The Nissan Juke is good to drive, more spacious than before and higher tech. There are more practical small SUVs if you're happy with more conservative looks, mind.
Pros Distinctive styling Interior quality Good safety tech
Cons Limited engine choice Bumpy on larger wheels Infotainment
The Nissan Juke was a pioneer when it launched nine years ago. It packed the attitude and altitude of a crossover, and out-there styling, all shrunk into a supermini’s length span. It sold like crazy from the start to the end of its life. Here’s the new one. Different in very many ways, but the spirit is supposed to remain.
Pros Distinctive looks, rich interior, undemanding to drive
Cons Hatches ride and handle better
Nissan Juke is more spacious, better equipped, good to drive and well priced. With so many great rivals, it's unlikely the second Juke will become as successful as the first but, particularly in mid-level N-Connecta trim, it's a strong proposition.
Pros Good value Improved interior space Fun to drive
Cons No hybrid yet Noisy manual gearbox Only one engine
Perhaps we need to stop calling these cars SUVs, because the new Mazda CX-30 is really just a Mazda 3 on stilts, and all the better for it.
Pros Excellent dynamics Interior fit and finish Audio and infotainment system Active safety features Exterior and interior design, practical, makes more sense than a Mazda 3
Cons Ride felt a tad firm (European spec) Expected price premium over the Mazda 3 Infotainment housing a little old school Fits four adults at best
Slotting into the Mazda SUV lineup in the narrow space between the subcompact CX-3 and the compact CX-5 is the new—and curiously named—CX-30. Why isn't it called CX-4? We asked Mazda: It's kind of a long story. Regardless, we like the way it looks. Mazda's designers gave it a more severely forward-canted rear window and chunkier black-plastic body cladding to help differentiate the 2020 Mazda CX-30 from its other crossover siblings.The 2020 CX-30 shares much of its mechanicals and platform with the all-new Mazda 3 sedan and hatchback, so we expect it to have a 186-hp 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, a six-speed automatic transmission and either front- or all-wheel drive. It's possible that Mazda's new gasoline-powered compression-ignition engine—which the company calls Skyactiv-X—is likely to be available in the CX-30 at some point down the road.
Good car, the Mazda CX-30. Handles well, looks smart and has a lovely interior. But as is always the case with crossovers – the conventional car on which it’s based (in this case the Mazda3 hatchback) is the sensible buy.
Pros Good-looking, decent to drive, lovely interior.
Cons Cramped rear, old-fashioned auto.
