Filed under: Economy, Japan, Hatchbacks, Nissan
(Another) Report: Nissan bringing over Cube in 2008
by Alex Nunez on May 24th 2007 at 8:37AM 
Click image for a photo gallery of the Nissan Cube
The Nissan Cube is one of the poster children for the term "econobox." Square and thrifty, the teensy MPV can be outfitted to carry five or seven passengers (the latter is known as the Cube³ in Japan) in quirky style and relative comfort. Over the last couple of years, there has been no shortage of reports claiming that the Cube will head stateside in 2008 following its scheduled redesign. The latest outlet to report this is the Nikkei, which said the Cube is all but certain to arrive (along with two other unnamed subcompacts). Unfortunately, that's all the detail given. We just hope the next Cube is as quirky-cool as the current one, with its asymmetrical styling and the variety of front end treatments applied to the different versions on the Japanese market. Enough already with the detail-free media reports. Get on with the redesign, show it to us, and tell us when we can finally buy it. Oh, and while you're at it -- keep it on the inexpensive side, okay?
In the interim, enjoy the gallery we've put together of the current Cube family.
Thanks for the tip, Josh!
[Source: AFX News via Forbes.com]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
freckles 9:10AM (5/24/2007)
yes, more cubes!
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BLS 9:20AM (5/24/2007)
2 handicap accesible versions. That is impressive. Would be popular with the old. Other handicapped cars are very expensive. The Axis front end looks pretty cool.
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Avinash machado 9:22AM (5/24/2007)
I think Nissan bland is a more appropriate name.
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Yggdrasilly 9:39AM (5/24/2007)
I love this. It looks just like the Scion. All the kids get their Scions in black, so they look just like little clown-car hearses. You expect them to roll up in front of a funeral home, and "Wow, look at how many caskets they pull out of that thing! How do they DO that?"
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DarkKnight67 9:40AM (5/24/2007)
Why not ... Toyolet sells that ugly Scion Box.
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Gale 9:59AM (5/24/2007)
How many small businesses (plumbers, electricians, parts delivery, floral services...) will be moving to a vehicle like this when gas hits $4.00?
Thousands and thousands. Good move Nissan.
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Mohan 10:00AM (5/24/2007)
So I wonder if Nissan is going to start a new brand name like what Toyota did.
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FLR 10:18AM (5/24/2007)
Wow...how about they rename it to the Nissan Toaster. I can imagine the marketing campaign now "Free loaf of bread with every Nissan Toaster purchase."
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Calebe 10:20AM (5/24/2007)
Yes, bring it. If it comes like it is now then it will take sales from Scion .Now that the xb has turned into a bigger car for the old people that complained about the gen 1 size. This would be Great!!!!
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Mike 10:29AM (5/24/2007)
It looks like a Malaysian taxi...but for some reason I like it!
I could see this being a light-duty service vehicle (from computer contractors to pizza delivery) and very popular.
P.S. It's known in Japan as the "Cube, cubed"? Weird.
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Alex Nunez 10:38AM (5/24/2007)
Mike,
Yes, the seven-passenger Cube is called the Cube Cubic.
mehugtree 10:55AM (5/24/2007)
bring it! we need more micro-vans, especially, as noted, the xB went and got all big.
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bmoredlj 11:24AM (5/24/2007)
bring it.
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Phuc Vu 11:38AM (5/24/2007)
I like it... for some strange reason. Doesn't mean I'll buy it, but I would go and kick the tires and test drive it.
This will be a popular vehicle with many smaller families and businesses alike... if Nissan promotes it to the older crowd... where Scion (I mean Toyota) went wrong.
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Richard Warren 11:58AM (5/24/2007)
Great another ugly Japanese cube.
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Solo Racer 12:06PM (5/24/2007)
Looks like an xB got left in the oven too long and started to melt.
Somehow, I thought Toyota would avoid model creep with the Scions, but they didn't. Making the xB bigger is chasing sales they might not get. Besides, people want bigger, get a Matrix.
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paul34 12:16PM (5/24/2007)
I don't think they ever will. Toyota got it right with Scion... and no one else can do that again because it was a Toyota "original" (original in the sense that it actually worked).
If Nissan ever tried, they'd always be viewed as just "copying" Scion.
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Brian 12:17PM (5/24/2007)
Seriousley stop making cubes! They are BY FAR the UGLIEST things on the road. It's basically the same design of a xB.... of what all of the boxes look like.... BECAUSE THEY ARE BOXES!!!"with its asymmetrical styling"... THERE IS NO STYLING! It angers me to think how much their engineers got paid to take a box, put some wheels on it, and give it a name! I could have designed something more exciting looking when i was 12! How can any of you people find that thing attractive? I will cry if they bring that over to the U.S.. Way to go Nissan! Keep on letting everyone down! Keep on designing those bland cars and pushing yourself lower on my list (and many others) of cars I would consider looking at.
Will someone please agree with me?
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John Metcalf 1:16PM (5/24/2007)
Nope. I won't agree with you.
There is beauty in efficiency and simplicity. I'm not sure how you define great car design, but the market is obviously there for thoughts other than yours.
I love the SMALL box.
Gubbins 11:32AM (5/25/2007)
Brian-
Why stop making them if people want to BUY them? You think the car companies are in business to satisfy just your tastes? I don't care for it either--but that doesn't prompt me to whine about too many of them on the road.
And, what else do you consider "bland" in the Nissan lineup?
They're the only ones taking some risk and trying new things. What, Hondas are all so innovative?
You're so smart YOU design something with a usable package for four and their gear and keep it cheap and fuel efficient and meet crash and emission standards!