Nissan Juke: common problems, best years and what to check
Quirky small SUV; F16 (2019+) is much better built. Covers 2010–2024 cars: every popular engine, its known faults with typical UK repair costs, and how each year has held up on Britain's roads.
Updated November 2026 · By the Carnod team · How we build this guide
Is the Nissan Juke a good used buy?
Best buy
2019+ F16 1.0 DIG-T manual
Avoid
F15 CVT autos; 1.6 DIG-T without turbo history
Who it suits: Drivers who want a quirky small crossover with a raised seat for town use.
What's good
- Distinctive looks
- Raised driving position
- Cheap to buy used
- F16 is roomier and better made
What's not
- F15 CVT automatic is fragile
- F15 has a tiny boot and tight rear seats
- Hard ride on big wheels
- 1.6 DIG-T turbo needs care
By the numbers
- #14 most common model on UK roads, with about 379k licensed (DfT).
- The biggest surviving year is 2017: 36.2k cars still licensed.
- 2010 cars survive 29% better than comparable cars of that year.
- 1.5 dCi uses a belt (72k / 6 yrs): budget £350–£550 if there's no invoice.
- The most expensive common fault: Big-end bearing failure on neglected units (up to £3,000).
Nissan Juke common problems by generation and engine
Nissan Juke F15 (2010–2019) · small SUV
How to spot it: 10 plate to 19 plate. Bug-eyed look with round main headlights low in the bumper and indicators on the bonnet edge.
1.6 petrol 94/117ps (HR16DE, petrol, 2010–2019)
Simple; avoid CVT if possible
- Timing chain stretch£500–£90060k+
1.2 DIG-T 115 (HRA2DDT, petrol, 2014–2019)
Some oil consumption
- Oil consumption / timing chain£400–£2,50040k+
1.5 dCi (K9K, diesel, 2010–2017)
Frugal
- Big-end bearing failure on neglected units£1,500–£3,00080k+
1.6 DIG-T 190 (Nismo) (MR16DDT, petrol, 2011–2019)
Fast; turbo and chain wear
- Turbo failure£900–£1,60060k+
Faults on any F15 (2010–2019) engine
- CVT failure / judder£1,500–£3,00050k+ · Check: Avoid CVT
- Suspension knocks (drop links)£100–£25040k+
Nissan Juke F16 (2019–) · small SUV; Hybrid
How to spot it: 19 plate onwards. Sharper and larger, still with split lights, plus a big V-shaped grille and hidden rear door handles.
1.0 DIG-T 114 (HR10DDT, petrol, 2019–)
Reliable
- DCT auto low-speed jerkiness—any
1.6 Hybrid (HR16 + e-motor, hybrid, 2022–)
Efficient in town
Costs are typical UK independent-garage prices including parts and labour. Main dealers usually charge more.
Best and worst Nissan Juke years
How many Nissan Jukes from each year are still licensed today (DfT), coloured by how well that year survives compared with similar cars of the same age.
Years that outlast similar cars: 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014. No year falls off the road noticeably faster than similar cars.
Nissan Juke MOT pass rate and common failures
First-time pass rate (2025)
Average UK car of the same age
MOT tests analysed (2010+ cars)
Nissan Jukes pass their MOT first time 5 points less often than the average UK car of the same age (70% vs 74%). Older cars fail more, so we compare like with like.
| First registered | Pass rate | Average UK car that age | Median mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 52% | 59% | 99k miles |
| 2011 | 54% | 61% | 96k miles |
| 2012 | 55% | 63% | 91k miles |
| 2013 | 55% | 66% | 84k miles |
| 2014 | 59% | 69% | 77k miles |
| 2015 | 65% | 72% | 68k miles |
| 2016 | 70% | 75% | 61k miles |
| 2017 | 76% | 78% | 53k miles |
| 2018 | 81% | 81% | 43k miles |
| 2019 | 84% | 84% | 38k miles |
| 2020 | 86% | 86% | 30k miles |
| 2021 | 87% | 87% | 25k miles |
| 2022 | 93% | 89% | 19k miles |
| 2023 | 94% | 92% | 19k miles |
Pass rate by fuel
Petrol
Diesel
Hybrid
Fuels differ in age and mileage mix, so treat this as a pattern rather than a like-for-like comparison.
