2022 Nissan Juke Ti I Boot
2022 Nissan Juke Ti I Boot
The current Juke is a bold upgrade for Nissan’s smallest SUV. The Juke’s new lines are sharper and more confidently drawn than its predecessor. Coupled with upgraded features, there’s a whole lot of car for such a compact design.
I drove the Juke for over a week with my family of three. The model we drove was the Ti, which is the top-of-the-line, and will cost you around $40,000 drive-away. It’s a hefty price tag for such a small car but it does come fitted with some great features.
It competes with cars like the Toyota C-HR and Hyundai Kona for its size and safety features. I drove it on a mix of city and country roads and despite it’s SUV claim, it definitely enjoys the city and open highways more than the country.
What does it look like?
Let’s talk about the shape and style of the exterior as it’s the first thing anyone is going to comment on. It’s confidently modern and pares back its predecessors’ softer curves for something a little more rugged and I dare say – aggressive.
Aggressive in name but not nature. This is the Chihuahua of the car world. Lots of bark but modest bite.
It is a polarising design – you’ll love it or leave it but you won’t be able to deny it’s presence. It’s designed to be seen and turn heads.
With the LED daytime running lights and 19-inch alloy wheels, the looks are firmly in the range of sporty and fun.
The interior is a highlight for the model. The dash has a lovely mix of materials across the front and the leather/suede-look combination makes it feel plush.
The quilted Alcantara leather sports seats with embedded Bose sound system (found on front seats only) are particularly nice and hug you around tight turns, making you feel firmly seated.
Heated front seats, a black headliner and a quiet cabin all contribute to a polished experience.
How does it drive?
The Ti model has a 1.0-litre, three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine with three drive modes: ‘Eco’, ‘Standard’ and ‘Sport.’ There’s not that much difference between Eco and Standard, both have the same spongy accelerator experience that make it feel a little unwilling at first.
It made me wary of trying to zip across traffic in the city but it’s when it’s in Sport mode that you’re reminded this car is turbocharged.
The accelerator is more responsive but you have to keep it in that mode to achieve the pulling power you expect from a turbo, which can be a jerky experience in the city.
The big wheels emphasise bumps in a country road but ultimately, this model is still a comfortable ride. The engine shines on the highway, where you can be confident with overtaking and keeping up with traffic.
How spacious is it?
It’s bigger inside than you expect but the front passengers will feel that more than adults sitting in the rear.
There’s plenty of leg and headroom up front for taller drivers and an average amount of storage for a car of this size.
There are two cupholders in the middle and a bottle holder in each door. The centre console is small enough to beg the question – what is its point?
If you like to travel with an accessory entourage, you may have to Marie Kondo your stuff to fit it all in.
The rear seats will carry adult passengers but there’s not a tonne of room back there if you’re tall. My five-year old loved it and felt it was cosy.
There was space enough for his car seat and an adult beside him but because the rear doesn’t have adjustable air vents or a middle armrest, I wouldn’t like to be stuck in the back for a long period of time.
The boot space has been given a facelift from the previous version and now stands at an impressive 422L.
2022 Nissan Juke Ti I Boot
2022 Nissan Juke Ti I Boot
There’s ample room for the weekly shop (comfortably holding eight Woolies bags) as well as other bits and pieces.
It will hold a pram, even the larger styles, and luggage. You can get roof rails and a roof pod for this car, which alleviates some on the pressure on the boot.
Those cost extra but are handy to have if your hobbies demand larger equipment – like surfing or bike riding. It lacks a powered tailgate, even on the top-end model, which is always a welcome feature for a family car.
How easy is it to use every day?
The styling and mod cons of the Ti make this model an easy and fun car to drive. The rear windows are narrow and dark but the 360-degree camera view and parking sensors make up for the vision restrictions.
Because of its size and parking tech the Juke Ti is a breeze to park and navigate in tight car parks.
Some of the styling isn’t super practical for younger kids. The rear door handles are located in the C-pillar, which adds to the sporty design, but they’re too high for my son to open the door without assistance. Not a big sticking point but it just added to my tasks for the day.
I found the Juke easy to run around town on my errands and fit my shopping, son’s school bag and family in relative comfort.
How safe is it?
This model has a maximum five-star ANCAP safety rating from 2019 and a whole bunch of safety features which I really like.
For example, auto emergency braking (with pedestrian and cyclist detection), as well as forward-collision, lane departure and blind-spot warnings.
Rear cross-traffic alert is great in busy car parks. However, the lane departure warning sounds an alert as it sends a small shudder into the steering wheel, which I found distracting. I ended up turning this feature off after a couple of days driving in the city.
There are also two front airbags, two front side airbags and full-length side curtains covering both rows.
It has two ISOFIX child seat mounts and three top tether anchors, but realistically you’ll only fit two child seats at once.
I struggled against the thick fabric of the seat to unclip my top tether anchor but unless you’re moving your seat in and out regularly this probably won’t bother you.
What’s the tech like?
The tech is good in this car. It has an embedded Bose sound system, all the important safety features, sat nav (with real-time traffic monitoring), and an 8.0-inch colour touchscreen complete with Apple CarPlay & Android Auto connectivity.
The 8.0-inch media screen is a little laggy and on the smaller end for the market, but it does the job.
The sat nav is easy to use manually, as well. You don’t need to know the address of your destination to begin searching, which I like.
I also like the speed sign recognition function, but don’t love the way it flashes at you if you go over the speed limit. When you’re driving through road works with variable speeds, it makes your dash jump out at you.
Ultimately, though, it’s a tech savvy package that will speak to a wide range of ages and requirements.
How much does it cost to own?
The Juke Ti’s official combined cycle fuel consumption figure is 5.8L/100km.
Most days saw me flitting between highway cruising and pottering around town, and in Eco mode my best fuel consumption score from the trip computer was 5.3L/100km.
But because I often had it in Sport mode my average fuel consumption was around 6.7/100km. The fuel efficiency is great in this car and even though it’s a turbo, it’s not thirsty.
It comes with Nissan’s five-year/unlimited kilometre warranty, which is standard for the class, as well as five years roadside assistance.
Service intervals are 12 months or (a lengthy) 20,000km, whichever comes first. And capped price servicing for six services based on your service schedule comes in at $3675, for an average of $612.50 each. Not exactly cheap.
Keyword: Nissan Juke 2022 review: Ti