Five-star safety for new Nissan JUKE

The Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) has awarded the second-generation Nissan JUKE a maximum five-star safety rating ahead of the compact SUV’s release in Australia next month.

New safety equipment for the new 2020 Nissan JUKE include autonomous emergency braking (AEB) with pedestrian and cyclist detection, forward collision warning, traffic sign recognition, lane keep assist, lane departure warning, blind spot monitoring, rear cross traffic alert and intelligent driver alert as standard.

LED headlights with high-beam assist, a reversing camera, rear parking sensors and six airbags are also standard across the new JUKE model range.

Full details of the new Nissan JUKE are yet to be disclosed, but as you climb the ranks (three model grades are expected) you can expect to find additional safety features including front parking sensors, adaptive cruise control, 360-degree camera, moving object detection and tyre-pressure monitoring.

We expect Nissan’s latest answer to the Mitsubishi ASX, Mazda CX-3 and Hyundai Venue to be powered by a 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbo-petrol engine paired exclusively to a seven-speed automatic transmission (replacing the previous CVT and six-speed manual).

All models with be front-wheel drive and entry-level variants are tipped to ride on 17-inch wheels, with top-spec JUKEs graduating to 19-inch alloys.

ANCAP gave the 2020 Nissan JUKE a commendable 94 per cent score for adult occupant protection and 87 per cent for child occupant protection. A new body structure that incorporates ultra-high-strength steel improves the JUKE’s vehicle rigidity, while thinner A-pillars offer improved forward vision.

“We’re proud of the JUKE’s strong performance, and especially proud that so much of Nissan’s advanced safety technology will be offered as standard right across the JUKE range… we’re happy to say that safety is not an optional extra on the all-new JUKE,” said Nissan Australia managing director Stephen Lester.

The JUKE’s polarising looks have softened and the dimensionally larger five-door, five-seat small SUV has grown 75mm longer, 35mm wider, 12mm taller and sits on a 106mm-longer wheelbase, resulting in greater second-row space and a larger 422-litre boot – addressing shortcomings of the outgoing model.

Pricing details for the 2020 Nissan JUKE are yet to be confirmed ahead of its launch in late June. The current Nissan JUKE is priced from $23,490.