IN a world where so many cars seem to morph into one another with just occasional examples of dramatic design flair and uniqueness, the Nissan Juke has been like a breath of fresh air.
Since its launch back in 2010 it has certainly had the Marmite effect with people either loving or hating its quirky and, in places, outlandish design ethos.
But half a million people in Europe can't be wrong and sales are still soaring, so what better time to give the funky five-door compact crossover a face-lift complete with styling revisions, an all-new engine line-up, lots of extra kit, extra space and a major personalisation programme.
New design features include revised lamps with LED daytime running lights, a more powerful V-shaped grille, new toughened trim below the bumper, boomerang tail-lamps, a new glass sunroof and extra colour choices.
But one feature that is certain to grab the attention of Juke fans is the new Nissan Design Studio personalisation set-up. These packs are available on the top two grades - Acenta Premium and Tekna - and allow the customer to really personalise their vehicle both inside and out.
For example the outside trim can include flashes of colour on the mirrors, headlamp surrounds, bumpers and alloys.
The scheme can then be carried to the interior with splashes of colour on the door finishers, centre console, gear knob, air vent rings, steering wheel stitching and seats. In fact the diversity of options totals 300.
One area existing customers have commented on is the small boot size, but Nissan has boosted the luggage capacity in two-wheel-drive models by 40 per cent from a miniscule 251 litres to a creditable 354 litres. Flat-folding rear seats offer extra storage space when required.
There's plenty of choice on the powertrain front too with emphasis on the new 1.2-litre turbocharged petrol engine which Nissan believes will top the popularity stakes. There's also a 1.6 petrol, a 1.5 diesel and finally a turbocharged version of the 1.6 petrol with the option of 4WD and an automatic CVT transmission.
There are four trim levels. The entry level Visia starting from £13,420 features 16-inch alloys, air con, a CD player, daytime running lights, gear shift indicator and plenty more.
Move up to Acenta priced from £15,320, and you see 17-inch alloys, Bluetooth and USB connectivity, cruise control, rear privacy glass and lots more.
Step up to Acenta Premium from £16,470 and there is the introduction of NissanConnect sat nav, a colour reversing camera, a six speaker sound system, premium seat fabric and options such as the Design Studio costing £170 for exterior options and £520 for interior trimmings.
Finally, the range-topping Tekna, costing from £17,670, adds premium leather upholstery, heated seats, rain-sensing wipers, 17-inch alloys and Nissan's Safety Shield which offers a whole host of features such as moving object detection, blind spot warning and lane departure warning.
We tried out the new 1.2 DIG-T 115 petrol model on a road route near Lisbon and it proved nice and sprightly. Although it's not bursting with energy, there is certainly enough power on tap and it can cope well with higher speed motorway driving. The engine is beautifully quiet, but there is a little wind noise at higher speeds.
The six-speed transmission also proved smooth and responsive with 0-62mph taking 10.8 seconds and a top speed of 111mph. Carbon emissions are 129g/km and it can average 47.1mpg.
The interior is bright and breezy and there is ample leg room for two back seat passengers. Tweaks to the steering and ride quality have also proved very beneficial.
In the 1.5 Turbodiesel dci 110PS model it takes 11.2 seconds to reach 62mph from a standing start and redlines at 109mph. It has CO2 emissions of 104g/km and a combined fuel efficiency of 70.6mpg.
The car also featured some of the personalization features available and the yellow alloys, bumper trims, side mirrors and headlight surrounds certainly grabbed the attention of onlookers.
Once again this test car was bursting with technology and easy-to-navigate features. The sat nav was easy to programme and all controls, dials and readouts are ideally positioned for driver usability.
All in all, Nissan has made giant steps with its latest Juke. The company has listened to customer feedback and addressed issues such as boot size, fuel efficiency and interior appearance.
But it's worth remembering there is stiff opposition out there from the Renault Captur and particularly the all new Kia Soul.