Renewable Gossip

First Drive/Mileage Loop: 2009 Nissan Cube

The Nissan Cube, the original little mass-market boxy car, has been running around Japan for 10 years. While it has stubbornly stayed put on its home soil, competitors with a similar “hip to be square” design philosophy—like the Scion xB, Honda Element, and Kia Soul—have carved out a sizeable US market. The Cube, now in its third generation, has finally reached American shores.

The front-drive Cube is powered by a 122-horsepower 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine tied to either a six-speed manual or an Xtronic CVT automatic. Built on a subcompact platform, it comes in four trim levels: standard, S, SL, and Krom, each model piling on more options. We had a chance to drive the uplevel Krom with CVT.

The Drive

The Cube has EPA ratings of 28 in the city and 30 on the highway with the CVT, and 24 city/ 29 highway with the manual gearbox. We did our usual 112-mile mixed driving loop two times in order to see a range in fuel economy. The first drive was slow, conservative, and light-footed, while the second trip was much more ambitious, with harder acceleration and frequent passing. Our first drive yielded a thrifty 32.4 miles per gallon, and the second gave us just 22.9 miles per gallon. In normal, everyday driving, we would expect combined fuel economy of 28 to 29 miles per gallon.

The Cube is not particularly powerful or sporty. It struggles to get up to higher speeds, but once there, it cruises steadily. Left-lane passing and interstate merges are not this car’s forte. But if you put the accelerator to the floor and keep it there, you’ll find some power in the higher end of the rev band—but not without a level of engine buzz beyond our liking.

The ride was comfortable and smooth. Passengers enjoy a nice buffer from the road. The Cube does well over potholes and broken pavement, commonplace in most urban landscapes. But the plush ride takes a toll on handling. The Cube is neither agile, nor precise. Rather, the car feels disconnected from the roadway. And there’s quite a bit of body roll when cornering, somewhat expected considering the car’s tall profile.

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