Nissan Cube
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The Nissan Cube, the original little mass-market boxy car, has been running around Japan for 10 years. While it has stubbornly stayed put on its home soil, competitors with a similar “hip to be square” design philosophy—like the Scion xB, Honda Element, and Kia Soul—have carved out a sizeable US market. The Cube, now in its third generation, has finally reached American shores.
The front-drive Cube is powered by a 122-horsepower 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine tied to either a six-speed manual or an Xtronic CVT automatic. Built on a subcompact platform, it comes in four trim levels: standard, S, SL, and Krom, each model piling on more options. We had a chance to drive the uplevel Krom with CVT.
The Drive
The Cube has EPA ratings of 28 in the city and 30 on the highway with the CVT, and 24 city/ 29 highway with the manual gearbox. We did our usual 112-mile mixed driving loop two times in order to see a range in fuel economy. The first drive was slow, conservative, and light-footed, while the second trip was much more ambitious, with harder acceleration and frequent passing. Our first drive yielded a thrifty 32.4 miles per gallon, and the second gave us just 22.9 miles per gallon. In normal, everyday driving, we would expect combined fuel economy of 28 to 29 miles per gallon.
The Cube is not particularly powerful or sporty. It struggles to get up to higher speeds, but once there, it cruises steadily. Left-lane passing and interstate merges are not this car’s forte. But if you put the accelerator to the floor and keep it there, you’ll find some power in the higher end of the rev band—but not without a level of engine buzz beyond our liking.
The ride was comfortable and smooth. Passengers enjoy a nice buffer from the road. The Cube does well over potholes and broken pavement, commonplace in most urban landscapes. But the plush ride takes a toll on handling. The Cube is neither agile, nor precise. Rather, the car feels disconnected from the roadway. And there’s quite a bit of body roll when cornering, somewhat expected considering the car’s tall profile.
In tight, slow-moving situations, like parking lots and narrow streets, the Cube maneuvers very well. A small footprint, light steering, and a short turning radius make it ideal for many urban situations.
Cubism
The Cube’s styling is an entirely different matter. It is defined by squared off angles, wide body panels, a tall silhouette, and an expressionless front-end. You’ll either love it or hate it.
The biggest criticism of the Cube’s styling is its purposeful asymmetry. The car’s right and left profiles distinctively differ from one another. To some, this imbalance is bothersome to the eye; to others, it’s art on wheels. In an era in which controversial car designs—the Toyota Prius and Scion xB for example have found a devoted following—the Cube should have no trouble building its own fan base.
At 156.7 inches long, it is the smallest of the boxy wagons. It is almost a foot shorter than the Scion xB, but don’t let that fool you. The inside is incredibly roomy. The efficiency of the cube shape provides an abundance of headroom due to the car’s high roofline. For this reason, it can comfortably accommodate occupants well over six feet tall—a claim most compacts and subcompacts cannot make.
Beyond passenger room, visibility in all directions is excellent. This is the result of well-positioned seats and expansive windows. And the seats themselves are supportive and firm—good for daily commuting and longer travel.
Interior styling reflects the quirky outer shell. It is not over-the-top, but it has its own flare. The sculpted, upright dash, and long, oval air vents give the Cube a unique character. Our Krom tester brought features such as Bluetooth, a leather steering wheel with audio controls, and a Rockford Fosgate subwoofer.
Cargo room is another major highlight. With rear seats down, the Cube can hold almost as much luggage or gear as some small to midsize crossover vehicles. Again, the height and shape of the car really come into play.
Whimsical, quirky, fun, citified, hip, roomy, tall, efficient, practical, affordable, youthful, odd. These are all words to describe the new 2009 Nissan Cube. And with a base price of $14,000, it’s a welcome addition to the small economy class.
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28 / 30 MPG 0.084 / 0.078 L/100km
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BODY TYPE:
Sedan
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TECHNOLOGY:
Small Car
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BASE MSRP:
$14,000
Side-by-side Comparison
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What's is good for? Other than the low price. If it can't stay in the left lane and pass others it will become road kill!
If i want a cube likes Honda Element style, care with the Toyota Prius 3rd gen. hybrid drivetrain and (previous) Saturn polymer (light and scratch free) body panels, where should I go to shop? ... nowhere until now. This one looks like a home made prototype of Scion xB. I'll pass.
This small car may have more cargo space than many big sedans.
Scion-xb, Kia-Soul, Nissan-Cube, we need more of these Cubes.
Dissapointing mileage, even driven lightly. Also, as with any tall hatch or wagon, the spec on cargo space is misleading because you have to pile up your cargo to take advantage. Some cargo can't be piled and it blocks the rear window. I prefer a more traditional small wagon whre ou can lay out the cargo and still see out. Also, look at the short rear overhang. If you get rear ended, your rear passengers (think baby seat) don't have much protection. I'll pass and keep my '97 Escort wagon awhile longer and hope that the boneheads at Ford bring back the Focus wagon, still available in Europe. By the way, said Escort matches the author's first test result in my daily driving. When are we going to start seeing improvement in non-hybrid vehicles?
Should this car even be reported on here? I thought this was Hybridcars.com?
Just more of the same ICE crap from the automakers and the usual hoopla from the media.
Shame on Hybridcars for promoting this repackaged garbage.
Peter is right. It doesn't belong on this site at all. BTW I drove behind one a few days ago. Man it's ugly.
Sorry but the interior looks awful & the seats remind me of sitting on ply-board. One wonders why some car companies can't fully make the leap into full hybrids or say fast EV's for the luxury crowds, it seems that full hybrids or EV's have greater growth potential than say a million car companies competing for a "Urban" market segment.
This does not belong here this car isn't a hybrid!
Although I will concede to all the above contributors that it is not a hybrid, this site is about saving gas, saving environment, and saving money (with many other related side issues). Most people still think 20/25 mpg is really “great” gas mileage since that is still what most people buy vehicle wise. With an expected 28/29 mpg, this is a step in the right direction whether it is a hybrid or not. Personally, it is not enough gas mileage increase for me, but it is a 30 to 50 percent increase in gas mileage for many other people. And call me prejudice, but I want a car that at least looks aerodynamic. And these “cubes” just do not cut it.
I bought one about four weeks ago. I like it a lot. I got 32 mpg on my first two tanks of gas, and never even got on the highway.
It is quiet, smooth, comfortable, and everyone who doesn't like it changes their mind after riding in it. I find myself comfortable in crowded parking lots due to lots of window area all around, and anticipating U-turns due to it's tight turning radius. I'm 6 ft. 1 and I don't let my seat back all the way as I do with most cars, but even if I did, there would still be plenty of room for a 6 foot person in the seat behind me. I bought the car because I wanted space, gas mileage, style, and an affordable price to fit my budget.
I've had my share of fast cars, and this is definantly not one of them, but I have no problem staying out of peoples way, or even getting around slow pokes. Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder.
Oh, and by the way, I forgot to mention Don't worry about the baby either. Looking at the car from the outside can be misleading on how much space you have behind the back seat [which slides forward and backward six inches]. I use the car to get the household groceries, and there is plenty of room in the back for me to put our groceries. The car has a very high safety rating, even though you would not think so by looking at it. And no, I don't work for nissan. Most people either love this car or hate it.
There are not many in the middle. That's okay.
I've had the cube over four months now, and I still really like this little car. I have yet to get less than 30 mpg on a tank of gas. Although 32.5 is the best I've had on a tank. It seems to get about the same on the highway as it does in the suburbs. I guess it just hasn't got much wind resistance due to it's shape. It does have plenty of power in it's higher rpm's, but it gets a bit noisy if you need to go there. No problems yet.
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