Geneva show: Nissan tweaks Juke again

NISSAN has updated its Juke crossover again, ushering a revised exterior design, new paint options, an updated sound system and fresh personalisation packs.

Revealed at the Geneva motor show, the new Juke is set to touch down in Australian showrooms in the second half of 2018.

The changes start with a refreshed front end, including a new dark chrome V-Motion grille, dark headlight surrounds, dark indicators on the door mirrors and standard LED foglights on higher-spec variants.

Three new alloy wheel trims are available, ranging in size from 16 to 18 inches, while buyers opting for top-spec variants can personalise the wheel design with coloured inserts.

Body-coloured panels on the front and rear bumper finishers, door side sills and mirror caps can also be optioned.

Two new exterior paint colours – Vivid Blue and Chestnut Bronze – will be added to the Juke’s colour palette.

Inside, it gains a Bose personal audio system that is piped through six speakers, including two built into the driver’s seat headrest.

Two new personalisation colours for the centre console, air vents, door inserts and seat upholstery are available, consisting of Energy Orange and Power Blue.

Gloss black also remains available as an option.

Other interior improvements include higher-grade leather on the steering wheel, and a new black and white instrument cluster display.

Nissan has not made mention of any changes to the powertrains, which consist of an 85kW/190Nm 1.2-litre turbocharged four-cylinder donk mated to a six-speed manual, an 86kW/158Nm 1.6-litre aspirated four-pot matched with a continuously-variable transmission (CVT) or a 140kW/140Nm turbo 1.6-litre offered with either transmission.

Nissan introduced the Juke to Australia in October 2013, before updating it in April 2015.

The Juke has had a slow start to 2018 sales-wise, with 122 new registrations in the first two months of the year, representing a 58.5 per cent drop over the same period in 2017, and less than the 153 recorded last February.

Nissan recorded 1299 sales in 2017, which was a slump of 45.5 per cent over the 2382 new registrations in 2016.