Sector: B-crossover Price (October 2013): £17,690 Fuel: 67.3mpg CO2: 109g/km

The Nissan Juke can lay claim to setting out the foundations of the B-crossover segment, and after three years on sale it’s still going strong. But with new entrants arriving from almost a full cross section of rival brands, the core 1.5-litre dCi 110 diesel engine has had a clean-up to bring it in line with the best in class.

This is a backbone of Renault-Nissan’s product range, and fitted to around a third of UK Jukes, as well as being the engine of choice for user-choosers. But new entrants have set new standards for efficiency, so Nissan has upgraded to the latest version to give itself the edge.

There are numerous improvements found under the bonnet. The engine now features a start/stop system and low-friction internals, with a variable oil pump to reduce load and save fuel, while a new exhaust gas recirculation system helps bring harmful emissions in line with Euro6 requirements. It also features a variable geometry turbocharger and more direct air intake, which combine to offer improved performance.

The end result is a little extra torque, up from 177lb.ft to 191lb.ft at 1,750rpm for increased responsiveness on the road, while fuel economy of 67.3mpg with CO2 emissions of 109gkm allows Nissan to dip under rivals such as the Vauxhall Mokka and Skoda Yeti, while coming close to the Renault Captur which uses a less powerful version of the same engine. There’s also been a noticeable effort to improve refinement, which has made the Juke a more peaceful motorway car, though ride quality is still very firm.

For its modest power delivery, the Juke is a lively little car to drive. New gear ratios offer sharper response off the mark, while cruising gears have been extended to keep engine revs down and improve economy over its predecessor. Set to Sport, one of three selectable driving modes offered in the Juke, it’s so responsive to a dip of the throttle that it’s hard to believe this only produces 110bhp.

Nissan predicts most user-choosers will opt for the highly specced n-tec model, which at £17,690 is rather pricey for a small car. But it gains a new navigation system with Google Send-To-Car, allowing routes to be uploaded remotely via a PC or tablet, and features such as the clear centrally-mounted dashboard display used to show climate and driving mode functions add to the high tech feel. A perfect fit for a car which looks like it’s rolled out of a science fiction comic.

The new engine may be a small addition to the Juke, but against stiff new competition it’s a timely one which should keep up the demand it’s enjoyed to date.

Verdict:

With sales still soaring arguably the Juke wasn’t desperate for a more economical diesel engine, but it’s an added string to the bow of a car which continues to set the recipe for this sector.