2009 Nissan Cube By ALAN GELL www.CarColumns.Net     For a few days in late March, I attended a Press Preview of the Nissan Cube.  What is the Cube?  It is one of those little boxy, attention-attracting, inexpensive vehicles like the Toyota xB or the new Kia Soul. There used to be a song called, “It’s Hip to be Square.”  Cavemen figured out that round stones rolled easier than square ones.  The Cube was introduced about 10 years ago in Japan and it was met with a lot of ho-hums.  The second generation of the Cube came out in Japan about 7 years ago and was a little bigger with a little more power.

    This time, it caught on with the Japanese and sales soared there.  Now, Nissan executives thought that timing might be right to update the Cube and introduce it to the American market.  Perhaps they timed it well.  The Third Generation of the Cube is coming out this spring in the United States and from what I can determine, everyone that sees it is somewhat smitten.

The design is definitely more square than its competitors.  The design is clever, fun looking, functional, and a little bit on the quirky side.  The public relations and marketing material for the Cube don’t even call it a car.  They say it is a Mobile Device.  They do not hide the fact that they are going after a much younger consumer than me although I really like it.  When I was growing into a young male, cars were an extension of our identity.  We socialized with them – cruising past girls’ houses, through the local Dairy Queen parking lot, or whereever.  It was merely a way to get together with friends, hang out, see more friends, and talked.  In today’s world, teenagers do not need the car for socializing.  They have instant communications through text messaging and cell phones.  They give instant updates about themselves on Facebook, Twitter, and other social networks.  Their social relationships with their friends are still there, but in a much different environment than was mine.  I really understand why the Cube is called a Mobile Device.

For parents and grandparents who might be interested in exerting some influence over the teenager’s choice of cars, the Nissan Cube has an abundance of safety features.  Tire Pressure Monitoring, Traction Control, Vehicle Dynamic Control, Brake Assist, Electronic Brake Force Distribution, Anti-Lock brakes – these are all present and accounted for.  There are six air bags and front seat Active Head Restraints.

For our test drive, my group of journalists was in Miami.  My driving partners and I pulled out and headed through Miami Beach, and straight for South Beach.  If you have never been there, it is an eclectic area that is alive with people and thick traffic.  We wanted to see if we would be noticed – several older, balding men in a hot-looking new vehicle.  Well, the car got noticed, until they saw us, then their eyes rolled upwards.  The stop and go traffic really allowed a good test of city driving, including a very tight turning radius if you have to do a quick U-turn.

The Cube has wide headlights, a short tail section, bar-type taillights, and an overall look of simplicity.  This is not a hatchback.  The rear door hinges on the left side and swings outwards.  It reminded me of my old 1968 station wagon.  The door opens all the way, if there is enough space.  Although a hatchback has some advantages, I think a lot of people will like that swing-out tailgate.  The glass on the rear passenger side appears as if it wraps around the car.  From the rear view, the design is somewhat funky, but unique and fresh.

The roof line is as flat as any of the boxy-shaped cars can be, allowing an abundance of head room in both front and rear seats.  The rear seating area is comfortable and spacious.  The seats fold flat to allow a lot of cargo space if it is needed.

The Cube is powered by a 1.8 liter, 4-cylinder engine that provides 122 horsepower.  Driving along the freeway, I tested the feeling of stomping the pedal down to see if passing or making an exit would be possible.  The engine roared to life and provided all the power needed.  There is a six speed manual transmission that I preferred over the automatic.  The automatic transmission of an advanced CVT, including an advanced Adaptive Shift Control.  The CVT uses a belt and two pulleys instead of the step gears.  The automatic transmission was very smooth and efficient during the test drive.
Exterior colors include Chrome Silver, Steel Grey, Bitter Chocolate, Scarlet Red, Caribbean Blue, Moss Green, Black, and White.  There are four distinct models – Cube 1.8, Cube 1.8 S, Cube 1.8 SL, and a specialty model edition called the Krom.