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Cars > Peek

The all-new Nissan Juke no longer looks like a joke

The subcompact crossover is more conventionally stylish

Whether viewed from the front or from the rear, the all-new Juke simply looks more ‘normal’. PHOTO FROM NISSAN

When the Nissan Juke first came out in 2010, many people were shocked by its unconventional appearance. While we personally liked it—it had a lot of personality, to be fair—most buyers in the subcompact crossover segment found the car’s exterior design funny at best and appalling at worst. If you ever needed a visual example for the word “polarizing,” the original Juke was it. It was literally a love-it-or-hate-it affair. Everyone basically had an opinion about its styling—there was no sitting on the fence.

The new design is sharper, sportier and more modern. PHOTOS FROM NISSAN

Enter the second-generation Juke, which the Japanese automaker has just unveiled to five European cities (London, Paris, Milan, Barcelona and Cologne) as you read this. That this model was introduced first in locations known for their impeccable aesthetic taste clearly conveys the manufacturer’s message: The new Juke will appeal more to a wider market, visually speaking.

“The Juke is back with its unique identity, even more character, exciting performance and advanced technology that responds to drivers’ needs,” Nissan Europe vice president for product planning Ponz Pandikuthira is quoted in the press statement as saying. “The new design and the 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.”

Nissan has removed the funny lines and curves. Better. PHOTO FROM NISSAN

The all-new Juke measures 4,210mm in length, 1,800mm in width and 1,595mm in height. That’s an improvement in all dimensional respects compared with the outgoing model (4,135mm, 1,765mm and 1,580mm, respectively). Even so, the new-generation Juke is said to be 23kg lighter.

No more arguing about this car’s ability to turn heads. PHOTOS FROM NISSAN

Powering the new Juke is a 1.0-liter three-cylinder DIG-T turbocharged gasoline engine (the current one in our market has a 1.6-liter four-cylinder mill). Producing a maximum output of 115hp, this motor is paired with either a six-speed manual transmission or a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.

Needless to say, Nissan’s latest offering is equipped with a suite of high-tech safety features, collectively known as Nissan Intelligent Mobility.

Seven-speed DCT or six-speed manual transmission? PHOTOS FROM NISSAN

So…how would you rate the all-new Juke’s exterior styling? On a scale of 1 to 10, we’d give it an 8.5. How about you?



Vernon B. Sarne

Vernon is the founder and editor-in-chief of VISOR. He has been an automotive journalist since July 1995. He became one by serendipity, walking into the office of a small publishing company and applying for a position he had no idea was for a local car magazine. God has watched over him throughout his humble journey. He writes the ‘Spoiler’ column.



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