Nissan has announced a smaller crossover to complement the Rogue/Qashqai and Murano. The European unveiling will occur today, Feb 10. The Juke will also make it to North America as a 2011 model.

From Nissan's European News Bureau:

Quote »JUKE Nissan's New Small Crossover

· Sales to begin in Autumn for Europe· Extending the Crossover philosophy to the small car segment· Nissan’s fourth Crossover in Europe - reinforcing Crossover leadership· Manufactured in UK Rolle, Switzerland 7 January, 2010 - One month before its global media unveil on February 10th, Nissan today confirms the name of its forthcoming small Crossover. The Nissan Juke will go on sale from October, following its global public premiere at Geneva Motor Show in March. The Nissan Juke will inject some much-needed dynamism into the small car segment, offering European car-buyers an alternative to the traditional, uninspiring small hatchback. As the fourth Crossover in Nissan’s European range, “Juke” reinforces the brand’s pioneering Crossover leadership in Europe. The car was inspired by the Qazana concept car that received such a warm reception at the 2009 Geneva Motor Show, and will fit into the Nissan range between the Note compact family car and the Qashqai crossover. Nissan’s customer research identified a large proportion of European small and compact car buyers whose needs are not met by what they perceive to be uninspiring and unoriginal options available to them where copycat hatchbacks dominate. The Nissan Juke has been designed and developed to give customers an alternative to the traditional small hatchback in Europe. “We know that there are a lot of customers looking for a car which combines striking design, agile handling and driving pleasure, user friendly technology but not at the expense of practicality and convenience. These unique attributes will allow Juke to occupy a unique corner of the European market,” said Simon Thomas, Nissan’s European Senior Vice President for Sales and Marketing. “Nissan caught the mood of the European car-buying public with Qashqai crossover and we’ve worked hard to study the market in the same way for Juke to be sure we meet the needs of European customers. We’re confident that Juke will bring a new generation of customers to Nissan, in the same way that Qashqai did. Our philosophy of challenging conventions with Qashqai has been a huge success. We’ve just reached the 500,000 landmark and we’re applying many of the lessons learned from Qashqai to Juke. We’re confident we’ll have another success on our hands,” added Simon Thomas. Juke will be manufactured alongside the Qashqai, Qashqai+2 and Note at Nissan’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Sunderland, Great Britain. With the introduction of Murano in the US in 2003, the Crossover concept was introduced to consumers who were looking for a vehicle that combined the dynamic design and handling characteristics of a passenger car, but with the added benefit of all-wheel drive traction and the improved visibility of a raised seating position, but without the boxy shape of an SUV. In Europe, the introduction in 2007 of Nissan’s Qashqai, heralded the mainstream introduction of the Crossover concept for the first time, providing an alternative to the traditional C-Segment offering. In just over two-and-a-half years, and with a half-a-million buyers in Europe, customer feedback shows they love its combination of understated, but sophisticated design which combines the lower body robustness of an SUV, but the upper body profile of a passenger car. Such has been the demand for Qashqai that production was increased at the plant in Sunderland, UK, to meet supply. The Qashqai was followed by the introduction of the stretched wheelbase version, the Qashqai+2, offering extra interior space allowing the inclusion of a third row of folding seats to meet the needs of larger active families who need extra space or accommodation. -ends- About Nissan in EuropeNissan employs around 12,500 people in its European design, research and development, manufacturing, logistics, and sales and marketing operations. In calendar year 2008, the company sold 601,647 vehicles across 40 markets in Western and Eastern Europe including Russia. Furthermore, the company produced a total of 539,580 vehicles in its Spanish and British plants. For more information, please go to [URL]http://www.nissaneurope-newsbureau.com[/quote] http://www.nissaneurope-newsbu...88247

Quote » 02.09.2010 , FRANKLIN, Tenn.Nissan Juke Crossover Confirmed for U.S. Market

Nissan North America, Inc. (NNA) today confirmed that an all-new small crossover SUV, the Nissan Juke, will join the Nissan lineup in the United States in fall 2010. The European version of the dramatically styled Juke will be revealed to the media on February 10th and makes its global public premiere at the Geneva Motor Show in March. The North American version of Juke is scheduled to debut at the New York Auto Show in late March.

