Overview & Reviews
The Nissan Cube is a whimsically styled compact hatchback with an emphasis on versatility and value. Thanks to a profile that perfectly matches its name, the Cube has plenty of room for adults in its backseat. And if you fold the rear seatbacks down, it can haul a lot of stuff, too. Nonetheless, the Cube's pricing is typical for a compact car, so even a new one won't break the bank, and a used one could be a great deal.
Offered with a manual transmission or a continuously variable automatic (CVT) paired to a small four-cylinder engine, the four-door Cube won't win many races. Moreover, its fuel economy is disappointing for a car in this class. But if the Cube's funky styling speaks to you, perhaps you're willing to live with these shortcomings. Just be sure to check out capable rivals like the Honda Fit and Kia Soul before making your final decision.
Current Nissan Cube
The Nissan Cube is a compact four-door hatchback wagon. A 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine sends 122 horsepower to the front wheels via a six-speed manual transmission or a CVT. Fuel economy tops out around 30 mpg, a poor performance by segment standards.
The Cube is offered in two trim levels: S and SL. Base-level S models come standard with alloy wheels, air-conditioning, power accessories, Bluetooth and a height-adjustable driver seat. The SL adds larger wheels, keyless ignition/entry and automatic climate control, and it's eligible for options like a navigation system, a rearview camera and a Rockford Fosgate sound system. Customizing Cubers can tempt themselves with a multitude of factory- and dealer-installed accessories that include body kits and interior styling mods.
Along with its attention-grabbing design and park-anywhere dimensions, the Nissan Cube boasts a tall, spacious cabin. Headroom and legroom are plentiful for all occupants, and the backseat both reclines and slides fore and aft. With the rear seatbacks folded down, the Cube can carry nearly 60 cubic feet of cargo, putting it on par with some small crossover SUVs. If you need to carry people and cargo at the same time, though, you may be out of luck, as there isn't much space behind the second row.
Driving a Nissan Cube is an underwhelming experience. While the ride is agreeably comfort-tuned, the car can feel overly soft and unwilling when going quickly around turns, an unusual trait in a compact car. Taller drivers may wish for a telescoping steering wheel, and all occupants would benefit from less wind noise at highway speeds. Under the hood, the 1.8-liter four provides average acceleration, but its subpar fuel economy is disappointing. There are certainly some good reasons to buy a Cube -- they're just not readily apparent from the driver seat.
Used Nissan Cube Models
The current, first-generation Nissan Cube debuted for the 2009 model year with base, S, SL and Krom trim levels on tap. The base model came with rudimentary steel wheels but did enjoy air-conditioning and full power accessories; the Krom, meanwhile, featured exclusive styling enhancements like a chrome three-bar grille and two-tone upholstery, as well as Rockford Fosgate audio and other content upgrades. This was also the only model year in which the unforgettable Ginormous package was offered. You can look it up.
For 2010, Bluetooth became standard on every Cube, and the S received two additional audio speakers and an iPod interface. Also, the Krom got a color audio display and a couple other extras as standard. The 2011 Cube ditched the formerly available Garmin navigation unit in favor of an optional integrated touchscreen navigation system. For 2012, the Krom trim was discontinued, and the base trim bit the dust for 2013.
User Reviews:
Showing 1 through 10 of 130.00-
Beauty is in the Eye of the Beholder - 2011 Nissan Cube
By 3andg - September 19 - 6:56 pmWe purchased this car as a third car for commute purposes. The styling is polarizing - my wife loves it, I hate it. Regardless of the style, the car is a paragon of packaging efficiency - lot of room in a small package. The car moves well and keeps up with traffic on both the city and highway. The car is very smooth, but there is a tradeoff in handling due to the smooth ride and tall structure. The S has very useful comfort features standard - including bluetooth and iPod connection. Up to about 70 mph, the car is pretty quiet; however, there is a noticeable increase in noice after 70. This is a great car if one needs a practical commuter car.
-
This Dog Can Hunt! - 2011 Nissan Cube
By allan27 - May 7 - 7:45 pmI purchased my 2011 Nissan Cube a year ago and put over 60000 kilometers in that time. I have performed meticulous preventative maintenance and use symthetic oil. The car has been extremely reliable thus far and gets excellent fuel mileage! The Cube is very comfortable with thick padded seats and has plenty of headroom for tall people. My SL model is fully loaded with the likes of heated front seats, Navigation, Back-up camera, climate control and a Rockford Fosgate sound system mounted on the rear door. My only complaint is that the interior plastic paneling scratches very easily :(
-
In the Middle - 2010 with Auto Transmiss - 2010 Nissan Cube
By ANCube - May 5 - 9:16 amGreat gas mileage-drinks less gas than my former 1994 Honda Civic LX (I just put gas in at 250 miles-1/4 tank left). Driving in the wind is scary-it feels like the tires might give way and makes car swerve, badly. Great view of hood to map out lanes when driving. Bad thing that they dont have inside hooks to hang dry cleaning or other stuff. Less compartments (no compartments under seats).
