2020 Nissan Juke: Hip and High-Tech But It Won’t Come to the US
At least we have the Kicks.
It was just two years ago that Nissan dropped its popular Juke subcompact from the U.S. lineup due to poor sales, but in Europe, the funky crossover remained one of the brand’s bestsellers. To keep the momentum going, Nissan just revealed its all-new, second-generation Juke in five cities across the continent on Tuesday, continuing the original's proportions and edgy design.
Nissan touts the new Juke is larger than the outgoing car, growing in length by roughly 3.3 inches and around an inch in height and at the hips. But thanks to new engineering and design underneath, the new car is around 50.7 pounds lighter and stiffer, promising improved handling dynamics and stability all around.
Under the hood for European customers is a new base 1.0-liter turbocharged “DIG-T” three-cylinder gas engine with around 115 horsepower, which sends its go-power to the front-wheels through a choice of either a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic or a six-speed manual. Nissan didn't reveal any performance figures.
Because of the larger proportions, the rear accommodations get more knee room, headroom, and trunk space. Complementing the interior is a more upscale vibe with plenty of soft-touch materials, premium sport seats, and optional Alcantara or leather upholstery.
The interior also benefits from Nissan’s latest ProPILOT tech suite, bundling up electronically controlled steering, acceleration, and braking, which standardizes radar-guided adaptive cruise control with steering assist. It also includes intelligent automatic braking and collision mitigation, rear-cross traffic warning, blind-spot warning, and lane-keep assist. Complementing it all is NissanConnect’s infotainment assist with Apple CarPlay, Android Auto, an onboard WiFi hotspot and optional Bose Personal Plus sound system.
“The Nissan JUKE is back with its unique identity, even more character, exciting performance and advanced technology that responds to drivers’ needs,” said Nissan Europe’s vice president for product planning, Ponz Pandikuthira. “The new design and exciting driving experience will appeal to the growing number of customers opting for compact crossovers. The JUKE has grown up, while still retaining the fun-to-drive qualities that have always made it stand out.”
It all looks and sounds great, but the new Juke is sadly now forbidden fruit for us as the Kicks took its place in the U.S.