The compact Juke, which was inspired by the Nissan Qazana concept car, was designed and developed to give customers a sporty crossover alternative to traditional small hatchback vehicles. In North America, Juke will join a strong tradition of Nissan crossovers -- including the popular Nissan Murano and Rogue -- in providing both dynamic style and an exhilarating driving experience.

The new Juke is highlighted by a highly distinctive design, which includes a robust stance, high waistline, complex curves, coupe-like profile and aggressive wheels and tires. The bold interior design features a wide center console that takes its inspiration from a motorcycle fuel tank. More information and photography will be available soon.

About Nissan North AmericaIn North America, Nissan's operations include automotive styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. Nissan is dedicated to improving the environment under the Nissan Green Program 2010, whose key priorities are reducing CO2 emissions, cutting other emissions and increasing recycling. More information on Nissan in North America and the complete line of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles can be found online at http://www.NissanUSA.com and http://www.infinitiusa.com.[/quote]http://www.nissannews.com/newsrelease.do?id=1060

Quote » 02.09.2010 , Mississauga, ONNissan Juke Crossover Confirmed for Canadian Market

Nissan Canada Inc. (NCI) today confirmed that an all-new small crossover SUV, the Nissan Juke, will join the Nissan lineup in Canada in the fall 2010. The European version of the dramatically styled Juke will be revealed to the media on February 10th and makes its global public premiere at the Geneva Motor Show in March. The North American version of Juke is scheduled to debut at the New York Auto Show in late March.

The compact Juke, which was inspired by the Nissan Qazana concept car, was designed and developed to give customers a sporty crossover alternative to traditional small hatchback vehicles. In North America, Juke will join a strong tradition of Nissan crossovers – including the popular Nissan Murano and Rogue – in providing both dynamic style and an exhilarating driving experience.

The new Juke is highlighted by a highly distinctive design, which includes a robust stance, high waistline, complex curves, coupe-like profile and aggressive wheels and tires. The bold interior design features a wide centre console that takes its inspiration from a motorcycle fuel tank.

About Nissan Canada Inc.Nissan Canada Inc. is the Canadian sales, marketing and distribution subsidiary of Nissan Motor Limited and Nissan North America, Inc. With offices in Vancouver (BC), Mississauga (ON), and Kirkland (QC), Nissan Canada directly employs 290 staff, while 147 independent businesses hold exclusive Nissan dealership franchises and 29 hold Infiniti franchises. More information can be found online at http://www.nissan.ca and http://www.infiniti.ca[/quote]http://www.news-nouvelles.niss...=2116

Looks interesting.

competition for the Kia Soul

I do not think there is a single angle on that car that looks good...I do want that 1.6L 187 HP DI engine in my Rogue though.

Saying that the styling is aggressive is an understatement, they went for the hail mary long bomb on this one - all or nothing in terms of styling!!

This one gets me excited, I like things that are unique and different. Even if I don't particularly like every aspect of this car, overall I love it because Nisan didn't play it safe with this one. And it is so much better looking than the Soul, which is ok but weird looking. Also, way to go Nissan unveiling this prior to the auto show, another unexpected move. It's a fun time to buy a car, I remember how boring this segment was in the past, the early 90's come to mind with some of the most boring styling imaginable. Even in 04 when I bought a car there was very little excitement to be had, basically if you were buying a small to midsize sedan you didn't expect too much!! I think that fact was partially to blame for the rise of the SUV, people were just so bored of bland sedans, but that is no longer the case!

Unfortunately for Nissan, the Juke (where did that name come from??) will probably compete with the Mazda 3 (or perhaps the Mazda 2 when it debuts this year in NA) and styling is only half the battle. The Mazda looks great, has excellent functionality and efficient use of space, and mechanically is unbeatable - the driving experience and quality is unmatched. So hopefully Nissan has put some good dollars into the mechanical design; powertrain, suspension, steering...this is a touch segment to compete in and we all know looks aren't everything (don't we?).

Here is the link to one press release with lots of pics and details!

http://www.themotorreport.com....-show/

When I see it I think of GoldieLocks. “Grandmother, what big eyes you have!”

I wonder what they will change before bringing it to the United States. I think we’re too conservative for the Juke…And we are also getting the Nissan LEAF.

