The country roads within the Bedford,
Luton, Milton Keynes triangle have been hit hard by the scourge of
blanket 40 and 50mph speed restrictions, but not all of my old
favourites have been scuppered. The Christmas festivities have drawn
me south to visit my brothers family, so I've taken the opportunity
to head out in my sister-in-law's car for an hour or two, as much to
escape the delights of shared family-time, as to write this article.
Like an M.P. who is duty bound to declare their 'interest' in a
discussion to avoid later being accused of swaying the debate for
personal gain, I must admit to having extensive prior connections
where Nissan is concerned. I did work for Nissan at their Technical
Centres in Cranfield and Sunderland, my brother Matthew still does,
and he gets not one but two company cars. So I am more than familiar
with and have had regular access to a fair chunk of the Nissan range,
past and present.
Being a Tekna this Juke started off
near the top of the spec tree and has hit most of the option branches
on the way down. There's a good quality leather interior, with a
very clever touch screen Sat Nav-Audio system that seems able to
connect with all the latest gadgets. The small steering wheel has a
raft of audio and phone controls as well as cruise controls. There
is a very neat centre console that switches between climate and
driver info controls. Headlamp and wiper stalks all have auto modes
that reduce the frequency with which you need to reach for them in
the first place. Outside there's quality metallic paint, funky alloy
wheels, privacy glass in the rear set of windows, and a nifty keyless
entry system that means that as long as you have the keys on your
person, you can get in and start the car.
These Jukes seem to look bigger and
bulkier than the measurements would suggest, the high bonnet and
waistline feed into shapely rear wings beneath the a narrow glass
house and pinched roof. It's certainly a very fresh new design that
steps away from the oft tread retro small car route. I like some of
the styling details but find others vaguely annoying. I love the
high mounted front lamp clusters, especially when viewed from the
drivers seat at night, but am disappointed to discover that only the
side light and indicators shine out from them, the dipped and full
beam both come from the lamp lenses in the bumpers. The roofline in
itself would look good on a low slung 3 door coupe but seems a little
odd perched on top of this 5 door sudo SUV body. And it seems a
shame to make these cars without 4WD, even if it does enhance the
economy.
The 1.5 turbo diesel engine is a
Nissan-Renault alliance stalwart with a healthy 108bhp and 177 ft/lb
of torque, that combined with regular shifting of the six speed 'box,
delivers decent pace at any speed. Steady driving seems to deliver
healthy fuel consumption of nearly 60mpg and even the heavy footed
will get figures in the high 30's. The performance feels brisk
rather than rapid, but a good cross country gait can be easily
achieved. The steering seems very sharp and direct, although there
doesn't seem to be a huge amount of feedback through the wheel. The
ride is on the firm side, but not too harsh as it never seems to get
overwhelmed by bigger bumps or potholes, which is impressive
considering the fairly short wheel base. The firm ride also aids the
handling which feels reassuringly good, although the combination of
high seating position and a fair amount lean through the corners does
leave you feeling a little prone when pressing on.
Over lunch Jan starts quizzing me as to
what I'm gonna write about her car, and my response is a little flat.
The Juke seems to be a very popular car, you see them around
everywhere, and Nissan's Sunderland factory can't make them quickly
enough. In purely objective terms, it is a very competent, practical
car, with plenty of useful features and details, and only a few
compromises in the name of style. Yet I can't quite seem to gel with
it, I can't quite engage with it on a favourite stretch of road in a
way that leaves me wanting to double back and do it all over again.
I like some of the visual details, yet can't help but feel that as a
whole, it ends up looking a little odd and fussy.
Maybe it's the whole crossover thing,
and the fact that these cars aren't really aimed at someone like me,
who rates dynamics and feel over efficiency and practicality. This
is the newest and most valuable car I've tested so far, and I'd bet
that nobody, myself included, could find much to complain about, if
they were given one of these Juke's as their runaround. It's just
that given the same amount of money to choose for myself, I'd be
swayed by a more conventional coupe, or if practicality really
dictated, a straight forward executive estate car. But that is the
beauty of the raft of automobiles available to us the consumer, the
end user. What I might see as small, cramped, dull or weird, others
will lord as compact, cosy, easy to drive, and striking. Likewise my
ideal of a powerful, discrete, and capacious car, others will
chastise as a gas guzzling, drab, barge.
I can't conclude that the Nissan Juke
is a bad car, or even that Nissan need to make some changes to
improve it to suit me more. It is a good car, and for many people,
like Jan, it will be a great car that does everything they want well.
Am I right? Is Jan wrong? The answer to both questions is the
same. Our requirements are just different and so our evaluation of
this and any car will always differ. There will never be one
perfect car, that does everything superbly, and everyone rates
equally well. The vast variety of user requirements, the evolution
of technology, even the changing environment in which we live, will
always drive forward and change our view point of any given car new
or old. And so it should do, variety is after all the spice of live.
Thanks to Jan for the loan of her
car.
ⓒ Dan Ewing 2013
ⓒ Dan Ewing 2013
No comments:
Post a Comment