Three Japanese SUVs for fair money with a touch of utility value

One might think that there are no more down-to-earth and affordable cars. Not entirely true, the three Japanese Nissan Juke, Toyota Corolla Cross and Subaru Solterra prove the opposite. What do they have in common and what do they not?

What exactly is a cheap new car? In order to be able to classify prices, a small excursion is permitted: Before Corona, one or two manufacturers advertised new car prices of less than 10,000 euros, the main thing being four figures. Those times are over. Dacia and Mitsubishi are currently fighting for the crown of the cheapest entry-level automobile. Both companies want to see around 12,000 euros for their small or very small cars, which are not particularly technologically advanced. You could go on a family vacation with them, but with a lack of comfort. Air conditioning remains just a pious wish for this course.

Households with only one vehicle due to their budget could really use a little more space and of course more comfort, because at some point the vacation is approaching. And after all, it doesn't always have to or should be the plane.

Therefore, ntv.de compared three more or less family-friendly Japanese cars that have conceptual similarities, but also differ from each other and also have different prices. Nevertheless, they all pass as down-to-earth automotive goods.

The cheapest option is the Nissan Juke with its 114 hp petrol engine at a competitive 24,790 euros. The hybrid variant tested by ntv.de is noticeably more powerful with 143 hp, but also costs 4,700 euros more. However, this buys a certain degree of sovereignty and the automatic transmission is free on board. But more on that later.

The Nissan looks more youthful than Subaru and Toyota

Candidate number two is actually a quite exotic Toyota example, apart from the fact that the practical car can be spotted as a taxi every now and then, at least in Cologne.

At 4.46 meters, the compact SUV, available from 36,190 euros, looks more grown-up than the compact SUV, which is compressed at 4.21 meters. And while the cheaper but visually more upbeat Nissan is a blessing in the densely built-up city because of its manageable dimensions, the Toyota, which is 2.5 centimeters wider (1825 millimeters) and more conservatively designed, is a bit more airy. However, neither of them are transport monsters: If you're on a family holiday, please pack soft bags that you can fold up, because in both cases, depending on the version, the trunk volume is less than 500 liters with the backrests up.

The question remains: which engine to use? The Juke with 114 hp (one-liter three-cylinder) and manual transmission is enough for everyday use, but with 143 hp system output – which is how the test car discussed here is also configured – the drive becomes more confident. Under the hood is a 1.6 liter naturally aspirated four-cylinder with 94 hp, which is accompanied by a 49 hp electric unit. The latter is powered by a 1.2 kWh battery.

Then there would be a third engine in the group, namely a starter generator with at least 20 hp. This mixed power is sent through a special transmission that conjures up a number of translation combinations from two plus four gears.

Starting is always done electrically, which means the front-wheel drive car can move off particularly smoothly. A characteristic that also applies to the Corolla Cross. Except that our colleagues from Nagoya have developed a completely different system. The so-called E-CVT uses a planetary gear on which the combustion engine (here 152 hp) plus the electric motor (113 hp) depend. The translations result from the generator resistance. Sounds wild, but feels creamy in practice. Shift jerks? They don't exist, while the Nissan does have some, even if only in a very mild form. Under full load, however, the speed still remains high for a bit too long, which doesn't make a nice noise in a two-liter four-cylinder that tends to be noisy. In this discipline, the Nissan transmission does a better job.

The Corolla Cross test car also has a second electric motor with 41 hp – responsible for driving the rear axle. The system output remains at a solid 197 hp, even though the compact doesn't really seem sporty. Although a bold step on the right pedal causes the adult-looking Japanese to quickly rush forward. Naturally much more emphatic than the somewhat tired-looking Juke. While the all-wheel drive Corolla Cross is supposed to storm to 100 km/h within 7.6 seconds, the hybrid Juke takes a leisurely ten seconds to do this. Of course, this plays a minor role in everyday life.

All three all-rounders are not cargo space volume champions

Both candidates don't want to win any competitions. The third one in the comparison doesn't want that either, which ntv.de chose as an example of a down-to-earth electric Japanese. Or should we rather say: invisible Japanese? The mid-range SUV, which is identical to the Toyota bZ4X (name difficult to pronounce), is not stingy with design gimmicks, but still doesn't stand out from the crowd. Features such as a striking radiator grille, plastic wheel arches, catchy beads and taillights that taper downwards in an idiosyncratic manner may be clever ideas, but they do not make for an emotional car. On the contrary, the Solterra appears rather conservative. That's okay too.

On the other hand, the Solterra definitely offers utility value with its fairly spacious interior. In the form of plenty of space; The Solterra would actually be a solid, comfortable tourer if there wasn't another catch. But that will still be discussed. First of all, the all-rounder, blessed with a 2.85 meter wheelbase, is not exactly bursting with trunk space. A little more than 400 liters fit in the rear compartment. It works, but it's far from top class.

Oh yes, if something looks familiar when you look at the Solterra display (12.3 inches) – that's right, exactly the same component is used in the Corolla Cross. And 12.3 inches are also available on the Nissan Juke, but in 16:9 format. The monitor also looks a bit more delicate here. Instrument clusters designed as pure display surfaces are a given in all three cases. When it comes to ease of use, the different Japanese trio doesn't do anything – in all three models you struggle with switching off the beeping and vibration assistants using the steering wheel button. You have to get used to it. This is also threefold pleasing: the automatic air conditioning is controlled via a physical keypad – so the passenger does not have to go into the menu depths.

The Subaru makes the most comfortable impression

Another word about driving comfort: The electric Solterra clearly wins here with a gentle chassis and plenty of space. The Corolla Cross also passes as a finely tuned all-rounder with a great deal of comfort. The Juke is significantly tighter here, but as a small car it ranks furthest down among the comparison partners in terms of segment. Now the Solterra is the finest tourer here, but with the disadvantage that if the energy reserves are empty you cannot fill it up within a few minutes like the two hybrids.

Subaru specifies a peak charging power of 150 kW, but in practice the mid-range, which weighs around 2.1 tons, proves to be a slow charger. When it's cold, it can take 40 minutes for the battery to draw a halfway usable amount of electricity again. And the range – in practice more like under 400 kilometers – isn't that far off either. On the other hand, the 218-hp all-wheel drive sprints to 100 km/h more quickly in 6.9 seconds than the Corolla Cross, which is significantly lighter at 1.6 tons. The Juke, which is 200 kg lighter, does not sprint as well as the Corolla Cross, but with a WLTP consumption of 4.7 to 4.9 liters (averaged), it is more efficient than the Toyota (5.3 liters).

In terms of purchase costs, the largest car with an electric drive is of course the most expensive. However, Subaru has significantly reduced the price of the Solterra over time. While it was listed at just under 60,000 euros in the first price lists, the basic price today is 49,990 euros. And that's not all: the company repeatedly advertises its electric model on its website with time-limited discount campaigns. With luck, the price can be reduced again to just over 40,000 euros. Or even below this threshold? This probably requires negotiating skills. That's still a lot of money, but a Corolla Cross can also come into this region depending on the equipment.

The smaller Juke is significantly cheaper, but not quite as comfortable. As a family all-rounder, it feels like it just works – it's best to test drive it yourself. Of course, this also applies to the other offers, which are all Japanese SUVs with decent space, a reasonable price-performance ratio, a solid impression of quality and respectable reliability.