I do not possess a pair of kicks, hoodie, or a pair of boardshorts, so I felt distinctly unprepared to comment on a car that epitomises urban cool.

Anyone with a grey hair or two on their head is likely to feel equally anxious about hopping behind the wheel of a car so clearly aimed at the younger buyer.

Nissan says the plan with Juke was to offer a ‘funky alternative’ to a bland five-door hatchback and the styling, inside and out, certainly delivers that by the spadeful.

Externally, the Juke looks like an escapee from the follow-up to Pixar’s cartoon creation Cars.

The bottom half of the car, which sits high up off the ground, is sports utility vehicle, with chunky wheels, wide tyres and macho looks. But the top is pure sports car, with a high waistline, narrow side glass and a coupé-style roof. The coupé effect is underlined by rear doors which have their handles hidden in the door frame.

Inside, the sports car theme continues with a high-gloss centre console inspired by a motorcycle fuel tank.

But this is no creation of a maverick Japanese design team allowed to indulge their wildest urban car design fantasies. The Juke was created at Nissan Design Europe in the heart of London and is rolling off the production lines at Nissan’s Sunderland plant.

And underneath the rebellious styling is a surprisingly roomy yet compact alternative to a run-of-the-mill supermini. While it is undoubtedly playful, it is also practical and fun to drive.

Light, and agile, and easy to manage on the move, the Juke is as at home whirring along a motorway as it is slipping into tight city parking spots.

Engine choice starts with 117 horsepower 1.6-litre petrol and 110 horsepower 1.5-litre diesels and is topped by a 1.6-litre direct-injection turbocharged petrol model in both two- and four-wheel-drive.

The two-wheel-drive turbo-charged 1.6-litre petrol engine is available with a six-speed manual, while the all-wheel-drive range-topper is mated to Nissan’s automatic transmission.

The entry-level Visia comes equipped with 16in alloy wheels, electronic stability program, six airbags, sports seats and air conditioning. The Acenta delivers a system that allows you to alter dynamic drive settings and control functions such as climate control.

The luggage area is big enough to take a large suitcase and it also includes an underfloor storage area. The rear seats split 60:40, and also fold in one movement to provide a flat loading floor, perfect for carrying larger loads.

My fears that I was simply too old to be allowed out in a Juke were confirmed by a caring B&Q cashier, who took one look at the huge sacks of compost on my trolley, glanced at my greying locks, and asked kindly: “Would you like a hand getting that to the car?”

Auto facts Nissan Juke Acenta Sport

  • Price: £16,295
  • Insurance group: 20E (1-50)
  • Fuel consumption (Combined): 40.9mpg
  • Top speed: 134mph
  • Length: 413.5cm/162.8in
  • Width: 176.5cm/69.5in
  • Luggage capacity: 8.9 cu ft
  • Fuel tank capacity: 46 litres/10.1 gallons
  • CO2 emissions: 159g/km
  • Warranty: 3 years/60,000 miles