Since the new Nissan Juke will not be sold in the U.S., the automaker's UK-based engineers were given the freedom to put more emphasis on the second-generation model's handling, which is something European drivers value.
"Americans go in straight lines and we go around roundabouts, so this time we focused on dynamic performance," said David Moss, Nissan's senior vice president of r&d in Europe.
The Juke's body was lightened and stiffened by using about 50 percent high-strength steel. The steering rack is quicker, and the suspension is tuned to better resist body roll.
The first Juke was a big hit in Europe's small SUV segment when it launched in 2010, but since then the sector has grown rapidly to 24 competitors from two at the start of the last decade.
Although Nissan was slow to replace the Juke, Moss believes it has not only caught up with rivals in the segment but has overtaken them. "We wanted to make sure we could leapfrog not one but two stages," Moss said.
The Juke retains certain design elements that made the first model so unique, such as the round secondary headlights and the "fender-centric" muscularity of the profile.
But Nissan's London-based design studio also wanted it to look a little less cartoonish. The "comical" lights that climbed over the sides of the hood also were not good for aerodynamic performance, said Chetan Chohan, who is design manager at the automaker's London studio. Those lights are gone, replaced by slim LEDs.
Not having to comply with U.S. crash regulations meant Nissan could also extend the tailgate backward almost to the bumper line, boosting trunk space to 422 liters from the 354 liters of its predecessor.
Nissan invested in a new paint shop technology at its plant in Sunderland, England, to enable the Juke to be offered with a contrasting roof color for the first time, an option that Moss believes 15 percent 20 percent of customers will choose.
In the cabin the focus is again on sophistication instead of eccentricity. The body-colored plastics found inside the old car, for example on the motorcycle-helmet-inspired gear shift surround, were replaced by more premium surfaces. "People's perceptions have changed. They want to feel secure, more comfortable, cozier. Everyone wants soft-touch," Chohan said, claiming the car had a higher amount of the tactile materials than any other small car.
Cabin space is boosted, too, thanks to an 105mm increase in the wheelbase to 2636mm. Complaints about rear comfort have been addressed with a 58mm increase in knee room to 583mm. Overall the car is 75mm longer at 4210mm.
Nissan pulled the diesel variant from the model line and gave the Juke a new 1.0-liter, 115-hp, three-cylinder gasoline turbo engine that can be mated to either a six-speed manual gearbox or a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission.
A plug-in hybrid version is possible given that alliance partner Renault will offer that powertrain on the Captur small SUV, which shares the same CMF-B platform as the Juke. Nissan declined to confirm this.
Despite now having to compete with 24 rivals, Nissan predicts it can return to the original model's peak sales of about 100,000 a year.
The whole segment will grow another 30 percent by 2023, Nissan Europe Chairman Gianluca de Ficchy told Automotive News Europe. He cited the Juke's improved interior space and quality as reasons why customers will return after demand for the previous-generation model slid in recent months. "I'm convinced the Juke will be a success," he said.
FAST FACTS
Launch date: December 2019
Base price: 17,395 pounds (20,370 euros) (UK)
Where built: Sunderland, England
Main rivals: Renault Captur, Peugeot 2008, VW T-Cross, Seat Arona
Connectivity: Owners can connect to their Juke via a phone app similar to what Nissan offers on the Leaf electric vehicle. App-controlled functions include sounding the horn or flashing the lights to locate the Juke in a parking lot, as well as viewing stats such as average fuel economy. Drivers can also send maps to the car's navigation system, but they can't remotely start the car's engine on cold mornings.
Active safety: Every Juke is equipped with emergency braking, traffic-sign recognition and lane-departure warning. Pricier models come with further active safety technology such as adaptive cruise control, lane-keeping assist and the ability to accelerate and bring the car to a stop in a traffic jam.
Long spec list: Other equipment available includes a camera-based projection of the car seen from overhead on the dashboard and automatic dipping of the LED headlights.
