It is easy to tune out the marketing sensationalism spewed out to the press about new-car introductions. But in the case of the new Nissan 2009 Cube, GotEngines.com likes Nissan’s marketing strategy for its boxy creation.
In explaining the Cube , Nissan uses the nickname “mobile device,†and the company clearly hopes that this car will gain the social status of an Apple product.
The problem with this comparison is that Apple products tend to be trendy and expensive, they’re status symbols that perform— whereas the Cube is unusual and affordable. If you’re looking for the automotive iPhone, it’s not the Cube. It’s the Shelby Mustang GT-500KR.
If you like fast Nissan cars, get one with the RB26EET engine in it..
The Cube is the trendy new breed, from brick like shape to its shag-carpet dashboard pad to the bungee cords on the doors.
The fact that Nissan sees the Cube as a design statement first, and a car second, comes through in the driving experience. Unlike a Toyata Scion xB, which maintains some pretense of performance, the Cube’s hardware is a mellow vibe. You get 15- or 16-inch wheels, a 1.8-liter 122-horsepower 4-cylinder engine and either a continuously variable automatic transmission (C.V.T.) or a 6-speed manual. Excellent braking system updates,
The 1.8 S model, at $15,410, is the lowest-price Cube available with the automatic transmission. Normally, Either the manual transmission or the variable automatic are available, but the C.V.T. seems well-suited to the Cube. If you’re driving in a relaxed manner, the C.V.T. keeps the engine speed low and constant, imparting the feeling that the car is propelled by some kind of distant unseen force. The C.V.T.’s ability to make the most of the 1.8-liter motor is reflected in its impressive city fuel economy rating of 28 miles a gallon (30 m.p.g. on the highway). The manual Cube manages 24/29.
Among the subset of weird little boxy Asian runabouts (including the Scion xB, Honda Element and Kia Soul, the Cube is the most outrageous. It’s easy to poke fun at some of the Cube’s glaring silliness, but I admire a car that takes chances the way the Cube does.
Affordable, for sure because the Cube is available as a $15,000 car.
Keeping you posted on some of the new fuel efficient cars is part of our job at GotEngines.com Blog. Keep an eye on the future, but don’t arbitrarily replace your car if the engine fails. Talk to our experts at 1-877-268-0664, before you decide..
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