WITH more than a million built at Nissan's UK factory in Sunderland, the Juke has been an undoubted success story.

Now the second generation model is on the road - some ten years after the first sparked a revolution by creating the compact crossover market.

Always a Marmite car, the Juke has never allowed anyone to sit on the fence regarding its looks and the latest model is as impossible to mistake for any other small SUV as its predecessor.

Homage is paid to the original's distinctive style via muscular haunches, bulbous front end and hidden rear door handles, while LED headlights, a natty grille and a neat front air dam are recent additions that ensure the Juke retains its road presence with the help of privacy glass and a rear spoiler.

The five-seat interior benefits from the larger dimensions of the latest incarnation with a longer wheelbase creating extra room for occupants - so passengers in the rear get more legroom while headroom is fine for most although a sloping roofline may impinge upon taller adults. The driver is able to adjust seat and steering wheel to attain a comfortable position.

Practicality is boosted by a bigger boot which can now cope with 422 litres of luggage - expanding to 1,088 litres with the rear seats folded over. There is a wide-opening tailgate and a moveable boot floor, although the parcel shelf rattled a bit. There are plenty of storage solutions for a family's nik-naks including door bins and a roomy glovebox with a cubby hole between the front seats providing a home for your smartphone.

The cabin of the £26,960 Tekna model on show here sports all the required mod cons - including smartphone connectivity - with everything where you expect it to be.

The eight-inch central display touchscreen is bigger than before and the instrument panel is restyled so it now boasts an information screen between the easy-to-read dials.

A comprehensive kit list includes a DAB radio, cruise control, 19-inch alloy wheels, a rear-view camera, keyless go, a leather trimmed steering wheel and climate control. A Bose stereo system, featuring speakers set into the front headrests, is the icing on a tasty cake.

There is also a raft of safety equipment with autonomous emergency braking, lane departure intervention, blind sport monitoring as well as a driver fatigue alert all included.

The front-wheel drive motor is powered by a three-cylinder, 1.0-litre turbo petrol engine - diesel or 4x4 options aren't available - which, with the help of a six-speed manual gearbox, propels the compact SUV from 0-60mph in 10 seconds on its way to a claimed top speed of 125mph. Nissan also offer a seven-speed dual clutch automatic transmission which is available on all but the entry-level model.

Fuel economy for a week of mixed motoring came in just north of 40mpg - helped by a stop/start system and an Eco drive mode - while carbon dioxide emissions are rated at 118g/km.

The Juke is fun to drive thanks to a firm suspension and excellent body control allowing it to respond with aplomb to your every whim. Sometimes the ride can suffer with this sort of set up but decent handling characteristics are combined with comfortable progress as all but the largest of potholes fail to intrude.