Driving the Nissan Juke SUV today – in the light SUV class the Nissan Juke stands out with its individual and somewhat quirky styling – bold and rather different. Not the biggest seller but in the first two months sales were up 186 percent on the same time last year – the interior not so modern, the dashboard dated but in terms of comfort its interior is well sized for four good sized adults. I drove the mid-spec Juke ST-L at $38,600 drive-away, all models feature a 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo engine driving through a seven-speed dual clutch automatic with manual shift paddles. I love three-cylinder engines – they blend power and torque nicely, the Juke a delight to drive aided by a very nice seven-speed automatic. I managed just under 6L/100km with around town motoring but with a need for dearer 95 grade petrol. The Nissan Juke is particularly nimble around town, easy to drive and park with a small turning circle – ride and handling average for the class with the ST-L’s larger 19-inch wheels giving it the edge over the lower grades in the handling stakes. Its styling can be a little polarizing but for some like me it has a certain appeal.

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