I’m also waiting for Nissan to make something to compete with the new Honda Accord Crosstour and Toyota Venza. We may see a Nissan Maxima or Altima hatchback!

I’m wondering if Nissan is adding too much to their line up of vehicles & what might be phased out?

a couple more pics here:

http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/n....html

Yeah it's getting crowded on the Nissan lot, and more complicated to buy a car each day, and you want Nissan to create ANOTHER car to compete with the Toyota Venza now? I think the Murano can take it hands down.

But you're right, in terms of size the Versa, Sentra and Juke look pretty close. If I were going to eliminate one of those I'd say Sentra, but I can't see them getting rid of one of their recognizable tried and true models. I know technically these vehicles are different, and the Juke is a "crossover", but a lot of buyers aren't that concerned with technical details such if the car has independanct rear suspension or not, etc., but they will immediately notice 3 offerings in the same general size category, and they will notice price. So it'll be really interesting to see the price differences between these three.

What I can say is that Nissan is putting up some interesting models, and compared to Toyota for example, they provide much more exciting choices. Even the latest addition to the Toyota lineup is pretty conservative and boring (Venza)....as long as Nissan keeps the quality and driving experience well above average they'll do well.

But if quality starts to slide, I'll be the first to go buy a boring Toyota!

Weird!

Half Cube, half Rogue.

More photos here:

http://www.nissannews.com/imag...mid=1

More details:

Quote »NISSAN JUKE: BRINGING THE SMALL CAR MARKET TO LIFE

* Compact SUV meets sports car.... * .....to challenge small car traditions * To be produced in Europe and Japan * To be sold globally, including Europe, Japan & US * Powerful new turbocharged direct-injection gasoline engine * New torque-vectoring all-wheel-drive system

PARIS, France (Feb 10, 2010) - Nissan today revealed for the first time its all-new small Crossover, Juke.JUKE

JUKE

Designed to offer a refreshing alternative for customers who are shopping in the small car segment of the market, but uninspired by the traditional offerings, Juke is a distinctive combination of SUV toughness and sporting style. Juke will inject some much needed masculinity and dynamism into the small car market.

The decision to introduce the industry's fisrst small crossover into the small car market reflects Nissan's philosophy of challenging conventions in Europe.

"In the last five years we have enjoyed significant growth in a crowded European market. This has been achieved by challenging traditional patterns and moving away from the C and D segments. Instead, we have pioneered the introduction of crossovers. We started with Murano and then, in higher volumes, with Qashqai - a car which has far exceeded our expectations. Sales have exceeded half-a-million in Europe in less than 3 years," said Colin Dodge, Executive Vice President.

Juke will be manufactured in Europe at Nissan's factory in Sunderland, England, and in Oppama, Japan. In Europe, its production alongside the Note compact family car and Qashqai crossover is the result of an investment in excess of 60m Euros, which safeguards over 1000 Nissan jobs, and more than 2000 in the supply chain.

Sales of Juke will begin in Japan in the summer, with the European and North American launch beginning in the autumn.

DesignFrom a design standpoint, the lower portion of Juke is pure SUV. It combines chunky wheels, wide tyres, extended ground clearance and a robust stance with a top portion that is unadulterated sports car, with a high waistline, slim visor-like side glass graphics and a coupé-style falling roofline. The coupé effect is further underlined by the rear doors which have their handles hidden in the frame of the door.

Inside, the sports car theme continues with a driver-focused cabin dominated by a centre console design inspired by a motorcycle fuel tank. Finished in a distinctive high gloss colour, the 'bike' console adds a sense of fun to the car. Practicality is assured by the rear-opening hatch and versatile luggage area with hidden storage opportunities.

Speaking at the launch, Nissan's Senior Vice President for Design and Chief Creative Officer, Shiro Nakamura, said: "It was our intention to challenge the conventions. I really think Juke will bring something different for customers - something more emotional, energetic, more masculine".

Juke is based on the Renault Nissan Alliance B platform and has a 2530mm wheelbase, is 4135mm long, 1765mm wide and 1570mm tall. On front-wheel drive versions, suspension is by MacPherson struts at the front with a torsion beam at the rear while four-wheel drive models have a multi-link rear suspension modelled on the system found on Qashqai.

