Nissan’s second-generation Juke gained its first-ever hybrid last year. It’s the most efficient model in the range but can it pass muster compared to rivals?

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Nissan Juke 2WD Tekna+

List price (BiK): £30,150 (27%) CO2: 114g/km Economy: 56.5mpg Test efficiency: 49.6mpg

Monday

I’m going to go out on a limb here and say I’ve always liked the way the Nissan Juke looks. Plenty will throw their arms up in horror when that statement is applied to the first-gen Juke, but I reckon it was distinctive in a sea of blandness. The second-generation model keeps up the good work on this front, but it’s now faced with many more talented rivals. This week sees me in a hybrid Juke, so does it stack up?

Tuesday

It’s a bit of an unusual transmission in the Juke Hybrid, in design and how it feels on the road. The 1.6-litre petrol motor has a four-speed auto and the electric motor has two speeds. Driving the Juke today, it takes off smoothly with electric power and the petrol unit joins in quietly when needed. However, the gearbox generally feels a beat behind where it should have changed up or down.

Wednesday

Cutting about town in Glasgow today, the Juke is a handy companion. The raised driving position, which is higher set than many rivals’, gives a good view and this Tekna+ trim comes with a 360-degree parking camera view. This is ideal for slotting into a parking spot close to my destination. I’m not so keen on the ride quality on the 19-inch alloy wheels, which lets too many ripples and ridges make themselves felt via my backside-o-meter.

Thursday

Giving a friend a lift in the Juke today, she remarked the dash looked a ‘bit fussy’ compared to her new Golf. Can’t say I’d noticed as the Nissan’s controls are positioned where you naturally expect them to be and work with finely judged weights. Thinking about more on the drive home, I’d take the Juke’s more traditional buttons for the ventilation and shortcuts for the infotainment over a purely screen-based set-up.

Friday

A short notice drive into Edinburgh this morning for a meeting. The Juke is stable on the motorway, but there’s a degree more wind and road noise than in a Ford Puma hybrid I tried recently. The Puma also has a more cosseting ride on the motorway than the Nissan, but there’s no faulting the Juke’s handling over the last few country road miles on the way home.

Saturday

My rapidly growing son fits in the rear seat behind me this morning with room to spare as we fill the car on the way to his football match. I’m surprised at the amount of room in the back of the Nissan, which shows you shouldn’t judge a Juke by its cover. The boot also manages to carry three kit bags and all the usual paraphernalia with room to spare.

Sunday

A week in with the Juke and I’m still not wholly convinced by the gearbox of this hybrid model, but fuel economy has been decent at near-50mpg. The engine combo is also quiet and offers decent shove when you want to accelerate with haste. Were it my company cash, the Juke is a contender in this class, but I’d take the N-Connecta trim with its 17-inch wheels for a more pliant ride without giving up much by way of spec and kit.