2010 Nissan cube SL: One Week Later Review

"Frosted" (frostedbuns) 06/07/2014 at 17:14 • Filed to: None

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So I've owned my cube now for a week. Put about 400 miles on it already (I know that's not much compared to some of the new FiST owners but I haven't had anywhere to go really yet) and I still love it. 10/10 sell your Ferrari or hot hatch and buy one. jkjk. It's a great little car though, and here's my review so far. I'll probably redo this after a year.

(Disclaimer: Nissan wanted me to drive a cube so badly that they allowed a Mitsubishi dealer to sell me one at a good price.)

Exterior: 7.5/10

This is a love it or hate it kinda car, plain and simple. That's why I can't give it a solid 10. Though it's not pretty enough for a 10 anyway. But I love the looks. I've said it before and I'll say it again, it looks like it was plucked from a street in Tokyo and set down here. It's quirky and silly looks garner a good bit of attention, I notice people often take a second look when they see the cube. I am curious what the laws on the where a taillights has to be on a vehicle are for it to be sold here though and whether or not Nissan will have to redesign the rearend a bit in the future.

Interior: 6.8/10

It's a nice place to be, especially in the SL model. The dashboard design is unique and isn't just another dashboard, it swoops and curves back and forth. The leather steering wheel feels like actual leather and not a cheap vinyl. The plastics on the dash to feel a little cheap though and the AC vents flex quite a bit if you poke them too hard. The cloth seats are fairly soft though they can be a little uncomfortable on longer drives. It's incredibly spacious though, moreso than the second gen xB. Spare tire is mounted under the car so you get a deep trunk. Rear seats fold down to give quite a good bit of cargo room.

Acceleration: 4/10

Performance is not this cars strong point. With a 1.8L engine that produces only 122 horsepower mated to a CVT transmission, this is not a fast car. I timed my 0-60 earlier and got a 9.2. Not offensively slow but not quick at all. It'll get up to highway speeds in a safe amount of time though. This may sound crazy but I kinda like having a slow car, it just means I'm never in a rush now and can enjoy the drive a little more.

Handling: 7.4/10

It handles quite well. Steering is very light and the car itself is very light. Having all four wheels practically at the corners of the car helps it stay planted on sharp turns and gives a pretty small turning radius. There is a bit of understeer but it's FWD so that's expected. Nearly no body roll though which is great.

Brakes: 9/10

Disks up front, drums in the rear. You hit the stop peddle and you stop. Brake peddle is actually a little touchy, it doesn't take much for the car to come a hard stop.

Gearbox: 5/10

It's a CVT. It has one gear. Around 3500-4000 RPMs, that gear gets a little noisey. But it settles back down to 2000RPM quickly and quiets down. It gets better fuel economy than the auto or manual options though and being MPG conscious more than anything, that's a big plus for me.

Fuel Economy: 9.2/10

This picture was taken after driving about 50 miles in stop and go traffic. That's 10 MPG better than my Volvo would do on the highway. I can't wait to see what mileage I get outta the cube on the highway now.

Toys: 8.5/10

In the SL model, I've got foglights. Push start button, a color screen in the dash and steering wheel controls. Backup camera as well. AM/FM/CD/aux input plus the last owner paid for XM satellite radio and I have whatever is left of that subscription. Power windows and automatic driver side window are nice as well. No power seats though. Keyless entry is one of my favorite things in the world now though.

Overall Value: 10/10

My budget for this purchase was 15 thousand dollars. This car cost me 12 thousand dollars* For that I got a mid level, 4 year old car with 29k miles. It had less miles, more features and is far more practical than a similarly priced Mazda 3 or Hyundai Elantra.

*before tax

Just to make this an even 100: 10/10

Overall Score: 77.4/10

Closing thoughts: This car is not for everyone. People will let you know if they don't like it. Other people will let you know if they do. I've already gotten friendly smiles and waves from other cube drivers. Yes, sometimes I wish it were just a little faster but that's what aftermarket parts are for. This is a car that was built for younger people (but built by older people) and designed to be as practical as possible while still getting fantastic fuel economy. There are some bits that feel a little cheap but this isn't a luxury or sports car, it is an economy car. And it's a great one at that.

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > Frosted 06/07/2014 at 17:22

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I like it, they're quirk and fun little cars. It's like a Japanese HHR minus the terrible interior!

This also reminded me I've never done a review of my van.

hethoughtofcars > Frosted 06/07/2014 at 18:25

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I've had plenty of experience with a Cube of this vintage and trim level (my mom owns one almost exactly like it but in dark grey) and I've owned a 2005 (first gen) xB. Your handling score is way high on this one. This car feels like an older Buick Park Avenue in that it wallows around corners. The steering is supposedly connected to the front wheels but it feels like Nissan may be playing a trick on you. Numb, light, and no feedback ... like at all. It really is that "couch on wheels". Something that also bugs me is that there is no place to put the key in the car so you just end up throwing it in a cupholder. My mom has lost her key more times than seemingly possible.

However, the backseat is awesome (even if you'll never ride back there). As someone who owned a 2 seater in college, I can tell you that you will be much, much more popular. Although I do now know that the trunk of a Del Sol can carry 1 human 5'8 and 150 lbs or so. :)

Oh yeah, and no one will ever complain about a lack of headroom.

The CVT is actually fine. Personally I will never own a car with less than 3 pedals, but this car just can't be pushed around. Even alloys are kind of silly.

Overall, I think the Cube is a really solid deal, and full of character (you didn't even mention the ripples in the headliner or the shag carpet circle for the dash!) and there should certainly be more of these and less, say, Nissan Rogues on the road.

Frosted > hethoughtofcars 06/07/2014 at 21:36

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The owner did some mods and I actually havent looked to see if he did any suspension work but Ive felt that the handling was pretty sharp and not like a living room at all. Ill have to get under it and see whats up. Also might be from going from a bloated body roll machine to this affecting my judgement.