A DIFFERENT KIND OF JUKE (some text hidden) --NONE--

By Jonathan Crouch

Introductionword count: 39

In 2022, Nissan's little Juke crossover took its first step into the electrified era with this Hybrid variant. Compared to the ordinary version, you get both more power and greater efficiency - though with a considerably higher price tag.

Modelsword count: 5

5dr SUV (1.6 Hybrid petrol)

Historyword count: 183

Nissan may have been one of the pioneers in EV motoring but the brand was slow to react to customer demand for Hybrids. Back in 2022, it still couldn't sell you one you could plug in, but by then other petrol/electric bases seemed well covered. Mild hybrid tech had been launched with the MK3 Qashqai, which along with the larger X-Trail SUV also offered the company's clever e-Power drivetrain in which all the 1.5-litre petrol engine does is to supply energy for the electrical system. For an electrification option with the brand's smaller Juke crossover, we hoped to see that innovative powerplant reappear again. Instead, Nissan opted for something a tad more conventional, updating the four cylinder 1.6-litre full-Hybrid petrol engine already familiar from several Renault models. It was positioned as a pricier alternative to the continuing old-tech three cylinder 1.0-litre DIG-T petrol engine most chose in the Juke, but there was the appealing combination of more power and better efficiency. The range received a thorough update in mid-2024. It's the pre-facelift 2019-2024-era versions of this J16 Hybrid design we look at here.

What You Getword count: 240

If you know your Jukes, there's quite a lot to set this Hybrid version apart. Not only Hybrid badges on the front wings and boot lid but also gloss black trimming and smarter mesh for the partially blanked-off front grille, which has an active radiator shutter. There are also extra aerodynamic components to smooth airflow around front wheels, while if you scrabbled underneath, you'd also find a rear axle cover that reduces turbulence beneath the car. The interior is a little different in this Hybrid model, with a revised instrument dial set-up that shows the amount of power being supplied. The binnacle's 7-inch digital screen also shows energy flow as you drive. Earlier versions of this MK2 Juke unfortunately didn't adopt the more sophisticated infotainment screen from Nissan's larger Qashqai and Ariya models, so the 8-inch centre display continued in earlier versions of this MK2 Juke and back in 2022 was beginning to show its age. Still, it includes most of what you'd need, with navigation and 'Apple CarPlay'/'Android Auto' smartphone-mirroring. An upgraded BOSE audio system can also be added. As in the ordinary Juke, space in the rear seat is fairly cramped by class standards but it'll be fine for a couple of kids. Bear in mind that with this Hybrid model, having to package the battery beneath the cargo area floor significantly reduces boot space - from 422-litres with the standard 1.0-litre model to 354-litres with this Hybrid.

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