Not all boxes are created equal!
Nissan Cube 1.8 SL (2010)
By
Juan G. Robbin
Sometimes itⳠgood to be
square. There is no denying the curb presence of the new for the USA
Nissan Cube. Even though itⳠin its third generation for Japan, it is
brand new to the US market.
One could say Nissan is late to
the party, as Scion and Honda both are in their second generation xB and
Element respectfully. Even Kia has had a successful launch of their new
Soul in the past year. With the Cube, however, Nissan can play in this
market as well as appeal to those that donⴠthink the offerings from
Scion, Honda and Kia are funky enough.
Enter the Nissan Cube; itⳠ
unique in every way possible, both in its design as well as its
interior. The most striking aspect is its exterior, with rounded corners
a funky window design plus a side hinged wrap around rear cargo door;
The Cube definitely looks like a fashion statement for a Gen X driver,
but wait! It is also one of the most comfortable and easy to get in and
out of cars weⶥ driven, which makes it appealing to anyone that is
tired of the Cirque de Soleil-esque difficulty of getting in and
out of their mundane transportation appliance.
There is definitely an uber-cool
factor built in to the Nissan Cube. Once inside, you immediately notice
the simple, yet pleasing interior that has cool design elements such as
the splash-wave design within the headliner and speaker grills, as well
as the shag carpet-orb on the center dash. There is an optional lighting
package that lets you select multiple colors for the accent as well as
front foot well lights. The sound system is simple but complete,
offering integrated hands-free phone, i-Pod and Sat radio capability.
The seats are perched up high, making the seating position comfortable.
We did notice that due to the up-right nature of the windshield itⳠnot
easy to see some traffic lights when stopped at a light. Additionally,
there is wind noise that is a bit louder than usual due to the
aerodynamics; (these build elements are true for most of these upright
designs). Fit, finish and trim quality are better than expected,
especially for a vehicle in this price range.
During our week with the Nissan
Cube we did a mix of highway and urban driving, and to our surprise, it
felt right at home doing 30 or 65 MPH. Other urban boxy type vehicles
seem to run out of oomph at highway speeds, but not the Cube, even
though it only has a 1.8 liter engine.
The four cylinder motor feels
alive and responsive on the Cube and we liked the nice feel of the
throttle and the quick reaction when accelerating in urban traffic.
Brakes feel strong and direct; definitely a nice surprise considering
the Cube has rear drum brakes instead of discs. Steering and suspension
feel typical for this type of vehicle, without being either numb or
overly sensitive.
The 2010 Nissan Cube,
fashionably late to the party and worth the wait.
The
essentials:
MSRP:
$17,130.00 MSRP (As tested): $23,120.00
Fuel Economy: 27.9 MPG.
Engine: 1.8 liter, 4 cylinder, 122 HP
Popular options: SL Preferred package, Interior designer package,
Silver alloy wheels, normous䠰ackage
Please visit:
www.nissanusa.com
