Click above for a high-res gallery of the Nissan Cube.
Let's just get this out of the way right now: this blogger is going to buy one of these cars when they come to America. And I'm a die-hard 385-plus-horsepower sports car owner for years now. And I live in LA. But the Cube is just that great. So Nissan, don't pull a bait-and-switch, please...
The Cube is basic, and makes no attempt to dress it up. In fact, not only is the car not gussied up, but the entire interior of the car I drove was beige. And it was still hot. It's basic done completely right, with tons of cubbies and comfort in an enormous (relatively speaking) cabin and a unified design theme inside and outside that ties it all together.
The 1.5-liter, 107-HP engine has got the giddy-up-and-go, and the car is so much fun to drive that you'll cackle like an old hen every time you throw it around a corner. I admit I won't be buying one in sky blue, and it won't have the third row -- that row is more than a bit optimistic -- but I will have no problem showing everyone I know that "cool" is now spelled "cube."
You can check out the Nissan 360 event site for more details on all the vehicles in Nissan's lineup. In the mean time, be sure to check out the gallery of hi-res photos below.
Our travel and lodging for this media event was provided by the manufacturer.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
James @ Apr 29th 2008 7:36PM
I'd replace my 1st gen xB with this as my daily driver if it came here
Gikku @ Apr 30th 2008 12:17AM
shame about it being a 6 year old model, intro 2002.
what have Nissan been smoking for 6 years?
Mehul @ Apr 30th 2008 8:31AM
The exterior looks better than the xB but I'm disappointed at the interior.
Otsego_Undead @ Apr 30th 2008 12:09PM
I want to know, why someone would want the cube over the 1st gen xB? Its an honest question, im very curious.
UhHello10 @ Apr 29th 2008 7:40PM
Have you read any other reviews on this P.O.S.? Mr. Blogger go ahead and buy one, the rest of us will spend our money on cars worthy of our hard earned dough. The fit, the yaris, the scion(s). The next cube may be "hot", but this one is cooler than that blue colored tester you drove.
nissanfreak87 @ Apr 29th 2008 7:44PM
yep, it's a pos, which is why it's selling like hotcakes in every market it's in
Alex Nunez @ Apr 29th 2008 7:47PM
Uhhh, UhHello10? You see, he actually drove it himself.
Driving > reading about someone else who drove.
tuna @ Apr 30th 2008 1:13PM
Pst, you're embarassing yourself.
alphabeta777 @ Apr 29th 2008 7:45PM
So does this car have a very thin left C-pillar or no C-pillar at all?
montoym @ Apr 29th 2008 8:02PM
I think you actually mean the D-Pillar since the C-Pillar is what the rear doors latch onto.
It is there just blacked-out. You can see it faintly in the side profile. It's also visible with the rear hatch open. It's probably the same size as the one on the right, but that one is surrounded by sheetmetal rather than glass. Interesting design cue.
I'd still prefer symmetry though. The only asymmetrical car I like is the Lambo Murcielago LP640 with its asymmetric side intakes. But that's oddly more subtle than this.
why not the LS2LS7? @ Apr 29th 2008 11:12PM
montym:
No, pillars are lettered front to back, the first pillars are called the A pillar, the next set are the B pillars, etc. Missing pillars don't get letters, so there's no way to have D pillars without C pillars.
In a wagon or such, you can even have E pillars and up!
My dad co-managed an automotive pressed-metal plant, so I had this stuff burned into me at a young age.
zamafir @ Apr 29th 2008 7:45PM
@ Jonathon, I'm with you, this or the new lUPo, i'll buy either, they're just so darn fun... at least the last cube i drove.
Jack @ Apr 29th 2008 7:48PM
Love the phrase 'not gussied up". AND HOW! Current styling paradigms, a natural result of trying to be different from both the contemporary field of competitors and the past.
My eye is still drawn to the simple, uncluttered and functional, something pretty much non-existent in today's market.
This refrigerator on wheels is very nice, and Scion xB, eat your newly ornate & bloated heart out!
joe @ Apr 29th 2008 8:38PM
looks good. i would worry that they will have poor back seat room. they need to make it so the second bench can be put back further, as it doesn't seem as it if will be far enough for us in the states. and, they should add some airbags; lots of them, including side curtain airbags, as i would hate to be in one of these while being side-impacted by a hybrid suv. and, while they are at it, make sure there is some electronic stability control. selling a car this small in the states would go down a lot easier if they put some strong effort in safety technologies.
j_jones99 @ Apr 29th 2008 9:06PM
Oh yeah, don't forget to put in a 300 hp motor, and a lot of reinforced steel, and stretch it about 12 inches. It should weigh at least 4500 lbs or so, just to be sure. Sure it will get around 25 mpg hwy, but thats good, right?
joe @ Apr 29th 2008 9:29PM
adding safety doesn't mean it has to be heavy and bloated, and then
compensated with a larger engine or have low mpg. you should check
out
http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/Drives/Comparos/articleId=124845
oddly enough, its the car with slightly more power and much better
safety equipment that had better mpg and was more practical.
Raoul @ Apr 29th 2008 8:41PM
I wish it was available to Canadian customers... I contacted Nissan, and it's a no no.
I think it has a electric RWD motordrive (on top of the FWD combustion engine driveline). It acts as an AWD on demand. This would be just perfect for me. I guess I'll have to keep my subaru and its mpg...
maxpeet @ Apr 29th 2008 9:39PM
I heard about that too, Raoul...i think they called it e4WD? Anyway I totally agree with you, Jonathon; the Cube is cool on many levels. If it actually does hit the US un-molested, i'll get one with e4WD. Hear that, Nissan USA? un-molested!
zamafir @ Apr 30th 2008 12:10AM
@Raoul, you are correct, pretty sweet little setup, no batteries, at least in the previous gen I drove.
ohmuinvazn18 @ Apr 29th 2008 9:13PM
i am so going to get one of these and use it along with my 1st gen xB.