At last. At long last. Here is a car which can give the splendid MINI a run for its money.

I know; MINI is a hatchback and this is a compact 4x4, so they’re not really competing in the same market, you might think.

Actually, you’d be wrong. Both are premium models which appeal to style-conscious people with money, and while the Juke has some off-road capability, it is being bought by city types for whom style and sassiness are more important than price.

It’s certainly the best alternative yet to a MINI, a car which has had the premium market largely to itself for a decade. It has had one or two rivals, Alfa Mito, for example, and Citroen DS3, but none match the MINI’s appeal.

To be honest, until recently Nissan would have been one of the last places you would look for a MINI rival. Nissan concentrated very much on the sensible (Micra, Primera) but it has unleashed some terrific style-led models recently.

Qashqai, for example, and Murano are great. The 370Z and GT-R are astonishing. The Cube is as cute as they come and the new Micra will turn more heads than the old ones ever did.

Anyway, back to Juke. It is on the same lines as Qashqai but is slimmer, curvier and sexier. It also has echoes of the Infiniti.

The Juke certainly feels and looks like a premium model. The cabin is smart and has a modern, exclusive air to it, and the car rides and handles more like a sports car than a 4x4. The steering, gearshift and acceleration are all light and smooth.

If you wanted to be picky, you might say the boot is shallow and small for what is otherwise a chunky car. It does, however, have a parcel shelf fitted to the tailgate which means the boot is more secure than on some rivals which use a canvas cover.

It’s the Juke’s appearance – bulging headlights, flared arches and wide stance – that Nissan hopes will give it a competitive edge as buyers become more adventurous in their car choice.

There’s no question of form overtaking function with the Juke, though. The Qashqai is proof that Nissan can deliver on both counts, and the Juke is no different. While common design themes have found their way inside the cabin, the funky little Nissan sacrifices nothing in the name of practicality.

A genuine rival to more conventional compact cars, the Juke boasts a raised driving position, supportive seats, ergonomic controls and good all-round visibility. The centre console shaped like a motorcycle fuel tank is a nice touch, but doesn’t detract from the car’s airy and accommodating cabin.

Although you get the feeling that this car was built for towns and cities, it does well on the rough stuff and is nimble on motorways.

Buyers seeking a flexible all-rounder will likely migrate to the 1.5-litre, 108bhp diesel option. A proven motor in Renault and Nissan vehicles, refinement, performance, flexibility and economy all impress. The same goes for the snappy gearshift of the six-speed manual transmission.

Tested here is a 1.6 litre unit which offers sport-hatch power and good economy. There is a non-turbo available, which has very sensible running costs.

This is the flagship model, the Tekna, which costs the wrong side of £20,000. If you’re on a budget, the entry-level model costs from £12,795.

Tekna adds features such as alloy wheels, powered and folding mirrors, cruise control, rear-view camera, leather seats, MP3 and Bluetooth connectivity.

In this guise you also gain all-wheel drive, one of an increasing number of intelligent part-time systems. Ordinarily, power will be sent to the front wheels, but when a loss of traction is sensed some of that power is sent rearward. Power can even be altered from left to right on the rear axle to fine tune the car’s balance even more precisely.

Across the range, transmission choice is generous, with the diesel and turbo petrol models getting a six-speed manual and the non-turbo 1.6 petrol a five-speed manual. Furthermore, a CVT auto can be had on the petrol units.

With three trim levels (Visia, Acenta and Tekna) to choose from, Nissan’s generosity extends to comfort and safety equipment. Alloy wheels, air-con, an MP3 player compatible audio unit, powered mirrors, stability control and six airbags are all standard.

Larger alloy wheels, climate control, USB audio input and Bluetooth phone connection feature in Acenta-badged cars, with the leather seats, a reversing camera, keyless ignition and auto headlights present in range-topping Tekna models.

With the Juke, Nissan continues its successful assault on conventional market sectors with its decidedly unconventional models. As the baby of the company’s growing number of crossover models, the Juke cleverly combines competence with very seductive styling.

Nissan Juke 1.6 DiG-T Tekna 4WD:- PRICE: £20,345. Range starts at £12,795.

ENGINE: A 1,618cc four-cylinder unit generating 190ps via four-wheel-drive.

PERFORMANCE: Top speed 124mph, 0-60mph in 8.4 seconds.

COSTS: urban (town) 27.7mpg; extra-urban (country) 47.1mpg; combined 37.2mpg.

EMISSIONS: 175g/km.

INSURANCE: Group 19.

WARRANTY: Three years, 60,000 miles.

Steve’s ratings: Performance: 4/5 Economy: 3/5 Ride/Handling: 3/5 Space/Practicality: 3/5 Equipment: 4/5 Security/Safety: 4/5 Value For Money: 3/5 OVERALL: 3/5