Nissan’s compact, funky Juke remains as such, but with better practicality and a generational improvement to technology.
Nissan has unveiled its second-generation Juke, showcasing updated interior design, clever packaging and better technology.
Significantly, the new Juke has grown and is proportioned for better practicality, increasing wheelbase a significant 106mm, growing rear legroom by 58mm and opening headspace 11mm. Though it remains a sleek, funky styled competitor in the compact SUV segment, it will offer up more useable space inside.
Exterior dimensions also grow slightly, though much of the shape is familiar to the first-generation model on sale in Australia since 2013. Will this new Juke hit Australian shores? Nissan’s local arm is yet to confirm, though with SUV sales growing and the UK-built Juke readily available in right-hand drive, it’s likely we’ll see the second-gen model land Down Under in the future.
Kinder on the eyes, the front fascia sees a nip and tuck, with Nissan’s signature V-Motion grille central to the design and thin DRL lights a more contemporary look than before. The rear-end has also had an overhaul and the side profile reshaped to accommodate its growing dimensions. Alloy wheel options grow from 16 to 19-inches large in top-spec guise.
Inside, we finally see a large well-connected infotainment system, growing to 8.0-inches and centrally mounted on the dash like many rivals. It brings Apple CarPlay and Android Auto phone mirroring, along with a WiFi hotspot function and optional eight-speaker Bose sound system. Behind the steering wheel is the option for a 4.2 or 7.0-inch digital display.
Around the cabin the design remains bold, but material choices are more premium, with piano black finishes and Alcantara leather on the list of equipment. Along with offering a larger cabin space, the boot also grows from 354 to 422-litres.
Underwhelming is the engine specification for Europe, a 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo engine providing 86kW of power and 180Nm of torque (200Nm on ‘Over Torque’) through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission. It’s frugal and sees the Juke accelerate from 0-100km/h in a little over 10 seconds.
Nissan will launch the 2020 Juke in Europe this November, with Nissan Australia yet to confirm the model for our market.
Read the Nissan Juke Nismo RS review:
