The Next-Gen Nissan Juke Borrows Heavily From The Leaf's Playbook

On that front, we have good news and bad news. The good news? Despite layers of swirled camouflage wrap, it looks like it's still a little crossover with quirky styling. The bad news? It looks like it's still a little crossover with quirky styling. In other words, however you feel about the Nissan Juke now is probably how you'll feel about the new one. There is one wildcard in the mix, though. The new Nissan Juke will be electric.

Juking Out To A Leaf Vibe

The first things you'll likely notice in this set of spy shots are the narrow side windows that get narrower toward the back. This is a very distinct Juke design cue, leading us to believe this is, in fact, a next-gen Juke. Zooming in closer, we can also see some sharp body lines along the side, and we don't think those are false panels. Such lines are classic Juke, culminating in a bulky backside with just a slight slope to the roof. In between, we have a small glass window in the rear hatch.

As for the Nissan Leaf vibes, check out those wheels. They aren't identical to the wheels you'll find on the new 2026 Leaf, but they aren't that far removed, either. And if we pivot to the front, you'll notice some arch to the fenders and U-shaped body lines bracketing the hood, connecting across the top of the fascia. The new Leaf has a very similar design, and it's a stark contrast from the current Juke. We think the lines here might be exaggerated, and there appears to be more going on with the grille that should be more attuned to the Juke's personality. But there's clearly some Leaf influence happening at the front.

More Than Just A Family Resemblance

Our spy sources tell us the new Juke will almost certainly use Nissan's CMF EV architecture, which is used by numerous vehicles within the Renault-Nissan-Mitsubishi alliance. Yes, the new Leaf is among then, along with Nissan's other electric vehicle, the Ariya. The fact that the grille area is completely closed off on this prototype, and the lack of any visible exhaust, confirms this is an EV.

If it is indeed the CMF EV platform, we can expect battery packs ranging from 40 kWh up to 63 kWh and range estimates approaching 300 miles on the high side. A single-motor drivetrain turning the front wheels is guaranteed, likely generating somewhere in the 150-horsepower range. The Juke, dramatically styled as it's traditionally been, has never been a performance machine outside the rare Nismo version. As such, we don't expect a dual-motor option, but hey. Anything is possible.

Of course, the Juke's main mission in life is to be a neat, affordable vehicle. That means the EV version needs to stay pretty simple if it wants to stay below the magic $30,000 price point. We think the Juke can do that, but only just. It probably means a lower-output motor with smaller batteries and a range of 200 to 250 miles. As for a new combustion-powered or hybrid Juke, that is still unknown. The current gas Nissan Juke might stick around after the EV debuts. But something new with an engine may not be in the cards.