Photo: Nissan
We know Nissan is working on a second-generation Juke, even though nobody has seen one on the road. But even though it will be roomier and more spacious, this baby crossover won't be sold in North America.
The Truth About Cars says two separate sources have told them the Juke would be phased out in the U.S. after the 2017 or 2018. To us, that sounds like it coincides with the the launch of the all-new model. All the marketing work has already been done, and even if they only sell a thousand a year, there's no point in the discontinuation.
Every global car that's brought over to the U.S. implies an extra cost. Crash tests are different and the engine range changes, especially for cheap cars, where complex turbo engines are out of the question.
The Juke did well in raising awareness of the Nissan brand. It's right up there with the 370Z in this regard. But the climate in this part of the market has changed a lot in recent years. When it came out seven years ago, Nissan's B-segment 4x4 almost had a monopoly. But now, there are about ten contenders available for similar money or less.
Death also came from above, as Nissan recently brought the Qashqai over from Europe and called it the Rogue Sport. We think it looks more modern, is better for family car buyers and it only costs $1,170 more. As a lease, you're not even going to notice it.
In the Juke's place, Nissan plans to sell another crossover called Kicks. It was introduced last year in Brazil and comes from a long line of cheaper cars from emerging markets that also make sense in America. The best example of that is the Ford EcoSport, expected to arrive during the 2018 model year, but based on the Fiesta platform from two generations ago.
The Kicks is way more advanced than that, but it will go on sale without the 1.6-liter turbo or the 4x4 system of the Juke. Nissan needs to do everything it can to compete with the $19,800 Outlander Sport.
During its high, the Juke sold 38,184 units (in 2014), but sales in America were down to just 19,577 units last year and 985 units in April 2017. Only the Quest, GT-R, and 370Z managed to do worse. At the end of the day, it's no longer the crossover you buy because you really want to.
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