Category Archives: Nissan

Crossover, Nissan

Juke still a trendsetter

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Nissan Juke

By Bill McCarthy

With its high waistline, lights set into the bonnet, distinctive wedge shape and high ground clearance, the Juke was a prime example of  new phenomenon of  compact crossover/SUV.

 Ten years later,  and after a £100,000 investment at its Sunderland plant, the new Juke, launched at the back end of last year, represents a quantum leap forward in terms of technology and connectivity, if not a massive change in the daring, ground breaking original stying.

The latest model comes with upgraded design, all new chassis, new three cylinder petrol engine, mated, in this case, to a seven speed dual-clutch transmission.

It also features NissanConnect, an eight–inch touch screen monitor with in-car WiFi hotspot and voice recognition. And available for the first time in the Juke is  Nissan’s ProPILOT technology, which offers electronically assisted steering, acceleration and braking.

A bit like the Honda Civic, Nissan took a bold step with the Juke. It took the off-the-wall design, ran with it and it appears to be paying off, selling 1.5 million models worldwide.

The new car retains design features including the signature circular headlamps, but  now features has a deeper, almost V-shaped grille which integrates with new slim headlight clusters.

It certainly looks the part, sporty with this model offering two tone paintwork of black with red roof and mirrors and shark fin antenna. All grades have good equipment levels, with this range topper offers D-shaped multi-function steering wheel, ambient lighting, heated front and rear windscreen, climate control and voice recognition as well as smartphone connectivity.

What it lacks in outright pace is mitigated by excellent handling with a combination of new chassis and agile suspension

In addition there are smart 19-inch alloy wheels, privacy glass and rear spoiler.

It looks like a boy racer’s dream, but in reality, in terms of red-hot performance, it’s a bit of a sheep in wolf’s clothing.

The powertrain is a 115bhp turbo-charged, three-pot petrol engine, which although responsive, hitting 60 in around 10.5 seconds, is more designed for economy. Official figures of 44mpg and CO2 emissions of 116g/km means it’s pretty economical to run, tax and insure. 

 The seven speed auto  transmission with paddle shifters is slick enough, but the stop/start did cause a few problems, being hesitant and then leaping forward if the throttle was pressed too hard.

Having said that, if you want. Sportier drive  “D-Mode” allows drivers to switch between Standard, Eco and Sport – to adjust the response of the car depending on the road or the driver’s mood.

 What it lacks in outright pace is mitigated by excellent handling with a combination of new chassis and agile suspension, plus excellent grip from the large tyres delivering a satisfying driving experience.

The interior now has an executive feel rarely seen in a car this size, with better rear head and legroom and an increase in boot space of 20 per cent which also features interchangeable shelves and adjustable luggage board.

Soft touch materials abound to easy and general trim as does the leather finish seating in this model

A clever move is the  front seats on selected grades incorporating  Bose Personal Plus audio system, which delivers a high-quality 360 degree sound experience. 

This, along with other major functions can be controlled via the  infotainment screen. This controls sound, navigation and connectivity via  the Nissan Connect Services.

The safety features include Intelligent Emergency Braking with Pedestrian and Cyclist Recognition, Intelligent Speed Assist, Traffic Sign Recognition, Intelligent Lane Intervention, Rear Cross Traffic Alert, and Blind Spot Intervention.

Blind Spot Intervention is a premiere on a Nissan model. It warns drivers when there is a vehicle hidden from view alongside them, and guides the JUKE back into the lane to prevent a collision.

 All trim levels are highly-specced with this range topping Tekna having all the bells and whistles, while all are packed with safety kit. For owners wanting to add their own distinctive twist and stamp their individual style, the N-Design grade joins the familiar Visia, Acenta, N-Connecta and Tekna models in the new JUKE line up and offers the ultimate personalisation package.

For the personalised interior, customers will be able to choose between three combinations to finish the seats, dashboard, door panel and armrest.

