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:
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Funky Fun! - 2009 Nissan Cube
By cotilyn - December 26 - 8:03 pmI LOVE my Krom Cube!It first caught my eye in a parking lot,and I became obsessed with finding out about who made this car.I LOVE the CVT transmission!No jolty shifty!The stereo kicks butt.The interior is very zen like with the roof in a water wave look!Very little maintenance is needed, just normal oil changes.The rear door opening sometimes irritates me, if I dont open it 100 % sometimes,it will smack you back. So I just make sure I open it fully!I have a LEAD foot, so it only gets me 27.2 mpg.I would like more. Smaller 11.9 gas tank,made me have to fuel up about 3 times on the way back from an l.a. trip.The rear seats are SUPER adjustable to make TONS of rear cargo room!I LOVE MY CUBE!
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Love this car! - 2011 Nissan Cube
By loveuggie - November 28 - 11:26 amPurchased this car a little over a month ago ~ has not yet failed to impress me. Gas mileage is excellent, performance is excellent, comfort is also excellent. Love the fun Nissan put into the overall appearance inside and out. The wind noise really isnt as bad as anticipated, but is noticeable. Was worried about winter driving, so took it to the mountains and drove up a steep muddy/snow covered gravel road ~ "Uggie" didnt miss a beat! Cannot wait to drive it in the snow now!! Overall, a very comfortable, fun car ~ Love It!!!
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Love my Cube - 2009 Nissan Cube
By artj65 - November 10 - 6:56 pmI have had a 2009 Cube S for a couple weeks now. Wow what a fun car! Im 44 years old and have owned many different makes and models of cars and trucks over the years but this new nissan is really something special. My 2 small children ages 5 and 2 fit really well in the back seat (in child seats) My wife is tall and she says it has more leg room than anything she has ever rode in. Fuel economy is really good, I drove it this past week on a 2 hour drive and got just over 30MPG at interstate speeds running AC. I like that the Back seats adjust back and forth a little to allow a little more space behind the back seats. Just right for all those grocery bags.
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Exceptional! - 2009 Nissan Cube
By cubist in SC - October 27 - 5:40 amI bought the cube out of necessity. I have bad arthritis in feet and knees and needed something to get in and out of easily. When I test drove it, I liked the feel and handling better than Murano, Rogue , Vue or Compass. I had to take stuff to a son in college, NO PROBLEM ! I put a 3 ft.x2 ft. fridge, three cases of bottled water, and a 19" Old style TV in the back of this puppy and still had room for more and a passenger. I have had the car for a year now and I am still as in love with it now as I was 15,000 Miles ago. For you fuddy duddies, dont turn away because of the appearance, this is one great car!
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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.
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Awesome Vehicle - 2009 Nissan Cube
By Mike S - September 6 - 7:53 pmThis vehicle has design appeal, something I wanted without paying luxury pricing. The controls in the car are very techno, handling is superb. I had five adults in the car, and everyone was comfortable. Air Conditioning works great, very important since I live in Arizona. My only disappointment is that the Radio is not XM ready. I have contacted Nissan about this, and hopefully this can be resolved without using a FM modulated aftermarket unit. Since I have just taken delivery on my vehicle, it is hard to get into the mechanical aspects, but find it generally very tight and responsive. Great job Nissan design team!
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Got Cute Cube - 2011 Nissan Cube
By auntie3 - September 4 - 12:56 pmI have had my Cube for about a month now. I love it. My husband is a big guy & at 1st didnt want to test drive it but after I talked him in to it, he loves it too. Its way bigger on the inside than it appears on the outside. It handles very well and has a tight turning radius. You can park this car anywhere and get into very tight areas. It is extremely quiet. The transmission is awesome in this car, you can not hear it shift. It handles bumps in the road great. I have drove it on ice and snow and although the tires are small it handles great. It has alot of storage area in it. The back seats lay flat to make more cargo area and its great.
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the best - 2009 Nissan Cube
By mark connolley - May 22 - 5:33 pmThe Cube is an odd ball but an eye catcher. It drives great, it is getting average 33mpg. The base model has pwr windows,locks,ac and great sound system. I work out of it and the seats fold down to give me plenty of room. The Cube is on a Stanza chassis which is a lot better ride on bumpy roads than my wifes Versa. thanks nissan
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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 :(
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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).
