Tyre roar, wind noise and the firm ride take the edge off its long-haul appeal. Up the pace, and the busy Cooper SD is a restless motorway companion, especially with our model’s bigger wheels. But it’s not as accomplished at lower speeds, where it fails to cope with coarse surfaces as effectively. While it’s never going to rival the MINI for fun, the Juke provides more long-distance comfort and refinement. As you would expect, there’s more body roll, but the longer-travel suspension copes with bumps and crests more calmly than the firmly sprung Cooper SD. The crossover’s controls lack the feel and precision of the MINI’s, and it’s less composed under heavy braking. Attack a series of corners in the Juke, and it’s all too easy to trigger the stability control system, as the front wheels lose grip and the nose begins to wash wide of your intended line. This adjustability simply isn’t on offer in the Nissan. Feather the throttle mid-bend and the nose tucks in tightly, allowing you to steer the car using the accelerator. In corners, the MINI’s agile responses provide razor-sharp turn-in. It’s so flexible that overtaking manoeuvres are refreshingly stress-free in the Juke, they need to be carefully timed. The two driving experiences are very distinctive, too. You sit low to the ground behind an upright windscreen in the MINI, while the tall-riding Juke provides better visibility and a more conventional outlook. The SD isn’t faultless, either, as its stepped seatback adjustment doesn’t allow you to fine-tune the driving position to perfection.įrom behind the wheel, our duo couldn’t be more different. That’s not to say it’s perfect: the lack of steering reach adjustment is sure to irritate tall drivers, who will find themselves sitting too far from the rim. Yet the Nissan stands out with its much greater versatility. If you’re considering a MINI, the chances are you don’t need to carry more than one passenger on a regular basis. In normal circumstances, a crossover model with a 251-litre boot would be nothing to write home about, but the Juke’s load area outclasses the Cooper SD’s. Its extra pair of rear doors make carrying passengers less of a chore, and there’s more legroom in the back. One thing you can’t deny is that the Nissan is a more practical choice. The latter operates the air-con system and allows the driver to choose between three driving modes Normal, Sports and Eco. It isn’t without is own quirky touches, and the large centre console – styled like a motorcycle fuel tank – and gimmicky Intelligent Control Display won’t be universally popular, either. The Brit is an acquired taste, however, so if its quirky speedo and toggle switches don’t appeal, the Juke does at least provide something different. Material quality is no match for the Cooper SD’s, and the more traditional design doesn’t provide the feelgood factor of its retro rival. Fitting this lot to the MINI would add £2,475 to its list price.īut looking beyond the kit count, the rest of the cabin is less enticing. The Nissan Connect stereo also offers full iPod integration. Leather upholstery, heated front seats, sat-nav and a colour reversing camera all come as standard. Inside, top-of-the-range Tekna trim includes so much kit that you won’t have to add anything else. Mind you, the 4x4-like styling means the Juke needs no help standing out from the crowd. Accessories comprise a rear spoiler, various decals and some chrome add-ons – nothing like the breadth of choice available to MINI customers. One of the key attractions of MINI ownership is the endless array of customisation options, but the Nissan is more straight-laced. The baby Qashqai mixes off-road proportions with supermini dimensions, and its quirky lights, sloping tailgate and high-riding stance provide a genuinely unique appearance. Buy any MINI, and you’re making a style statement – but few cars in this sector turn heads like the Nissan Juke.
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