Juke is a Jack Russell with lipstick

More performance-hungry drivers will get a kick out of fancier model’s DIG-T engine.

No doubt the boring bloggers, tweeter twits, email slaves and Facebook addicts will also go into a frenzy while social media Luddites, petrol-heads and bar-room automobile experts will have their own booze-fuelled Juke arguments and debates, as usual based on what they have read or pictures they have seen because most of them love to blah-blah about vehicles they haven't even driven.

But this time round the species from Venus are also going to go into car chat mode because this is the sort of car that also appeals big time to women, whether they are blue-haired bowls players, drivers of mummy school taxis or super-bod flaunters at the gym.

As is usually the case with tough guy look-alike SUV's, MPV's and cross-overs, the belly and beard off-roader manne in the two-tone shirts will snort about the Juke and call it girly, limp-wristed cars not made to be used anywhere but in their urban comfort zone.

For once they will be spot on because unlike the X-Trail, Subaru, Renault Koleos, Suzuki Grand Vitara and one or two others of similar ilk which the veldskoen brigade wrongly wrote off as completely useless in the dust and dirt, new Juke is at its most show-off on the tar - and proud of its cool appeal.

It is designed for admiring glances, second looks and cruising along the Camps Bay Café strip, and NOT for ploughing through sand, crossing rivers or mountain-goating over rocky terrain - which is precisely why it is going to sell in the same big numbers here as in the rest of the world.

A Jack Russell with lipstick

For although it looks a bit like a pub brawler it is really a softy at heart, more inclined towards lip-stick or expensive after shave than bright spiky hair or bum tattoos.

Its appeal plucks all the right cords; not only does it have stunningly unusual looks, but it runs as quietly as a Namib Desert sunrise and as smoothly as Amarula, spoiling its occupants' bums, backs and legs with lots of comfort, space and fancies.

It certainly is going to blow a lot of renewed excitement into the small car segment because the Juke is really a stand-out little number.... very different from anything else and it is going to create a market segment all of its own, just you wait and see others follow suit.

What's more, it has a surprisingly perky 1.6-litre engine, particularly the turbo-charged flagship model I drove when the Juke was introduced to the South African motoring media.

During our short return run between Johannesburg and Pretoria there were many surprised stares, pointed fingers and cellphone photo-taking by pedestrians as well as the occupants of other vehicles and a small crowd quickly gathered wherever we stopped.

From the initial response it obvious that women, in particular, found the pull of the Juke difficult to resist so the executive dads out there better get ready for a total onslaught from Her Majesty and the kids about swapping the current school taxi for "one of those cool and cute" Jukes.

The rear-opening hatch is a pleasure for easy loading and because it is the doorway to a versatile luggage area which even brags with hidden storage hidey-holes.

I also won't be surprised if quite a few lady estate agents ditch their ageing drop-tops and overweight SUV's for a new Juke. One glance at the Juke and the power-dressing blondes and the budding black diamonds will also be pushing in at the head of the queue.

Putting the new Juke into a category bracket is not easy although Nissan describes it as a B-segment Sports Crossover. In essence the car is a combination of hatchback and SUV, with the looks of one and the practicality of the other.

So let's start with a look under the bonnet. The four models available in South Africa are all powered by the same perky 1.6-litre engine, but the two Acenta choices at the lower end of the price range are normally aspirated while the two others in the Tekna bracket are turbocharged and offer a choice between fabrics or a full leather upholstered interior.

The two less expensive variations come standard with five-speed manual transmissions while the two spicier derivatives are armed with six-speed manual boxes.

The naturally aspirated 1.6-litre engine brags with the world's first dual injector system (ask the Nissan salesman to explain it in detail to you) which translates into 86kW of power, 157Nm of torque and an EU combined-cycle fuel consumption of just 6.0l/100km.

DIG this!

More performance-hungry drivers will get a kick out of fancier model's DIG-T engine which has been muscled up with a turbocharger and intercooler and thumps out a punchy 140kW of power and 240Nm of torque which is enough for this lil' one to sprint from rest to 100km/h in just 8 seconds. What's more, Nissan claims a fuel economy figure of just 6.9l/100km on the EU combined cycle.

In yet another world-first in the small car segment, the new rear axle incorporates electronic couplings at either end as well as a new final drive ratio suited to sporty applications. (Again, let the Nissan salesman earn his keep - and while he's at it he might as well also talk about the nifty suspension, torsional rigidity and the rather unusual 'ring structure' that connects the upper body to the rear suspension assembly.) Simple translation: the Juke handles exceptionally well for its shape.

Common to all four derivatives is its refreshingly stand-out styling, great practicality, cocky Jack Russell road stance, impressively zippy performance and a trendy interior that looks way cool.

From a design perspective the lower portion of Juke oozes SUV, combining chunky wheels, wide tyres, flaring wheel arches, extended ground clearance and a robust stance while the top half strongly hints at sportiness with a high waistline, slim side glass graphics, coupé-style tapering roofline and hidden rear door handles.

Common to all four derivatives is its refreshingly stand-out styling, great practicality, cocky Jack Russell road stance.

Slide inside and the first thing you notice is its centre console which Nissan says was inspired by a motorcycle fuel tank. Finished in a distinctive high gloss colour, the 'bike tank' console adds a sense of fun to the car. The dash lay-out too is funky and cheerful, yet logical.

Like an SUV, the driving position is high-riding while the gear lever is positioned just right for quick up or downs. The interior generally glistens with chrome fittings nicely off-set by high-quality materials.

In terms of practicality, the rear-opening hatch is a pleasure for easy loading and because it is the doorway to a versatile luggage area which even brags with hidden storage hidey-holes. The boot capacity is 251 litres and the rear seats split 60:40 and fold completely flat to swallow even larger loads.

Even the parcel shelf is different because rather than being suspended from the frame of the tailgate (as in most other 'normal' vehicles) it's directly attached and rises with the door when the boot is opened.

Something to brag about

Where the Juke also delivers exceptional class and value is in the comfort and convenience departments where you can tick the boxes for automatic climate control, rear-view cameras, Intelligent Key ignition system, an I-CON command system and adjustable info-graphic display (some features are optional on the lower specced vehicles but part of the standard kit of the pricier versions).

Of special brag worthy note is the command system which adopts different displays, colours and functions depending on the mode the driver has set the car in. For example, in Climate mode the display shows interior temperature and climate control settings with the buttons being mapped to air-flow preferences. In D-Mode the buttons change into Normal, Sport and Eco driving mode options, and moving between these alters the throttle mapping, torque curve, and even the effort required by the electric power steering system. The colourful and crystal-clear display meanwhile changes to display additional engine and drive-related information - really impressive for a vehicle in this price range.

But looks and fancies aside, it's out on the road where the little good-looker really excels with quick off the mark zip, remarkably well-weighted steering, way above average brakes and confident, relaxed cruising. Although it's not designed to be thrown into corners it showed no hint of panic or excessive body roll during a winding stretch of fairly enthusiastic progress. Certainly the refined ride is classier than one would expect from a car that wears some tough tyke make-up.

As for parking, this pikkie is light and near perfect because its steering is so easy you could do it in your sleep. Quite frankly, it's been a while since anything nearly as pretty, practical and as strikingly different arrived on our shores. Yet another BIG winner for Nissan, so expect sales of about 5000 in the next 12 months...maybe more.

Juke recommended retail prices as at launch October 2011:

Specifications

Nissan Juke Review - Auto Express

Nissan Juke review - CarBuyer

Hawkinson Nissan | 2011 Nissan Juke Review