Nissan SA has given its sporty compact crossover, the Juke, a proper facelift. The funky styling cues are still very much present, but the new model has redesigned bumpers, lights, side mirrors and alloy wheels.
On the inside Nissan has given the Juke a more premium feel and more equipment as standard.
Every model in the range has Bluetooth phone integration, cruise control with speed-limiting capabilities, stop/start technology and full climate control. All models also have vehicle dynamic control (VDC) and six airbags, which means they all earned a full five stars for safety from Euro NCAP.
When it comes to luggage capacity, Nissan has listened to customer feedback. The engineers redesigned the space and lowered the spare wheel to increase the area by a whopping 40%. This applies to all models except the 4WD, which has to house a rear differential and multi-link rear suspension system.
The naturally aspirated 1,6-litre four-cylinder petrol engine has been dropped in favour of Nissan’s new 1,2-litre Dig-T turbocharged petrol unit. This offers 85kW and 190Nm of torque, but it is claimed to need only 5,6 l/100km of fuel on the combined cycle.
The 1,6-litre turbocharged four-cylinder petrol and 1,5-litre turbocharged diesel engines are carried over from the pre-facelift model.
Two transmission options are available, depending on the model and engine choice. The six-speed manual should find favour with enthusiastic drivers, while Nissan’s XTronic CVT transmission would be more suited to those concerned with frugality. An all-wheel drive option is also available.
All Juke models are sold with a three-year/45 000km service plan and a three-year/100 000km mechanical warranty.
Pricing:
1.2 DIG-T Juke Acenta R254 900
1.2 DIG-T Juke Acenta+ R277 900
1.5 dCi Juke Acenta+ R299 900
1.6 DIG-T Juke Tekna R325 900
1.6 DIG-T Juke Tekna with Sunroof and NissanConnect R354 900
1.6 DIG-T 4WD XTronic Juke Tekna with Sunroof and NissanConnect R364 900