Criswell Nissan Presents the New Nissan Cube – Come by and drive one today!
Automobile Magazine 2010 Design of the Year: 2010 Nissan Cube Funky, fun and futuristic
November 10, 2009
By Robert Cumberford
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.
smart to drive. easy to love.Break out in roomy, high-style. Share a loungey interior and smart fuel efficiency with your top four. Life's never been so flexible. Even parking's a breeze.
symmetry is so last year.
Cube’s unique wraparound window and photo frame side windows offer a whole new way to connect with the world. And show off your own take on style.
loungey comfort for five.
Sofa-style seating invites you to share. Your friends can soak up the atmosphere (and the view) from "stadium" rear seats that recline and slide. All in a social space full of possibility.
personalization starts here.
Fun shag tops the dash. Just one of many accessories, from mood lighting in 24 colors to bright interior accents. Make cube your own.
dogs don’t design cars.
But they do inspire designers. Ours created this bold grille with a bite, after a bulldog wearing shades. And who doesn't love dogs?
a single raindrop. see what it inspired.
Connect with nature. Cube's one-of-a-kind style came from unexpected inspiration. And the theme carries right through cube's modern interior, bringing design to even the smallest details.
found. the way to bring it along.
Cube gives you over 50 cubic feet of storage [1] that’s super convenient, thanks to a side opening door for access both tall and wide. Stop. Shop. And get it home.
[1] Cargo shown for display purposes only. Nissan recommends that all loose items be secured when transported. Cargo and load capacity limited by weight and distribution.
a cue from above.
White moon for the tach. Blue earth for the speedometer. Cube’s unique dash and gauges began with inspiration from above. A bold idea, yes. Better visibility plus style, definitely.
cube Krom
A limited edition cube, unique outside and in. An integrated body design ups the exterior attitude. Inside there’s special fabric, 20-color LED lighting, aluminum trimmed pedals and tech upgrades.
The CUBE ACCESSORIES PROGRAM
A “Personalized” Approach to Accessories
Inside and out, the new Nissan cube offers an inspiring canvas for personalization. A centerpiece of the new cube’s appeal is its “social space” interior that offers room for five in a lounge-like comfort. Along with its open occupant space, “floating meter pod” driver’s area and “lounge sofa” style sliding and reclining rear bench seat, the cube interior is available with a long list of innovative accessories.
Among the items designed to accentuate cube’s unique design approach are “shag dash topper” instrument panel inserts, which fit into the top center of the instrument panel; “Front Door Bungees,” which are colorful elastic straps that slip into cutouts on the door armrests to secure items such as maps and photos; and an Interior Illumination Kit, which provides a changeable 20-color palette of accent lighting under the instrument panel and in the center console cupholder.
Other interior accessories include illuminated stainless kick plates, drilled stainless pedal covers, rear cargo area organizer and interior trim appliqués available in four body-matching colors and a sleek, carbon fiber look. Exterior accessories include a front chin spoiler, rear underspoiler, side body sills, rear roof spoiler, 16-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, nose mask, side window deflectors, vehicle cover and fog lights.
For added convenience, a number of accessories have been grouped into special packages – the Interior Designer Package, the Interior Illumination Package and the Ginormous Package, featuring a range of items including the aero body kit, interior accent lighting and interior appliqués.
“Enthusiasm is building for cube – it’s unique, it’s fun, it’s functional, and it makes being “square” hip again,” said Castignetti. “Consumers in the market are excited about a product like this. If you take the cube’s distinctive styling, utility, and efficiency and add a starting MSRP of $13,990, it’s easy to see why.”
About the 2010 Nissan cube
The 2010 Nissan cube® is designed to meet the practical needs of today’s active, environmentally aware drivers, providing a small footprint with a large interior space. The front-wheel drive cube® is built on Nissan’s proven B-platform and is available with a standard 1.8-liter DOHC 4-cylinder engine and a choice of Nissan’s advanced, smooth shifting Xtronic CVT® (Continuously Variable Transmission) or 6-speed manual transmission.
Cube®’s long list of standard safety features includes the Nissan Advanced Air Bag System (AABS), seat-mounted driver and front-passenger side-impact supplemental air bags, and roof-mounted curtain side-impact supplemental air bags for front and rear-seat outboard occupant head protection. Cube® also offers standard front-seat Active Head Restraints, Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) and Vehicle Dynamic Control (VDC) with Traction Control System (TCS), along with an Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), Electronic Brake force Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist (BA).
Along with the long list of standard features on the cube® 1.8, the cube® 1.8 S adds body-colored outside mirrors, premium grade fabric, cruise control, cargo area cover and more. The cube® 1.8 SL adds standard CVT, 16-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, auto on/off headlights, Automatic Temperature Control, Interface System for iPod®, six speakers and more. The uniquely equipped cube® 1.8 Krom includes an exclusive integrated body design, Krom 16-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, sporty interior treatment, Rockford Fosgate subwoofer, Xtronic CVT® and much more.
About Nissan North America
In North America, Nissan's operations include automotive styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. Nissan is dedicated to improving the environment under the Nissan Green Program 2010, whose key priorities are reducing CO2 emissions, cutting other emissions and increasing recycling. More information on Nissan in North America and the complete line of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles can be found online at www.NissanUSA.com.
* MSRP excludes applicable tax, title and license fees. Dealer sets actual price. Prices and specs are subject to change without notice. Nissan cube® 1.8 available through dealer order, limited dealer inventory in stock.
