, this Nissan Juke 1.5 dCi n-tec is, without a doubt, one of the best deals on the compact SUV market.
Also check out our test of the sportiest version of this model: Nissan Juke Nismo
| MOTOR | 4 cylinders |
| CYLINDRAGE | 1461 cc |
| STREAMING | MANUAL, 6 Speed |
| TRACTION | Forward |
| WEIGHT | 1329 kg. |
| POWER | 110 hp / 4000 rpm |
| BINARY | 240 NM / 1750 rpm |
| 0-100 KM/H | 11.2 sec. |
| SPEED MAXIMUM | 175 km/h |
| CONSUMPTION | 4.0 lt./100 km |
| PRICE | €23,170 |