test drives

By Tim Saunders

I’m a great fan of hybrids. So, naturally I like the Nissan Juke SUV finished in striking two-tone metallic blue with a pearl black roof. With today's inflated fuel prices not helped by Saudi Arabia and Russia cutting back on production – it’s just like living in the 1970s I am told – the need for efficient vehicles has never been higher. For me hybrids are kinder on the pocket and lifestyle than electric vehicles. They’re certainly more user-friendly for a busy family and they promote careful, sensible driving, which I am all for.

What I particularly enjoy about this hybrid is that it will drive a good mile in EV mode at 30mph. I find myself increasingly being forced to drive at this speed or below either due to sheer weight of traffic or by being in such a zone. Quite often EV mode will kick in on its own but on other occasions it doesn’t making it is necessary for me to reach over to the centre of the dash to push the EV button. You do have to have driven quite a distance using your precious petrol before being able to drive a reasonable distance on EV mode but this is to be expected. My particular joy is engaging EV mode while crawling past a petrol station, it gives me an immense sense of well-being as I note the exorbitant prices they dare to charge, boosting their profits. They are by no means on their own, there is an eye-watering level of profiteering going on all around us during this cost of living crisis – Santander has reported a £1.9bn profit for just three months… I find this world very difficult to live in at the moment. Don’t worry this is not a suicide note but I am angered with our society of followers with its peer pressure coupled with the government’s lackadaisical approach to everything but war, which is always good for the nation’s coffers.

I take the family on a jaunt to Winchester and the heavens open. There’s lots of surface water about but nothing like what those in the north and Scotland have had to contend with. Driving such an SUV is quite reassuring in such conditions because of the raised height when going through deep water. Road handling is good, too.

Inside it’s comfy. We like the supportive seats and the hint of suede around the black leather – there’s luxurious suede on the dash, too. At night a strip of light projects from behind the inside of the door panel, which provides a futuristic touch.

There’s a push button start and it’s an automatic so little thought is required for the driver. The reversing camera is useful although the pouring rain blurs the screen meaning that I cannot rely on it to reverse park. In the cold wet weather the windscreen mists up so it is necessary to keep the demisters on. The back is big enough for our three children and there’s a good size boot. There’s air conditioning and a great radio with Bose speakers built into the edge of the front seats, which I haven’t seen before. That radio allows us to listen to our favourite ‘80s music station. Ah, now there was a period when some great things happened and technology was not such a threat.