The ALL-MODE 4x4-i, is a new development of Nissan's respected electronic all-wheel drive system and now features torque-vectoring technology to enhance agility and reduce understeer when cornering. As well splitting torque front to rear - up to a maximum of 50:50 - it can now be split from side-to-side across the rear axle, too.

Cornering ability is enhanced by sending increased torque to the outside rear wheel, reducing understeer. In total, up to 50% of the total available engine torque can be sent to either rear wheel. The inclusion of this innovation is a first in the small car segment - a technology that has, until now, only been found on top-of-the-range, premium vehicles.

Engines & transmissionsIn Europe, three different engines will be available when sales start later in the year: one diesel and two 1.6-litre petrol units, all fully Euro 5 compliant. At the top of the range is a new turbocharged petrol engine (MR16DDT) with direct injection. The engine is one of the most powerful in its class, developing 140kW (190PS) and 240 Nm. The combination of direct injection with a turbocharger provides the power and responses expected from a 2.5-litre engine with the economy of a smaller engine.

The second petrol engine is a newly developed version from Nissan's trusted HR-family. Designated HR16DE, the lightweight, low-friction 16-valve unit now has a unique dual-injection system allowing finer metering of the fuel sprays for better combustion and develops 86kW (117 PS).

Finally, the K9K 81kW (110PS) 1.5-litre dCI common rail diesel offers excellent driveability - thanks to its heady 240 Nm of torque - with good economy and emissions.

In terms of transmissions, the two-wheel drive turbocharged 1.6-litre petrol engine is available with a six-speed manual transmission.

Nissan's XTRONIC CVT transmission, with a six-speed manual mode, will be available on the range-topping all-wheel-drive version of the turbocharged petrol engine.

The naturally aspirated 1.6-litre petrol is available either with a 5-speed manual or the updated XTRONIC CVT, while the 1.5-litre diesel engine is available with a 6-speed manual.

EquipmentLists of standard and optional equipment will be released nearer the on sale date, but expected items such as climate control, leather upholstery, rear view camera and Intelligent Key will all be available to Juke customers along with some more unusual features.

One such is the Nissan Dynamic Control System, a central command and display module which allows the driver to alter dynamic drive settings as well as make changes to more obvious functions such as climate control. The display, meanwhile, shows engine and drive related dials and information.

"At Nissan, we are working hard to bring more value to the brand through great design, quality, and driving pleasure. For me, Juke represents so much of what Nissan is and will reinforce Nissan's position as a global leader of design innovation, but also as the global pioneer in crossovers," said Shiro Nakamura

Engine Power Fuel Drive Transmission1.5 dCi 81kW Diesel 2wd 6-speed manual1.6i 86kW Petrol 2wd 5-speed manual1.6i 86kW Petrol 2wd Updated XTRONIC CVT1.6i Turbo 140kW Petrol 2wd 6-speed manual1.6i Turbo 140kW Petrol 4wd XTRONIC CVT M6[/quote]http://www.nissan-global.com/E....html

Nissan is capitalizing on the success of the Qashqai in Europe. The new Juke will offer the same great features including AWD in a smaller package.

The engine specs are for the European market. Many are suggesting we will not see the turbocharged variants here, especially the 190hp 1.6L turbo. Instead our best guess is the HR18DE 1.8L used in the Versa or possibly the MR20DE 2.0L unit from the Sentra.

Looks like a Nissan Micra on steroids (A Ben Johnson Micra ).

As the Micra, the face looks ugly but the interior features looks really nice: nice seats and well made interior like the Rogue.

From the pictures, it seems to come with a CVT which is great AND a hand brake .

If you can go over the face look (sorry I cannot as I don't like the Micra for the same reason), it is going to be a nice CUV.

I like the Nissan approach on this sub compact segment: They know people want small cars for fuel economy but still dream of a big SUV in the back of their heads, so they offer them the Juke .

Pescakl1 wrote:Looks like a Nissan Micra on steroids

I agree... here is the March (Micra in the UK):

The all-mode AWD on the Juke also features L-R rear torque split. This is similar in concept to Honda/Acura's SH-AWD system. SH-AWD uses an 'overdrive' gear for each rear wheel that can be engaged. This allows the system to spin the outside rear wheel faster than the others effectively reducing understeer. This can be useful in a FWD car.

