2010 Nissan Cube

BY DAVID GLUCKMAN, PHOTOGRAPHY BY FOREST CASEY AND THE MANIFACTURER

Space efficiency raised to the third power.

Two generations of the Nissan Cube have been sold in Japan since 1998, and now it’s our turn to get in on the fun with this third-gen car, which debuts at the L.A. auto show. Yes, we’re glad that the nameplate is headed for America—we’ve been especially jonesing since we drove the last-gen Cube—but now that it’s here, we’re a little disappointed in the styling; it’s not as pleasing to our eyes as the previous Japan-only version.

Sure, all of the funky features are there—including the wraparound right-rear window; the theater-style, sliding second-row seat; and the refrigerator-esque rear door that opens to a cavernous interior—but something has been lost. The beveled treatment around the windows has been exaggerated to cartoonish levels, and the slab-sided looks are now interrupted by puffed-up fender flares and bulbous front and rear bumpers. The design has been altered almost to the point where it’s no longer, well, cubic.

Objectively, the Cube has grown up in its third generation, increasing in every dimension except height, with the largest increase being nearly 10 inches added to its length. Wheelbase increases by nearly 5 inches over the last-gen Cube.

Looks aside, we still think the Cube is a clever package that should win many cubist converts. Like its predecessor, the new Cube is based on Nissan’s B platform, which also underpins the Versa hatch and sedan. With a claimed starting price of “around $14,000,” the Cube should be a roomier alternative to a five-door Versa for only about a thousand dollars more. As an added bonus, the Cube takes up less space on the ground, since it’s almost 20 inches shorter than the Versa sedan and about a foot shorter than a Versa hatch.

Along with its platform, the Cube also shares the Versa’s 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine, which makes 122 horsepower and 127 lb-ft of torque. Those numbers represent welcome increases over the Japanese-spec car we tested, likely alleviating our biggest Cube gripe. Transmissions will also be familiar to Versa buyers, with a six-speed manual standard on Cube 1.8 and 1.8S models, while a CVT is an option on those two and standard on the 1.8SL trim. CVT-equipped cars are expected to return more than 30 mpg on the highway. Standard safety items include ABS, six airbags, and traction and stability control. Optional equipment is all of the electronic variety: keyless start, Bluetooth, a Rockford Fosgate six-speaker audio system with subwoofer, XM satellite radio, iPod connectivity, and a backup warning system are among the add-ons. Like Scion does with its models, Nissan will offer a line of accessories for the Cube.

So, even though the Cube may no longer be as cubey as we like, it’s still a quirky and efficient, quintessentially Japanese package that will likely win buyers from Scion’s xB and Honda’s Element. U.S. sales will begin in the spring of 2009.