Modular Platform to Carry Next-Generation Nissan Juke

Nissan Motor Co. says its second-generation Juke compact crossover vehicle will be the first model to ride on Renault-Nissan's new CFM-B modular architecture.

The new platform, which also will carry Nissan's redesigned Micra small car, will offer improved ride quality, according to media reports. The Juke also is expected to get an upgraded interior and feature several advanced technologies, including automated parking assist and lane-departure warning.

The new Juke is being jointly designed and developed by Nissan's operations in Japan and Europe. It will continue to be built at the carmaker's plants in Oppama, Japan, and Sunderland, U.K. The latter is getting a 100 million ($154 million) upgrade in preparation of the new model, which is expected to launch sometime next year.

Nissan introduced the first-generation Juke in 2010. The vehicle received a facelift in 2014.

Renault-Nissan's common module family architectures are expected to account for as much as 70% of the carmakers' output by 2020, with the CMF-B contributing the highest volume, according to forecasts by IHS Automotive.

The smaller CMF-A platform was launched this summer in India with the Renault Kwid mini-crossover. The CMF-C/D platform already underpins four crossovers: Nissan's Qashqai and X-Trail and Renault's Espace and Kadjar.