2003 Nissan Cube

A few years ago, the minivan was born. Then, the SUV became popular. It wasn't long before SUVs were offered in many sizes, from ultra small, like the Suzuki Sidekick, to absolutely huge, like the Cadillac Escalade. Now, the marketing people are looking at the generation X crowd and ultra boxy, town friendly vehicles are making their debuts. Perhaps most notable in America is the Honda Element. Here, in Japan, the is another type of vehicle which looks like the Element, but is a bit smaller. These "small boxes" are very attractive to young people, especially young families that may not have a large income or a place to park a large car. (There are also tax benefits to having a small displacement engine.) This, the Cube, is Nissan's small box.

The Cube's styling is, well, cube-like and very utilitarian. The cube theme extends all the way to the brake lights, which are square. This is fitting and somehow manages to work with looking overdone. The rims have inherited the cube theme as well. They are an option, as the vehicle can be had with plastic push in wheel covers. These are available with open rectangles at the edges, so you can delete a few squares if you prefer.

The interior is quite similar to the exterior: square and utilitarian. This is especially notable at the console where all of the controls are quite flat. I am relieved to report that Nissan's designer's did not extend the square theme to the steering wheel: it is still round. Overall, the them fits the nature of the vehicle, but I think that it may be overdone in places.

The vehicle does come with some notable features. One of the more innovative ones that was demonstrated by the Nissan staff was the pass card system. The owner of the vehicle carries an electronic card on their person. When they wish to lock or unlock the vehicle, they simply press a button by the handle. The card emits a signal, so there is no need to get out your keys. Quite convenient. Cube has room for 7 on the inside, but I doubt with 7 it would be comfortable. The sales pitch is "sofa x sofa x sofa". As this implies, the three sets of seats are sofa-like. Not quite bench seats. The back "sofa" is small and doubles as a storage area. It can be folded away. This way there is ample room for 4 people and a few suitcases. The back hatch is side opening. Its hinges are well hidden, so they don't take up valuable internal space. This is in keeping with Nissan's push to be seen as makers of "friendly" vehicles. On this theme the interior does not falter. There are a wide variety of cup holders, fasteners, and storage bins. There are even slots in the center of the sofas that can be used to hold a few CD cases in a pinch.

Vehicle performance is quite obviously tuned for utility. The engine is quite miserly making about 40 miles / gallon, while still making 97 horsepower. Sufficient as Cube only weighs 2600 pounds. The engine uses a plastic intake manifold and an interesting innovation with the intake: the throttle body and filter assembly are mounted dirrectly on top of the head. An front wheel drive Xtronic CVT in front puts the power to the ground. Turning radius is a nimble 185 inches.

Overall, Cube is an interesting little vehicle. Its styling may be quirky, but it appeals to some. Certainly, everyone can agree that the features are a good value for the sticker price starting at 1,398,000 yen. ( ~$11,650(US) ) This is not a car for everybody though. It's a car for a young person that wants to pack a bunch of buddies in the car and take a trip for the weekend or a young couple starting a family. Street racers may want to sit this one out.

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