Nissan Juke 1.6 Visia 5dr Car Review - March 2012

The Juke’s 1.6 litre, 4-cylinder, 16v petrol engine delivers 115 bhp at 6000 rpm alongside torque figures of 116 lb-ft at 4000 rpm. This translates to a top speed of 111 mph with acceleration from 0-62 mph happening in 11.0 seconds.

The Juke’s ride and handling doesn't disappoint either and the steering is sharp and responsive with plenty of feel whilst the stiff suspension limits body-lean. This results in a drive which is firm but not uncomfortable although there is a lack of grip through corners.

In terms of refinement, the Juke 1.6 Visia's engine can be intrusive on the motorway. Wind noise is well-muffled in the cabin but road noise is present. The dashboard is clear and well-laid out making it easy for drivers to operate controls but rear visibility is poor and the steering wheel does not adjust for reach which affects comfort.

The Juke has a curvy, stylish exterior and the cabin utilises high-quality materials, making it feel solid and durable. Visia models come with alloy wheels, air-conditioning, electric mirrors, electric front windows and a CD player with MP3 connectivity as standard whilst a metallic paint finish is available at additional cost.

There’s plenty of space in the front but the sloping roof-line means head room and leg room are limited in the rear of the car. The boot is quite small as well and offers just 251 litres of storage capacity with the seats up and 830 litres when they are folded down. However, there is a handy storage well under the floor and the seats fold flat to create a convenient and practical loading bay.

All Jukes have an impressive list of safety kit, including six airbags, electronic stability control, anti-lock brakes with electronic brakeforce distribution and brake assist and remote central locking with an anti-hijack feature.

Nissan has an impressive reliability record and this means the Juke should not disappoint on this front. The car also comes with a three-year warranty for 60,000 miles to provide additional reassurance.

The Juke is priced at £13,395, which is pretty reasonable for a car of this type.

It has low running costs and comes under a mid-range road tax band - E - whilst incurring low insurance premiums under price bracket 11. It has decent fuel economy and fairly good green credentials with a Euro 5 emissions rating and a carbon footprint of 139g/km.

In terms of value for money, the combined fuel economy of 47.1mpg is good but the diesels in the range are much more frugal. High resale values are a benefit and this makes the car an excellent prospect for those seeking an affordable medium family car that is fun to drive, relatively economical and safe.