Nissan is teasing a next-generation Juke with a sleeker set of headlights, but it seems doubtful to return to North America.

The Nissan Juke was discontinued in North America in 2017 due to precipitously falling sales. Available with front or all-wheel-drive at a 188 horsepower 1.6-L turbo engine, the Juke was a very polarizing vehicle. It had the stance and big wheels that defined a crossover, but interior space that was little better than a standard compact hatchback.

But it was the styling that proved to be the Juke’s undoing. The bulging, bug-like headlights were either endearing or disgusting, depending on who you asked, and after the initial run of Juke buyers was exhausted, all that was left were the Juke haters.

However, the Juke survived in Europe and Japan just fine, and now it’s getting a new generation after being on the road for 9 years.

The next-gen was already revealed in a set of spy photos which show the new Juke riding on the same CMF-B platform as the Renault Clio and new Captur. This will give the new Juke a slightly longer wheelbase and more interior room, but it looks like it retains its essential Jukeyness, that being a raked window line and a chunky set of fenders.

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Juke Teaser
via Nissan

The teaser sent out to various automotive publications doesn't show much: just a QR code and a close-up of the car's front end. What we see is a redesigned headlight that gets rid of the bulbous upper light portion but retains the overall split design. The lower, circular light has an arrow-shaped pattern that surely indicates a new LED bulb. We can also see the V-motion grille has become a bit wider, giving the Juke a more gaping maw.

If the new Juke follows the Captur, we can expect to see a 1.3-L gas engine, a 1.6-L turbo 4-cylinder, and a 1.5-L diesel. The 1.6-L turbo gets 200 horsepower, which is a nice power bump for the little crossover. There are also rumors of a plug-in hybrid version in development, but don’t expect that to arrive until some time after the new Juke’s reveal.

North America seems to be making do with the Nissan Kicks, a far more conventional crossover with absolutely none of the Juke's charm. It seems doubtful that Nissan will bring the second-gen Juke to America, but hope is the thing with feathers, as they say.

(via Autoblog)

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