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Nissan Juke facelift spied during testing

The Nissan Juke boldly reinvented the subcompact crossover for the modern age a decade after the niche's progenitors - the first-generation Toyota RAV4 and Honda CR-V - grew well beyond their original, diminutive sizes. Since being introduced in 2010 as a 2011 model, the Juke has proven to be a huge sales success for Nissan in Europe and quite a success here, too. A modest refresh is planned for the 2015 model year of Nissan's tiniest crossover, and our spy shooters have caught an early glimpse.
The exact changes are not easy to spot, but you can bet that anywhere you see camouflage, a modestly new look is hidden underneath. The biggest change up front is the narrower grille that appears to no longer extend over the headlights. Assuming this isn't just a clever disguise, the change gives the impression that the Juke actually has distinct headlights, instead of massive fog lights. The more angular front air dam also appears to extend slightly lower than before, and the intakes appear to be revised as well.
The changes to the rear are even more minor. You can still see the outlines of the boomerang-shaped headlights, and any alterations to the rear bumper are impossible to spot behind the camouflage tape. It's also unclear at this point whether the interior will receive any refinements or new options.

Next-gen Nissan Leaf will look more mainstream, have more range

The next-generation Nissan Leaf battery-electric vehicle will look better and go farther on a single charge, company executives tell Automotive News. How much better and how much farther remains to be seen, as does the timing on when the new version will be available to the public. Nissan executive Andy Palmer, speaking recently at the Beijing Motor Show, implied that an electric vehicle would need to have a 185-mile single-charge range to be competitive with hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, once those arrive in larger numbers. While Nissan boosted its single-charge range by about 15 percent for the 2014 model-year Leaf, the automaker would need to double it to reach that competitive threshold. This seems unlikely for the next-gen model, but we can start making our guesses as to how many more miles Nissan will put into the pack. Regardless, the next-generation Leaf, which may come out around 2017, will at least look a bit more mainstream while it reaches for more range, Automotive News says, citing Nissan global design chief Mamoru Aoki. Indeed, the car, which will keep its hatchback layout, will likely look less angular, said Aoki, who complimented Tesla for the way it styled its Model S luxury electric sedan. Nissan's Infiniti arm could also debut its delayed luxury electric vehicle in 2017, complete with the improved battery pack. Angular looks and all, Nissan continues to increase sales in the US. Leaf sales through April were up 33 percent from 2013, to 7,272 units after more than doubling sales last year to 22,610 vehicles.

Nissan, Toyota offering payment deferments to people affected by government shutdown

Two weeks into the budget-related government shutdown and it sounds like some progress is finally being made, but that doesn't really help furloughed government employees pay their bills. To help out a little, Nissan and Toyota are joining Hyundai with offering payment deferments to current owners and lessees.
In a release, a Nissan spokesperson said the company is "sympathetic to any of our customers who find themselves in difficult financial circumstances - many times outside of their control."
Both Japanese automakers are allowing payment extensions of up to 90 days without penalties or fees. Unlike the Hyundai Assurance Plan, though, it doesn't seem like the Nissan or Toyota assistance will be extended to those who are still in the buying process. Scroll down for press releases from both companies about their respective payment deferment programs.