Geneva show: Nissan teases Juke update

NISSAN is set to take a scalpel to the polarising nose design of its four-year old Juke mini-crossover as part of a mid-life update to premiere next week at the Geneva motor show.

Details are scarce – all Nissan has revealed so far is a stylised teaser image and the promise of an “even more striking design, improved efficiency and enhanced refinement”.

The fact that Nissan has chosen to hide the nose and tail in the teaser image indicate both will come in for a tweak. The gaping grille and odd ‘tiered’ cluster headlights were one of the more polarising elements on the Juke’s divisive design from day one.

Nissan is also odds-on to ditch the tired, Euro 4-compliant 1.6-litre atmo engine in favour of the zesty 88kW/190Nm 1.2-litre turbo used in the Renault Captur and Clio.

Expect also some cabin tweaks, with up-to-the-minute infotainment imported from the new Qashqai and – potentially – more premium cabin materials.

Since being launched in Europe, Japan and the United States in 2010, the funky British-made Juke has become something of a cult classic and – alongside its Qashqai big sibling – helped drive Nissan’s growth in much of Europe.

Nissan Australia dilly-dallied on whether to bring the car here, finally giving it the green-light for launch in October 2013 in front- and all-wheel-drive forms, with atmo and turbo-petrol engines – the latter shared with the Pulsar SSS.

Europe also gets diesel and hotter Nismo turbo-petrol versions. UK publication Auto Express tips the Nismo to get a power upgrade from 147kW to 158kW as part of the facelift .

Nissan Australia has been contacted to clarify when we will get the updated Juke here, and whether a diesel and/or the Nismo could be added to the range. Based on the car’s scheduled premiere in March, expect to see it here in either the fourth-quarter of 2014 or the start of 2015.