Nissan Juke Crossover – Photos & Spec

Following the success of the imposing Murano and the extremely popular Qashqai, Nissan have strengthened their position in the crossover section even further by introducing the new Nissan Juke.

The new compact crossover boasts a distinctive combination of SUV toughness and sporting style and promises to provide buyers with a funky alternative to the conventional urban hatchback.

"Juke brings a sense of adventure to the car market. It’s light, nimble, urban, reactive: qualities designed to grab a younger audience. It offers something entirely different to the traditional B-segment vehicles and cements Nissan as a car maker prepared to do something different.” Said Andy Palmer, Senior Vice President of, Product Planning, Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.

The Juke was created at Nissan Design Europe (NDE) in the heart of London, and refined at Nissan’s Design Centre (NDC) in Japan. The Juke will also follow in the Qashqai’s wheeltracks and be built in Britain at Nissan’s factory in Sunderland in the north-east of England.

So, what can we expect from the new baby beast? Well, from a design standpoint, the lower half of Juke is pure SUV with its chunky wheels, wide tyres and extended ground clearance. From the top, the Juke is full unadulterated sports car with a high waistline, slim visor-like side glass graphics and a coupé-style falling roofline.

Inside, the sports car theme continues with a driver-focused cabin dominated by a centre console design and finished in a distinctive high gloss colour. Practicality isn’t forgotten however as the rear-opening hatch and versatile luggage area with hidden storage pockets ensure easy accessibility and versatility when you need it.

Three new engines will be available including one diesel and two 1.6-litre petrol units, all fully Euro 5 compliant. The top of the range is a new turbo-charged petrol engine (MR16DDT) with direct injection is the most powerful in its class, developing 140kW (190PS) and 240 Nm. The new Juke also boasts Nissan’s new ALL-MODE 4x4-electronic all-wheel drive system which now features torque vectoring technology to enhance agility and reduce understeer when cornering.

Trim levels will follow the established Visia, Acenta and Tekna lines while a full range of accessories has been developed for owners who want to personalise their Juke even further.

“The incredible success of our Qashqai compact crossover – we’ve recently passed half a million sales in Europe alone - has shown that customers are fed up with conventional cars. Juke is even bolder, even more adventurous than Qashqai and is set to confirm Nissan’s position as a pioneer of crossover in Europe and, indeed, globally,” says Simon Thomas, Nissan’s European Senior Vice President for Sales and Marketing.

Sales of the new Nissan Juke Crossover start in the UK in October.

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Donna Kelly.