Factfile

 Nissan Juke 1.0 DIG-T Tekna

Price: £23,895

Mechanical: 999cc, 115bhp, turbocharged three cylinder petrol engine driving front wheels via seven speed auto transmission

0-62mph: 10.7 secs

Top speed: 112mph

Combined mpg: 44.1

Insurance group: 10

C02 emissions: 116g/km

Warranty: three year/60,000 miles 

Electric/hybrid, Manufacturer, Motor reviews, MPV, Nissan, Vehicle type

Evalia’s electric performance

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Nissan Evalia

By Bill McCarthy

NISSAN continues to make great strikes in the electric vehicle sector with both latest Leaf and the new e-NV200.

Cargo carrier, taxi, airport runabout or family people carrier, as electric powered vehicles become more prevalent, the firm’s electric van/MPV now offers something a little bit extra.

The technology is moving on at pace with battery range, in the early days, at around 80-100 miles, substantially increased.

Now Nissan’s advanced battery takes up the same amount of space as its predecessor but gives drivers more than 60 per cent extra range on a single charge without affecting load capacity.

The upgraded Nissan e-NV200: The LCV market game changer. Zero-emissions van, now goes further than ever on a single charge

The new 40kWh unit, replacing the 24kWh battery, increases the range to between 130 and 180 miles, depending on how you drive and the electrical supply demands from the vehicle.

In addition it is one of the first vehicles to be tested to the new real world driving WLTP efficiency standard with a combined range of 124 miles.

Obviously this can be extended with cautious city driving, but put your foot down, get the wipers, lights and air con going and the range goes off a cliff edge.

Essentially a light commercial, this Evalia model is a five or seven-seat people carrier or MPV style vehicle, offering spacious seating for all occupants. For a van, it looks pretty sleek as well with 15-inch alloy wheels and body coloured door mirrors and bumpers.

In this seven-seater, all are seated comfortably, in the two-three-two formation although the rear pair are tighter. In addition the seats can be removed or shifted into various combinations to accommodate all sorts of shapes of loads, suitcases or tools.

Access is via a large tailgate and as well as two sliding doors allowing access to the middle and rear set of seats. For extra practicality, there are various pockets, cubby holes and drink holders throughout the cabin.

On the road, the vehicle has tremendous speed off the mark as the battery delivers instant torque, while the single shift transmission means its as smooth as silk. It can hit 60mph in under nine seconds.

There are two drive modes, economy and power, which speak for themselves but shift the gear into B mode and this effectively brakes the car when you take your foot off the accelerator and regenerates energy back to the battery.

Not a great drive, except in congested conditions.

It is pretty near silent with little vibration or engine noise and with only wind or tyre noise intruding into the cabin.

It is easy to manoeuvre, with light steering and a brilliant turning circle, aided by the fact there is no transmission in the way.

Like the Leaf EV, it is well equipped with colour reversing camera for easy low-speed manoeuvring, Bluetooth connectivity, Intelligent Key and a new and improved fully integrated navigation system.

The layout is car-like, with power indicator and range rather than fuel gauge, plus various indicators of how you are driving and power consumption.

Instrumentation is logically laid out and the interior itself feels well built and airy, even if the hard plastic finish seem a bit dated for a motor costing over £30,000.

The NissanConnect EV app helps drivers organise their day and trips. Controlled from smartphone, tablet or computer, it allows owners to track and log driver reports digitally. They can check information on the battery charge level, start the battery charging and set the vehicle’s climate control remotely.

Charging can be done in three ways. Up to 80 per cent at a fast charger at a service station, in towns or one of the growing number of sites throughout the country, takes takes 40 to 60 minutes, while it’s around 7.5 hours to 100 per cent with a 7Kw wallbox.

It can take up to 21 hours with the standard domestic plug, so the wallbox, makes sense.

Factfile

Nissan e-NV200 Combi Plus 7 Seater Evalia

Price: £30,595 exc VAT

Mechanical: 108ps electric motor driving front wheels via CVT gearbox

Max Speed: 76mph

0-62mph: 8.9 seconds

Combined MPG: 180 miles

Insurance Group: 12

C02 emissions: 0g/km

Warranty: 3yrs/100,000 miles

The upgraded Nissan e-NV200: The LCV market game changer. Zero-emissions van, now goes further than ever on a single charge
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