Nissan Cube

2011 Nissan Cube

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Shopping for a 2012 Nissan Cube? MSRP: $14,980 - $18,680

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The Nissan Cube remains a bit of an oddity in the U.S. market—not quite a van, but almost; not quite a crossover wagon, but almost; but through and through, a quirky vehicle that's unrivaled in style and packaging.

The Cube had been sold in Japan since 1998, and it had developed a cult following over there, but Nissan waited until 2009 to bring the third-generation Cube to the U.S.

The Cube has an unusual, asymmetrical exterior with a side-swinging cargo door and a rear window that actually wraps around one of the sides, plus beveled window frames all around; inside it's just as odd, with a lot of rounded design cues and a flowing interior design that was modeled after Jacuzzi tubs.

All that design weirdness translates to a very usable vehicle for people and cargo, however. It's one of the most upright vehicles, in terms of seating, and four taller adults can fit quite comfortably inside. Seats, in front especially, are better than those of most small cars. And the side-opening door along with the Cube's very low cargo floor together work well for groceries, even if the backseat doesn't fold flat to expand the floor.

Standard on all Cube models is a 122-horsepower, 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine, which can move this box-on-wheels quickly enough to merge with fast-moving traffic; most are going to be happy with the CVT, but there's also a decent six-speed manual gearbox. The suspension has clearly been tuned to offer a soft ride above tight handling. Though there's plenty of body motion if you hurl the Cube around a corner, it grips quite well and manages to maintain its poise, surprisingly. Because it's such a tall, short, and narrow vehicle, there's more bobbing motion on rough surfaces and more susceptibility to crosswinds than typical.

The Nissan Cube is built in Japan and offered at a very low price—under $15k, including standard power windows, air conditioning, electronic stability control, and anti-lock brakes. The Cube, which hasn't changed in any significant way since its launch, is also one of the best small vehicles for safety.

For 2012, in addition to five new exterior colors, the Intelligent Key entry system is newly standard on top SL models, and S and SL models get a passenger-seat armrest in addition to the driver's seat one. There's also a new package offered for the 1.8 S CVT model that adds navigation, the rearview monitor, Intelligent Key, Rockford Fosgate audio, and 15-inch alloy wheels. The Krom model has been discontinued.