Beauty? Nope. Not a trace. Elegance? Sorry, that was left out. Originality? Well, yes and no. This is the third coming of Nissan's Cube - even though it is the first iteration developed to accommodate left-hand drive for worldwide distribution - so its uncompromising shape is not exactly a surprise. And compared with the Honda Element and the Scion xB, it's a latecomer to the self-propelled packing-box category in this country. So why is it our 2010 Design of the Year? In a word, charm.
You'll probably start to smile as you approach the Cube. It's funny-looking, yes, but in an especially agreeable way. Its prognathous chin is not the least bit aggressive, each side window is inset from the nominal surface with a nice chamfer around it, and, of course, there is the startling asymmetrical rear with the side-hinged door for access to the minuscule luggage space. It's surprising that the trunk is so small, because the interior gives you a sense, if not the fact, of unlimited space. The amount of headroom, elbow room, and legroom makes the Cube feel more like a limo than the upmarket economy car it actually is.
Feng shui - the art of arranging interior environments to promote health, harmony, and general well-being - is an ancient Chinese conceit, but one can wonder whether Nissan consulted an expert in the art when it created the interior of the Cube. Sitting in it immediately gives one a sense of well-being, and that feeling does not go away as the miles accrue. The wave across the instrument panel (echoed in the carpet design), the concentric rings radiating out from the dome light in the molded headliner (mimicked in the door speakers), and the shaping of buttons and switches to please the hands that touch them all work together to make driver and passengers alike content to be in the Cube.
Many people dislike CVT gearboxes, but we think the Cube's optional transmission is just right for the car's mission: to be the thoroughly practical, no-nonsense urban vehicle of the early twenty-first century. The Cube isn't intended for high speeds, but it acquits itself surprisingly well during 75-mph highway drives, with less wind noise from its blunt shape than we have observed in cars with much more aerodynamic forms.
It's funky, fun, and just generally fine. Don't believe us? Just try it.
Speculation around our office was that checking the Ginormous option box might net you an Armada (they’re selling slowly) at Cube prices. Not so, says Nissan. The $2550 package will include a bundle of accessories otherwise available a la carte, the menu of which is some 40 items deep. Included in the Ginormous package are an aero body kit ($1180 alone), 20-color interior accent-lighting kit ($290 standalone), and interior trim appliqués. Shag-carpet dash inserts, two different 16-inch aluminum wheel styles ($790 each), illuminated stainless-steel sill plates, drilled stainless pedal covers, “front door bungees”—which thankfully aren’t used in place of the hinges but are colorful elastic straps on the armrest that can be used to secure small items—and more will also be available.
Chrome for the Escalade, Krōm for the Cube
Nissan has also shared details of its Cube Krōm, which will sit above the Cube 1.8 ($14,685), 1.8 S ($15,385 with a six-speed manual, $16,385 with a CVT), and 1.8 SL ($17,485, CVT only) at the top of the boxy hierarchy. For $20,425, the Krōm will be fitted with custom front and rear fascias, unique side skirts, and unique 16-inch wheels. Inside, the Krōm will get a leather-wrapped steering wheel, black and gray cloth seats, titanium trim accents, aluminum-trimmed pedals, Bluetooth, and an upgraded audio system with six speakers, a Rockford Fosgate subwoofer, and iPod integration. The Krōm will come with the Cube’s CVT standard.
As if the cutesy shape, cartoonish detailing, and asymmetrical rear glass weren’t goofy enough, Nissan used the Chicago auto show to announce perhaps the strangest name in automotive history for an option package on its upcoming Cube: Ginormous.
Speculation around our office was that checking the Ginormous option box might net you an Armada (they’re selling slowly) at Cube prices. Not so, says Nissan. The $2550 package will include a bundle of accessories otherwise available a la carte, the menu of which is some 40 items deep. Included in the Ginormous package are an aero body kit ($1180 alone), 20-color interior accent-lighting kit ($290 standalone), and interior trim appliqués. Shag-carpet dash inserts, two different 16-inch aluminum wheel styles ($790 each), illuminated stainless-steel sill plates, drilled stainless pedal covers, “front door bungees”—which thankfully aren’t used in place of the hinges but are colorful elastic straps on the armrest that can be used to secure small items—and more will also be available.
Chrome for the Escalade, Krōm for the Cube
Nissan has also shared details of its Cube Krōm, which will sit above the Cube 1.8 ($14,685), 1.8 S ($15,385 with a six-speed manual, $16,385 with a CVT), and 1.8 SL ($17,485, CVT only) at the top of the boxy hierarchy. For $20,425, the Krōm will be fitted with custom front and rear fascias, unique side skirts, and unique 16-inch wheels. Inside, the Krōm will get a leather-wrapped steering wheel, black and gray cloth seats, titanium trim accents, aluminum-trimmed pedals, Bluetooth, and an upgraded audio system with six speakers, a Rockford Fosgate subwoofer, and iPod integration. The Krōm will come with the Cube’s CVT standard.
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