Take a quick look at the facts box that accompanies the piece because the little word at the end of this model’s name is important.

Recaro is a German specialist manufacturer that has spent the last century and more producing seats for everything from yachts to aircraft, but its best-known product is the bucket seat for cars.

And a pair of their finest suede and leather-trimmed work are fitted to Nissan’s sportiest Juke. Once you have climbed into them – and more of that later – you are pinned firmly in place by high side bolsters fitted to the body-hugging seat.

With a suede-trimmed steering wheel sprouting a range of control buttons in your hands this feels like a pretty sporty place, and that’s entirely deliberate.

Because with a performance boost, a sharper chassis set-up, more powerful brakes and extra equipment, the new Nismo RS is an even more extreme version of Nissan's multi-award-winning compact crossover.

Power comes from a 218 horsepower version of a 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine, developed by Nissan’s Nismo motorsport division.

Riding on eye-catching, 18-inch alloy wheels, the two-wheel-drive test model came with the addition of a mechanical limited slip differential on the driven front wheels, while four-wheel drive models feature a ‘torque vectoring system’ as standard, along with Nissan's Xtronic transmission and standard-fit steering wheel-mounted paddle shifts.

This technology aims to keep the considerable punch available from the engine under control and it does a good job. Other improvements linked to the increased engine performance include revised springs and dampers, body strengthening to increase torsional stiffness further and larger discs than the standard Nismo model.

Now if this all sounds extreme don’t be concerned. The Nismo RS is as versatile and comfortable as other Juke models. At speed it is quiet and relaxed and the stiffer suspension only becomes apparent if you are unlucky to encounter a potholed road.

It’s practical too, and the twin-floor boot space and fold-flat rear seats easily coped with a 200-mile, end-of-term, university house-clearing trip, swallowing up a niece’s not inconsiderable collection of belongings without fuss.

Nismo exterior design cues include red door mirror caps, a red pinstripe that encircles the bottom of the car and LED daytime running lights set within the lower air intake grilles.

The Juke Nismo RS is set apart with red brake callipers and ‘RS' badging on the front and rear. Inside, the RS logo appears in the rev counter while a distinctive suede wrap covers the instrument binnacle. The final finishing touch inside is an unusual water print finish on the gearshift knob and the central cluster.

And a final reminder that those front Recaro seat bolsters are seriously high – so gentlemen need to not only be careful of their sensitive bits when getting in, but supremely wary when getting out. You have been warned.

Auto facts

Model: Nissan Juke Nismo RS Recaro

Price: £23,650

Insurance group: 20 (1-50)

Fuel consumption (Combined): 39.2mpg

Top speed: 137mph

Length: 416.5cm/164in

Width: 177cm/69.7in

Luggage capacity: 8.8 cu ft

Fuel tank capacity: 10.1 gallons/46 litres

CO2 emissions: 168g/km

Warranty: Three years/60,000 miles