Following criticism of the previous model Nissan has taken the steps to make its hot hatch even hotter.
Nissan has taken the flak directed at the first Juke Nismo on its chin, and rather than denying any fault the Japanese firm has got stuck in to make its smallest performance car better. The original was a bit of a lame duck compared to true hot hatches, but it wasn’t without talent under the surface.
The Juke Nismo RS is firmer, more composed and more powerful. There’s less body roll, more straight-line urge and it even looks better than before. Suddenly, this left-field hot hatch pretender looks a lot more serious, like a boxer who took a first-round beating but has come back with fire in his belly.
If you don’t like red detailing you’re in the wrong place. You’ll find it on the outside, most obviously on the front bumper, and throughout the cabin, including on the chunky seats. Those bucket-style Recaro chairs are a serious statement of intent, giving the flagship Juke more weight to argue with. If you don’t like the Juke’s looks, this could be the model to make you think twice.
Those aggressive seats don’t do you any favours when you try to slide in and end up getting the tall side bolster stuck between your legs (or worse), so you have to adapt your entry technique. There’s a modest boot that’s big enough for the young and the child-free. The cabin is spacious enough in the front but a bit cramped at the back.
The motorbike fuel tank-inspired centre console is an acquired taste, but there’s no arguing in favour of the rubbish and dated-looking (if novel) torque/boost/eco rating readouts. What you’ll enjoy more is the Juke’s renewed sense of purpose. It pulls hard, with an oh-so-slightly improved soundtrack against the old one, but it also stands up to scrutiny in the corners.
It changes direction with the fast reflexes that could only belong to a short-wheelbase car. Quick steering and a grippy Alcantara wheel mean you’re never scrabbling for extra lock, and the car stays impressively flat even when you corner like it’s 1999.
There was never a shortage of cohesion in the Juke Nismo, but the RS brings noticeable extra bite at the front end and an ability to keep impressing you even when you keep pushing it harder. The front-wheel drive version now comes with a limited-slip differential, which makes a huge difference. The four-wheel drive version is automatic-only, which does take an edge off the experience.
At £21,995 the Nismo RS is not bad value at all depending on your perspective. On the one hand it’s the same price as the bog-standard entry-level seven-seat Nissan X-Trail, but on the other it’s vastly cheaper than other similarly-equipped hot hatches. For its size the hot Juke punches well above its weight, which will be part of the appeal.
There’s some debate among the motoring media as to whether buyers of this car will come from the general hot hatch fan club or from people who just love the way the Juke looks and want the best version on their drives. What’s in no doubt is that the RS now has enough talent to swim with the bigger fish around it. And, of course, this is a car that offers a unique crossover kick in a purely hatchback market.
THE FACTS
Model: Nissan Juke Nismo RS Xtronic
Price: From £23,750
Engine: 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol producing 211bhp and 184lb/ft
Performance: Top speed 137mph, 0-62mph in 8.0 seconds
Economy: 38.2mpg combined
CO2 rating: 169g/km