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Ugly or cool SUVs?

Renault-Captur-Dynamique-front
Renault Captur Dyunamique

Are these the three ugly ducklings of the SUV world? Or, the latest "must have" accessory?

Love them or hate them these three compact SUVs offer the uniqueness many motorists crave in a world dominated by whitegoods on wheels.

It is said 'beauty is in the eye of the beholder' and the , Renault Captur and Citroen's all-new certainly invite vigorous debate.

The designers say they are pushing the boundaries, challenging the norm, giving people something different. These cars make a statement about individuality and no excuse for being bold and unconventional.

Citroen C4 Cactus: Priced from $26,990 (plus on road costs)

Citroën doesn't necessarily like being referred to as a quirky car brand but when you release a car like the Cactus you have to expect the word will be used liberally!

Named after an actual Cactus, (see full for explanation) this new Citroën not only looks quirky and is quirky to drive but it also has some quirky features. And that is what makes the all-new Cactus so appealing. It's Citroën's take on what an SUV should be and the French car maker has taken quirky to a new level.

There are a lot of quirks in the Cactus. Airbumps on the doors (reminiscent of a feminine hygiene product), a glovebox inspired by an "old school" piece of luggage, you change from reverse, drive and neutral by pressing buttons, the passenger airbag explodes out of the roof and the rear windows pop out, not wind down. The Cactus is not a car for those interested in getting from A to B. It's bold and daring on the outside, chic and minimalist on the inside. It might be quirky but that's not to say that it doesn't have a good dose of French flair thrown in!

With 26,000 different personalisation options the chances of seeing someone 'dressed' in the same Cactus are fairly minimal. After all, "Twinsies" are so 2015.

 Pros  Cons
 Fantastic seats   "Automatic" transmission is awful
 Funky, retro interior  Poor storage
 Head-turning looks  No reach adjustment on steering wheel
 Loads of personalisation options  No rear air vents

Renault Captur: Priced from $23,500 (+ORC)

Another French entrant that is all about looks. Like the Citroen, the Renault Captur has loads of personalisation options such as two-tone paint finishes featuring contrast-coloured roof, pillars and side-mirror covers, roof or bonnet decals, special Gloss Pack and two-tone alloy wheels.

Inside you can customise the seats with zip off washable patterned seat covers, change the colours of the centre console, speakers and air vents, coloured zippers, different steering wheel types and detail trim on the doors.

A handy feature is the boot floor which can be set at a 45 degree angle to stop the contents of your shopping bags from falling over and, is also reversible with either conventional carpet or a plastic surface if you've got wet items to chuck in. The rear bench seat can slide forward or back to allow you to choose more legroom or boot space, depending on your needs for that day.

 Pros  Cons
 Personalisation options  Delayed engine response on take-off
 Good equipment levels  Average ergonomics
 Head-turning looks  Average drive experience
 Clever storage options   Electrical gremlins

Nissan Juke: Priced from $23,490 (+ORC)

While the Juke is new (ish) to our shores the car has been on sale for six years around the world. In fact, the Juke was a real trendsetter when it first launched and was responsible for starting the baby SUV craze that then ensued. It offered buyers a "pumped up" hatch with distinct coupe-like styling and a "bug-eye-style" face that set it apart from the crowd.

It took Nissan Australia three years to convince head office to let them bring the Juke into the country. The gamble paid off with 6591 people snapping up the Juke since it went on sale in 2013.

The coupe-like styling is achieved by disguising the rear door handles. So, it looks like a three-door but it is actually a five-door.

The Juke is not a family car, nor is it meant to be. It's a style statement and is appealing to many Gen Ys as well as the other spectrum of empty nesters.

The Juke doesn't possess the same level of personalisation options as the Captur or Cactus, but it certainly has the most polarising design. And you can individualise it to a point - there are two different packs available in four colours - red, black, yellow or blue. The coloured accents can be used on the door handles, mirror caps, roof spoiler, wheels, side skirts, rear bumper diffuser, hatch lip, gear lever surround, door handle inserts and door trim highlights.

 Pros  Cons
 Head turning looks  Bland interior styling compared with exterior
 Fun to drive  Cheap, hard interior plastics
 Practicality  Small boot in AWD models
 All-wheel-drive option  No steering wheel adjustment

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