Price range: £12,795 - £19,995
Date tested: July 2010
Road tester: Owen Ready

It's difficult to get a sense of the Juke's size in isolation, but amongst traffic it feels bigger than a supermini. It looks it too with its high-set headlamps, raised suspension and wildly exaggerated wheel arches.

The Juke's interior design falls short of the dramatic exterior though. The dashboard, while perfectly acceptable, is disappointingly conventional.

It's not all bad news however, as there's plenty of space for this class of car both front and rear. Taller rear seat passengers might find the sloping roofline a hindrance but it's not as pronounced inside as it looks from the outside. Boot space is also reasonable with a useful extra compartment under its false floor.

On the road the Juke is well resolved on the whole. Its steering is a little numb but its feels more agile than its height would suggest. It's not as neat as a Mini or Fiesta when changing direction but this isn't really a car to be driven flat-out. It's much better to relax a little and enjoy the overall refinement.

It rides reasonably but a little more suppleness would be welcome over broken city streets when it can feel stiff-legged.

We tried the 1.5-litre dCi diesel and turbocharged 1.6-litre DiG-T petrol engines. The former will make up a large chunk of Juke sales while the latter, with 187bhp, is aimed at those looking for hot-hatch performance.

The diesel does a great job at hauling the 1329kg Juke around. Its small capacity is only evident at very low revs, but once the turbo wakes up it's more than willing. It's not the most refined of units at tickover but settles down on the move.

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Those expecting Mini Cooper S levels of fun from the 1.6-litre turbo petrol may be a little disappointed. Its 0-62mph time of eight seconds sounds reasonable but in reality it never feels as though it's packing 187bhp. It also sounds rather whiney at higher revs, a shame considering the higher reaches of the rev counter need to be explored to get the most out of it.

We're left with the distinct impression the Juke's dynamics have been compromised in terms of ride, handling and performance by its chunky looks. It's undeniably heavier, less aerodynamic and with a higher centre of gravity than is ideal.

The Juke is a car that will sell on its looks alone and rightly so - its styling is as well-resolved as it is daringly original.

That it drives reasonably well will only help Nissan to achieve the sales figures it wants. Its extra practicality and competitive pricing - from £12,795 - against more 'premium' rivals are also bound to win it friends.

But we can't help feeling disappointing it's not a little clever inside or as much fun to drive as it is to look at. In an age where efficiency and low CO2 emissions really count, its weight and poor aerodynamics for the sake of its looks alone seems a little remiss.