2010 Nissan Cube Review and Prices

By Chuck Giametta

2010 NISSAN CUBE BUYING ADVICE

• The Nissan Cube is the best car for you if you like the idea of 33 mpg without the expense of a hybrid, enjoy the company of tall friends, and have a nose for four-wheel urban fashion.

• Nissan calls ‘em like it sees ‘em, naming this tiny box of a car for what it is. Taller than it is wide, with slab sides and a snub nose, the Cube fits a new age of rational motoring and pinched budgets. It’s just an inch longer than a standard Mini Cooper (great for street parking), but a full nine inches taller than the Mini (grand for head room). It holds four adults comfortably, five in a pinch. Swing open the side-hinged tailgate, fold the rear seat, and you can load 70 cubic feet of whatever.

• Should you buy a Nissan Cube or the similar-in-spirit Honda Fit or Scion xB? This is really a taste test. No need to rush. The Cube rolled out as a 2009 model, part of a vanguard of cartons-on-wheels that also includes the 2010 Kia Soul. Get a feel for them all, and buy whichever speaks to your inner geek. And remember, as their numbers grow, competition among these small cars will increase, which is good for holding down prices.

2010 NISSAN CUBE CHANGES

• Styling: There’s only so much you can do with a cube, but this car’s got a twisted sense of style. Honda’s Fit is an arrowhead by comparison and Scion’s larger xB is dour and beetle-browed. Credit the Cube’s personality to button-cute proportions, a jowly face, “rounded-rectangle” windows (inspired, Nissan says, by personal photo frames), and, especially, the asymmetrical tailgate effect. That last cue makes it look as if there’s no right-rear roof pillar, but of course, there is. The cargo door swings open to the left above a pouting full-width lower fascia that houses the taillamps. Imagination reigns inside, too, in what Nissan calls a “casual lounge” interior. Molded into various panels and controls are a series of “water drop” expanding concentric circles. The dashboard is tidy and functional, but its subtle wavy shaping, white-and-blue lighting, and rounded-rectangle vents complement the exterior styling themes. The Nissan Cube comes in four models: the 1.8, 1.8 S, 1.8 SL, and the 1.8 Kr?m. This last, pronounced “chrome,” has a slightly different nose and tail look and some exclusive interior trim.

• Mechanical: Under the skin, Cube is mostly conformist, even old fashioned, with its front-wheel-drive layout, beam rear axle, and rear drum brakes. Nothing left to chance in its use of a four-cylinder engine, either. This one’s a 1.8-liter borrowed from Nissan’s Versa subcompact car. It has a more-than-adequate 122 horsepower. The Cube 1.8 is available only with a six-speed manual transmission. The 1.8 S offers the manual or a continuously variable automatic (CVT). The Cube 1.8 SL and 1,8 Kr?m come only with the CVT. Nissan generously equips the Cube with a nice selection of standard safety items, including antilock brakes with brake assist and traction-control and antiskid systems. (Standard seat mounted front side airbags and full-length head-protecting curtain side airbags contribute to passive safety.) There’s a chance Cube may eventually offer Nissan’s “e-AWD.” This employs a compact electric motor to automatically power the rear wheels as needed to make up for any slip of the front tires. Nissan has also discussed a fully electric car based on the Cube, though it won’t be available for retail sale in the U.S. until 2012.    

• Features: In addition to the safety equipment mentioned above, every Cube comes with air conditioning, power windows and locks, remote keyless entry, and intermittent rear wiper. The rear bench seat splits, folds, and slides fore/aft to prioritize cargo or people space, and it’s elevated slightly to provide a theater-seating effect in relation to the front seats. There are six cupholders in this five-passenger car. Clever touches include detachable hooks for bags and the like; they can be moved around from the dashboard to the passenger doors, for example. Brightly colored elastic straps on the door armrests secure items such as maps or cellphones; Nissan calls them “magic rubber bands.” Depending on model, available features include push button ignition, Bluetooth phone and USB iPod connectivity, a Rockford Fosgate subwoofer with six speakers, XM satellite radio, and rear parking assist. Dealer-installed accessories include “shag” carpeting for some interior shelf surfaces, alloy wheels, aero body panels, and a 20-color interior lighting kit. The Cube 1.8 and 1.8 S models have 15-inch tires with wheel covers; 1.8 SL and 1.8 Kr?m versions come with 16-inch alloys.

2010 NISSAN CUBE PRICES

• Prices for the 2010 Nissan Cube had not been announced as of this report, but the 2009 Nissan Cube 1.8 went on sale starting at $13,990. That doesn’t include the manufacturer’s mandated delivery fee, which on Nissan’s other small cars is $695, bringing the base price of the 2009 Nissan Cube 1.8 to $14,685. Prices shouldn’t change much for the 2010 Cube. Loaded, you’re looking at $18,000 or so for a 2010 Nissan Cube 1.8 SL, maybe $20,000 for a 2010 Nissan Cube 1.8 Kr?m.

2010 NISSAN CUBE FUEL ECONOMY

• The Nissan Cube isn’t very aerodynamic and its various models weigh between 2,762 and 2,884 pounds. That’s slightly heavier than the Nissan Versa four-door hatchback, which employes the same engine and transmissions. So expect 2010 Nissan Cube fuel economy to roughly equal the Versa’s ratings of 26 mpg city/31 mpg highway with manual transmission, 27/33 with the CVT.

2010 NISSAN CUBE RELEASE DATE

• The 2009 Nissan Cube went on sale in early May 2009. Look for the 2010 Nissan Cube in showrooms during the first half of 2010.  

2010 NISSAN CUBE COMPETITION

• 2010 Honda Fit: Redesigned for 2009, Fit goes the sporty route, blending sharp steering and lively handling into its mix of high-mileage efficiency, delicate design details, and buzz-worthy features like USB iPod interface and voice-activated navigation. Its base price range is $15,220-$16,730, including destination fee. Fuel economy ratings aren’t final, but figure around 28/34.    

• 2010 Scion xB: A bigger, badder box than the cutesy Cube, this five-seat wagon from Toyota’s youth-oriented division has a refined manner and capable road manners and feels more substantial than its $16,400 starting price suggests. The xB is rated at 22/28 mpg. It won’t change drastically before model-year 2011.  

• 2010 Kia Soul: This South Korean automaker, a branch of Hyundai, gets into the ring with a box of its own. The funky four-door hatchback Soul is a bit larger than the Cube, but targets the same audience. It offers engines of 122 and 140 horsepower and a sporty model with a taut suspension and 18-inch wheels. Base prices range from $13,995-$18,595, including destination fee. EPA ratings top about at 31/36.