Nissan says its Juke is a new breed of vehicle

Nissan has launched what it describes as a new breed of passenger vehicle, claims The Independent.

The Juke is a compact sports crossover, which combines the agility of a compact sports car with the security and toughness of an SUV, says Nissan. With a fuel consumption 15% better than 2010 mileage standards, people could be considering selling a car to get their hands on this model.

Auto Express sampled a pre-production all-wheel-drive Juke this month, and said "there's no denying it is eye-popping to behold". The review states: "The rear door handles are 'hidden' for a coupe-like appearance, and 17-inch rims fill the bulging wheel arches. The audacious exterior theme carries over inside ... A slick user interface controls the audio system and the drive mode selector which alters throttle sensitivity, speed of gear change and steering effort."

The car will go on sale in September, claims The Mirror, but order books will open this month. The price starts at £13,000 for the Visia model, powered by a 117bhp petrol engine. The article claims: "If you want to be patriotic, buy the two-wheel drive models because the four-wheel drive ones are build in Japan."

According to The Independent, the Juke is powered by the world's first mass-produced 1.5-litre engine with dual injectors, giving it a fuel consumption of 19km per litre - that's a 15% improvement on 2010 mileage standards.

The car-makers are keen to emphasis the Juke's safety and green technologies, which include a tougher body shell, front seat air bags as standard and a 95% recyclability rate.

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