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2020 Nissan Juke revealed, Australian potential unclear

At long last, the new 2020 Nissan Juke has been revealed.


The new model replaces the first-generation Juke that launched in Australia way back in 2013, after having first been revealed to the world the previous year.

Recent sales for the original Juke have all but ground to a halt in Australia, but its refreshing – if polarising – take on the compact SUV concept delivered Nissan Australia thousands of new buyers annually in its early years.

Now, with Toyota's C-HR having appeared as a clear rival for the crown of quirkiness, Nissan has unveiled a Juke that dials down the impractical shape of its predecessor, while continuing the aggressively sporting style it established for the segment.

Up front, slender blade-like daytime lights sit above familiar elliptical driving lights, flanking Nissan's 'V-Motion' grille.

The profile is where the Juke offers a more conventional look – by modern standards, at least.

The previous Juke's overly curvaceous styling is gone, replaced by a tapered but tame roofline and glasshouse perched above a single sharp character line that dives between bulging plastic-clad arches.

The variants shown here ride on 19-inch alloy wheels, though 16- and 17-inch options will open the range.

The lower body and roof merge at the D-pillar through the now de rigueur 'floating' style showcased by other overseas Nissan models of recent years, along with other brands' offerings – including the C-HR itself. Largely pioneered by Nissan, the look has become something of a standard in its own right.

The rear view is again a decidedly more simplified affair, doing away with the hooked 370Z-inspired tail lamps to introduce new units that take clear inspiration from the larger (and ageing) Qashqai and X-Trail SUVs.

In all, the new Juke looks exactly as many would have expected: like a more stylish, pumped-up Kicks.

Moving inside, the unique motorcycle-inspired cabin of the previous Juke is succeeded by a design that does little to break new ground, but is nonetheless stylish.

Circular vents dominate an otherwise by-the-numbers dash design, with an 8.0-inch infotainment display perched atop the centre stack in a similar vein to that of the latest offerings from Toyota, Hyundai and Kia.

Lashings of gloss black finishes are matched to audacious high-contrast soft-touch surfaces in one spec, while another delivers a stealthier look with Alcantara trim and subtle LED ambient lighting.

The steering wheel and instrument cluster are familiar fare from the Nissan parts bin. The instrument display behind the wheels is 4.2 inches on base models and 7 inches on up-spec variants.

The new Juke is a touch wider, longer and taller than its forebear, at 1800mm, 4210mm and 1595mm respectively (up from 1765, 4135 and 1565mm). Riding on a 2636mm wheelbase, it also has a considerably longer footprint than the 2530mm of the old model.

For comparison's sake, the Qashqai is 4394mm long, 1806mm wide and 1595mm tall, on a 2646mm wheelbase. Toyota's C-HR is 4360mm long, 1795mm wide and 1565mm tall, on a 2640mm wheelbase.

Interior space in the Juke grows, offering 58mm more rear legroom than before, and slightly more headroom, increasing by 11mm. Boot space is markedly improved though, up from 354 to 422 litres with the rear seats up.

Buyers hoping for a boost in power with the new Juke may be disappointed, although the 86kW and 180Nm of torque (200Nm with 'OverTorque' function) offered by its 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine should provide pep enough for most buyers.

Power is sent to the front wheels through a six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch automatic, with 0-100km/h times listed at 10.4 seconds for the former and 11.1 for the latter.

Suspension is by a MacPherson design at the front and a torsion beam at the rear.

Features of the international model shown here include Nissan's ProPilot driver assistance package with active cruise control, lane keeping assist, autonomous emergency braking and blind-spot monitoring.

There's also Apple Carplay and Android Auto support, Wi-Fi hotspot connectivity, and an eight-speaker Bose audio system.

Expect the new Juke to be on display at this month's Frankfurt motor show.

 

Australia

Local timing and specifications for the new Juke are still to be revealed. For now, Nissan Australia has confirmed only that it is "very interested" in the new Juke.

The new model will continue to be built at Nissan's Sunderland plant in the UK, so it is possible the company's local arm is waiting to see how Brexit affects things before making a move.

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