By Frank S. Washington
Special to the AFRO
|
The Nissan Cube is a small car with an impressive front-wheel drive and 122 horsepower four cylinder engine. (Courtesy Photo)
|
(May 12, 2009) - Get used to it: Small snappy cars that are fuel efficient and fun to drive. The latest is the Nissan Cube. And the name suggests exactly what it looks like – a square block on four wheels.
At 2,762 lbs, the front-wheel-drive Cube’s 122 horsepower four-cylinder engine, with its 127 pounds-feet of torque, provided enough oomph to make the Cube quick. Finally, EPA numbers had not been released at the time of my test drive but Nissan expects the Cube to be rated at about 30 mpg on the hwy.
Although a small car, the Cube had a relatively high seating position and great sight lines. I did a lot of rubber necking and never felt like I was overwhelmed by other traffic. However, I do wonder how the Cube will handle the snow and slush of cities with inclement weather.
Aside from that, the cube is tailored to fit that urban young adult, or not so young adult, on the go as it is loaded with stuff. It has push button start, three different audio systems, satellite radio and an iPod connection.
Four trim levels are available. One of them is the Cube Krôm. It’s a body enhancement package that includes upper and lower front grilles, fully integrated front and rear bumper fascias and body side sills, rear roof spoiler and 16-inch aluminum-alloy wheels, along with a custom interior with exclusive black and gray seats, leather-wrapped steering wheel, Bluetooth® Hands-free Phone System, aluminum trimmed pedals and an upgraded audio system.
More than 40 individual accessories will be offered when the Cube goes on sale this spring. They range from a unique 20-color interior accent lighting kit and “shag dash topper” inserts to aerodynamic body kits and custom wheels, allowing Cube owners to personalize their vehicles to reflect their own tastes and needs.
Three Accessory Packages are also available, which combine a number of popular features: the Interior Designer Package, Interior Illumination Package and the Ginormous Package with both exterior and interior personalization parts and equipment.
A six-speed manual and continuously variable transmission are available. I drove the CVT and found it more than adequate. In fact the Cube’s powertrain was surprisingly quiet and smooth for a four-cylinder engine.
There was very little wind noise and no road noise intruded the passenger compartment. The Cube seats were ample, almost like those big easy chairs you find in theaters. It’s a four-passenger vehicle with fold down rear seats for hauling stuff. Head room and leg room in the front and rear seats was enormous.
Only cloth seats are available and they were nicely done. Rather than material, the seats looked as though they were covered with soft cloth. It was a nice touch. Nissan wanted to give the Cube’s interior the feel of a Jacuzzi; there were curves all over the place.
The instrument panel, door panels, seat shapes, armrests and the iconic oval shapes of elements ranging from air conditioning vents, door pulls and climate controls. Some of them worked, while others will be a matter of taste.
The waves (real ones) emanating out from the overhead interior light may have been a bit much. But who looks at the headliner? The only reason I noticed it was because I was trying to inspect every inch of the interior.
Prices start at a little more than $14K. That’s not bad.