Most common MOT failures
- Ball joint excessively worn8.33 per 100
- Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play5.51 per 100
- Wipers: does not clear the windscreen effectively4.29 per 100
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm3.41 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick3.24 per 100
- Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn2.78 per 100
- Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded2.09 per 100
- Coil spring: fractured or broken2.05 per 100
Most common advisories
- Tread depth below requirements of 1.6mm21.97 per 100
- Tyres: has a tear18.71 per 100
- Brake pads: less than 1.5 mm thick13.58 per 100
- Pins and bushes: pin or bush excessively worn12.78 per 100
- Rigid brake pipes: excessively corroded10.43 per 100
- Brake discs: in such a condition that it is seriously weakened10.39 per 100
- Ball joint excessively worn5.75 per 100
- Track rod end: ball joint has excessive play4.83 per 100
Source: DVSA anonymised MOT results for 2025 (normal car tests). First-time pass counts faults fixed during the test as fails. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
Does the Nissan Juke have a timing belt or chain?
| Engine | Type | When | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.6 HR16 | chain | check from 60k | £500–£900 |
| 1.5 dCi | belt | 72k / 6 yrs | £350–£550 |
Nissan Juke running costs
Road tax (from April 2017)
Road tax (before April 2017)
Insurance groups
Real-world economy
Servicing (independent)
Tyres
Warranty when new
Is the Nissan Juke ULEZ compliant?
- Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001.
- Diesel: compliant only if Euro 6 — generally cars first registered from September 2015; earlier diesels pay £12.50 a day in London's ULEZ.
- Same standards apply in Birmingham and Bristol Clean Air Zones (which charge private cars) and Scotland's LEZs in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee (which fine them). Check the exact car on TfL's vehicle checker.
Safety and practicality
Euro NCAP
Boot
Seats
Nissan Juke vs rivals
| Model | On UK roads | Insurance | Boot | Best buy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nissan Juke | 379k | 11–20 | 422 l | 2019+ F16 1.0 DIG-T manual |
| Renault Captur | 186k | 8–21 | 422 l | 2013–2019 0.9 TCe or 1.5 dCi manual; 2020+ E-Tech |
| Ford Puma | 180k | 11–21 | 456 l | 2020+ 1.0 EcoBoost mHEV 125 manual |
| Peugeot 2008 | 179k | 10–24 | 434 l | 2019+ 2008 with PureTech belt done, or e-2008 |
| Volkswagen T-Roc | 138k | 10–30 | 445 l | 2018+ 1.5 TSI manual |
| Hyundai Kona | 93k | 11–29 | 361 l | Kona Electric 64kWh (recall done) or 1.6 Hybrid |
What to check when buying a used Nissan Juke
- Avoid early CVT autos
- 1.6 manual F15 is the simple choice
- F16 1.0 DIG-T is a big improvement
Nissan Juke FAQ
›Is the Nissan Juke reliable?
Generally, if you pick the right version. Best buy: 2019+ F16 1.0 DIG-T manual. Avoid: F15 CVT autos; 1.6 DIG-T without turbo history.
›What is the Nissan Juke MOT pass rate?
70% of Nissan Jukes passed their MOT first time in 2025 (291,970 tests), below the 74% average for cars of the same age. The most common failure: ball joint excessively worn.
›What are the most common Nissan Juke problems?
The costliest known faults are Big-end bearing failure on neglected units; Oil consumption / timing chain; Turbo failure. Each one is listed by engine with typical UK repair costs above.
›Does the Nissan Juke have a timing belt or chain?
1.6 HR16: chain; 1.5 dCi: belt.
›What is the best year Nissan Juke to buy?
By DfT survival data, 2010, 2011, 2012 cars have outlasted comparable cars best. Condition and history still matter more than the year.
›How much does a Nissan Juke cost to run?
Real-world economy: 1.6 petrol 38–44 mpg; 1.0 DIG-T 42–48 mpg; 1.5 dCi 55–62 mpg. Insurance groups 11–20. A minor service is about £160–£230 at an independent garage.
›How much is road tax on a Nissan Juke?
Cars registered from April 2017 pay £200 a year (more if the list price was over £40k). Older cars pay by CO2 band, from £20 to £790.
›Is the Nissan Juke ULEZ compliant?
Petrol and hybrid: compliant if Euro 4 — nearly all petrol cars from 2006, many from 2001. Diesel: compliant only if Euro 6 — generally cars first registered from September 2015; earlier diesels pay £12.50 a day in London's ULEZ.
How we build this guide
We combine official UK data with what independent garages see most often on this model.
- How many are still on the road: DfT vehicle licensing statistics, by year first used. The survival comparison is against cars of the same age.
- MOT pass rates, failures and mileage: DVSA anonymised MOT results — every normal car MOT in Great Britain for the year, compared with all cars of the same age.
- Road tax: GOV.UK rates from April 2026. ULEZ: TfL and Clean Air Zone emission standards.
- Faults and repair costs: known problems by engine code, priced at typical UK independent-garage rates including parts and labour.
- Insurance groups, mpg, servicing and tyres: typical ranges, not quotes. Your car's exact figures depend on the version and where you live.
This is a buying guide, not a mechanical inspection. A specific car's MOT history tells you far more than any model average — run a free check on it before you go and see it.
Sources: licensed counts and survival from DfT vehicle licensing statistics; road tax from GOV.UK (April 2026 rates). Faults, costs, mpg and insurance groups are typical ranges, not quotes. A guide, not a mechanical inspection.