I would be even more impressed if the AWD system in the Juke finds it's way to the Qashqai and the Rogue!

Really nice,

The interior is pretty nice, the dashboard...mmm...

I hope the Rogue will get it or something like that because the Juke seems to be more equip than the Rogue.

I like Nissan, Obviously because I own a Rogue, but the Juke has to be the ugliest car to come out in a long time. I respect the effort to make something look different, but the front end especially looks horrendous to the point it's almost shocking they have the guts to try and sell it as cool. You would get made fun of driving that thing faster then it could do 0 to 60. First in my opinion they botched on the cube, and now the Juke. It scares me to think what they are going to do to the looks of the Rogue when it's due for a refresh.

Pescakl1 wrote:Looks like a Nissan Micra on steroids (A Ben Johnson Micra ).

As the Micra, the face looks ugly but the interior features looks really nice...

You're right about it being ugly...





And,

Here are a few more pics, you can view all of them on Nissannews.com:

http://www.nissannews.com/imag...mid=1

anyone know the price point for this yet?

(i'm not becoming a traitor to my rogue but my husband might drop his sentra for it)

Price doesn't appear to have been released yet, you'll have to wait a little longer!!

Price should be lower than the Rogue. Probably comparable to the the Sentra.

Understand where the Juke is coming from... it's designed for the Euro market and is following the hugely successful Qashqai. These small vehicles are a refreshing break from the typical compacts most drive. Nissan is hoping it will translate to North America as well.

Personally I think it will work... I would sooner buy a Juke than the more pedestrian looking Sentra or Versa. But that's just me.

I don't understand this one at all. They have the Rogue and this new one I know is going to be aimed at sports car guys? It's not going to have any more room in it than a car and it is going to need premium gas so that is an added expense.

What a waste of money.

The Juke is much smaller than the Rogue, they aren't in the same class and won't compete with each other. The Juke isn't a sports car, it's just a smaller crossover, so it'll appeal to people in the market for a mid-size car, or a crossover but don't need the size or don't want to spend the money on a car like the Rogue. And I don't think it'll need premium gas, it depends on which powertrain we get in North America, we could get the normally aspirated 1.6 or 1.8 and that would be a low maintenance, economical ride for sure.

I would bet a lot of money that this one is going to be really successful, it's so obviously a winner when you think about it. People in the market for cars are not excited by boring styling like the Toyota Camry for example, it's the best selling car year after year and it's boring as hell and it's been done for decades - people want something new.

If you're in the market for a Nissan, why would you buy a Sentra with average styling when you can have all of the function and practicality, but in a really nice looking package, and sporty driving experience? I think this type of vehicle will bring pride of ownership back, you might see more people washing and polishing their cars if they look this good and unique!

eh.. whats up with the three light deal.. are those lights on the hood? or just something for looks.

And It reminds me of the new Acura ZDX. Like a 4 door coupe thing but more room than a normal coupe.. The rear doors on this seem to not have handles.

Rand0m0sityxX wrote:eh.. whats up with the three light deal.. are those lights on the hood? or just something for looks.

Those would be the turn signals

Rand0m0sityxX wrote:The rear doors on this seem to not have handles.

They are on the C pillar right behind the rear window. If you look carefully you can see the outline. The Civic 5-door sold in Europe has similar blacked outdoor handles.

Yes, it may look bizarre to some. But then again, it certainly isn't bland.

If Nissan can price this under $18k in the US, I think they will have a winner. It would definitely make the Sentra appear bland by comparison....

Did somebody say civic 5-door? Oh like a COMPACT. Thankyou very much.Still don't think these cars are crossovers. I feel the Lexus RX 350 was a true crossover and the typical Original SUV's were vehicles like a Nissan Pathfinder, Ford Explorers, or other small truck like vehicle. The Lexus RX series were really different when they came out. As if they crossover from somewhere. But now everything is a crossover? More like crossover from compact and station wagon yester-year land! But no we don't use those words no more. The industry wants to make the buying public think the word crossover is a better word for a new improved package. Um ....like bottled water. Oh well, must be better. Crossover today. U.D.O. tomorrow. As in Unidentified Driving Object!

Nice Compact:Oh yeah. Nice Compact again!
Modified by casperfun at 12:00 AM 2/21/2010