Category Archives: Crossover

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 

Crossover, Dacia, Manufacturer, SUV, Vehicle type

Duster off a bargain

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Dacia Duster

By Bill McCarthy

The first Duster I drove was back in 2014 and then, as now, was blown away by, in the words of parent firm Renault, how shockingly affordable the SUV was, and still is, priced from £10,995 on-the-road.

Revamped in 2017, not one body panel was carried over, but this has not led to the look of car being changed substantially.

The standard 17-inch wheels with black wing arch trims complement the  distinctive lighting signature, which includes LED daytime running lights, while the windscreen is also steeply raked, which both creates a more dynamic look and let’s more light into the cabin.

Revisions included multi-view camera, power steering, keyless entry and ignition system, climate control and blind spot warning

There are now five trim levels available, Access, Essential, Comfort, Prestige and Techroad across a 16 version line-up, while there is a choice of three TCe engines and one dCi diesel.

All are packed with kit, with this just above mid range model featuring rear parking camera and sensors, electric front and rear windows, heated and electrically adjustable door mirrors and a seven-function on-board computer, all as standard.

As an SUV with either two or four-wheel drive, you might expect that a budget type vehicle would be pretty dull and utilitarian looking , but the Duster more than holds it own in this segment.

It sits high off the ground, with rugged stance featuring wide wheel arches, protective moulding 16-inch alloy wheels.

In addition there are front and rear skid plates, satin chrome door mirrors, side sills and scuff plates front and rear and satin chrome roof bars with Duster inscription

The 130bhp petrol unit driven here in is an impressive performer with excellent economy, aided by ECO mode and stop/start, good pulling power and decent acceleration which feels more rapid than the official 0-60mph figure of 11 seconds.

It is also a refined unit, with good torque that picks up nicely when accelerating on the motorway.

The SUV profile means it won’t be the most slippery through the air, and wind noise does intrude at times as does some road noise. Although Dacia says noise has been halved compared to its predecessor by increasing the percentage of sound-absorbing surfaces in the cabin and engine compartment from 20 to 50 per cent, together with thicker glass for the front windows.

The interior trim is functional rather than luxurious with sturdy plastics rather than the soft-touch variety and hard-wearing upholstery.

It looks to be built to stand up to the strains and stresses of family use with large rotary controls and on this model multi-function steering wheel, as well as some older Renault-looking radio controls.

The brains of the car, however, is very hi-tech with  the seven-inch touchscreen which controls infotainment, navigation and smartphone connectivity via Apple Carplay and Android Auto. Bluetooth is also available

Interior space is impressive with seating for five, while the boot offers up to 445 litres with the rear seats in place increased to 1,623 with them folded. Dont expect fantastic handling, it is and SUV, but it does feel surefooted enough with little wallowing on corners.

Safety kit is pretty comprehensive with blind sport warning, assisted braking, air bags including curtain airbag and alarm.

For those who prefer tackling the rough stuff, the Duster carries over the same off-roading credentials that helped to make the previous model such a success.

Dacia may still be suffering from brand anonymity, but that is changing all the time with superb value for money products. ‘Shockingly affordable’ is about right.

Factfile

Dacia Duster Comfort TCe 130

Price: £14,995

Mechanical: 130bhp, 1,333cc, 4cyl turbo petrol engine driving front wheels via 6-speed  gearbox

Max speed: 118mph

0-62mph: 11.1 seconds

Combined mpg: 39-42mpg

Insurance group: 14e

CO2 emissions: 139g/km

BiK rating: 30%

Warranty: 3 years/60,000 miles