-
Dynamic vehicle in a unique package - 2010 Nissan Cube
By stapleface - December 3 - 10:49 pmIve owned this car about 6 months now, and I feel I can now make an informed decision on it. When I was shopping for this vehicle, I considered the Xb, Soul, Fiesta/Mazda 2, Suzuki SX4 and the Matrix/Vibe. What sold me on this one was the overall value the cube represents. The vehicle is deceptively big inside. Im 61 and have about 8 inches of headroom. The interior can swallow a lot of stuff. The available features for the money are impressive. Traction control, wheel mounted stereo controls, bluetooth, iPod connectivity. The car gets fairly decent gas mileage. The biggest holdup is its shape. A brick isnt very aerodynamic. If I had to do it over, I would buy this car again.
-
Transmission problem - 2009 Nissan Cube
By jloth - July 15 - 1:18 pmI purchased my 2009 Cube in July of 2009. I now have 10,500 miles on it. Recently, on a trip to view the Fall colors, I noticed a surging feeling when going over 50 mph. It was like every 10 seconds, the RPMs would rev between the 2 and 3 on the dial. Called the dealer and took it in for service. Diagnosis, a solenoid was not working properly. I have to have a brand new transmission put in the car. Yes it is under warranty, but still, this concerns me. So to everyone considering the Cube, do your research. It is a fun car to drive, you wont see yourself coming and going,it is good on gas, a piece of cake to park.. but this transmission issue had taken the glimmer off of it for me.
-
Quirky and fun! - 2012 Nissan Cube
By hippiedippie4 - June 22 - 4:04 amThe cube won out against the Kia Soul. My cube is so spacious. With the rear seats down, I fit a dresser and 2 boxes of clothes in the back! Does not handle great in the snow, but I cant be too judgmental on that piece since my previous car was an SUV. Also disappointed in the audio system. Imports usually have high quality speakers as stock, not Nissan. Overall, I grade this car as a solid B. The quirky and fun design makes driving it a blast and I have never had anything go wrong with it.
-
love my CUBE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! - 2009 Nissan Cube
By tom - May 20 - 4:16 pmBottom line: this is an econobox so dont expect infiniti luxury. However, what this car does offer is unique headturning design (people will point/look all the time), great mileage (28 so far, but only first tank), decent build quality, great features in certain packages (bluetooth, auto climate, intell key), and unusual roominess inside. This car does its job for me... Daily drive, good mileage, can load up on stuff when seats are folded, bt syncing, and above average stereo. What more can you ask for in this price range. CVT takes some getting use to. Suspension and steering is a little floaty at times. Bought the sl b/c krom doesnt have intellikey (very weird) conclusion: love my cube
-
CUBE POWER - 2009 Nissan Cube
By BILL D - October 29 - 5:13 pmI have purchased the cube about 4 weeks ago one drive is all it took. Im 63" big build type of guy and i slid right in very roomy interior super easy to drive the visibility is awesome and this car in bitter chocolate is a head turner. Everywhere I go people stop me and ask me about the CUBE. I love this design so easy to get in and out of. A lot better than the new cars today, every car seems to be aero dynamic forcing tall people into Suvs or Trucks. Thanks Nissan for making a economical roomy vehicle.
-
18, 20, and 46 year old drivers love it! - 2009 Nissan Cube
By Tim B - May 17 - 6:26 amWe purchased our Nissan Cube on July 3rd as a replacement third vehicle for our 18 and 20 year old daughters. We used the CARS program turning over our 1996 Cadillac in the process. However, now I cant get my wife out of it leaving the 08 Caravan for my daughters. This is a fun car to drive and it turns plenty of heads. Theres an amazing amount of room for the driver and passengers, and visibility is fantastic. The pick up is more than adequate and the gas mileage has been better than expected: averaging over 32 mpg combined. Downside: road noise on the highway, but what do you expect for a car in this price range? Std air, power, ABS, and much more makes this easy to recommend.
-
My Drive - 2009 Nissan Cube
By lars - December 16 - 10:33 pmAll in all a very good first effort the interior layout is nice and very roomy Im 62 400 pounds and it felt o.k. the controls are nicely laid out but some of the options are pure gimmick so keep them to a minimum .
