08 May 08
It also looks cracking, a kind of cross between a van and one of those Fords from the 30s that were turned into hot rods in 60s California. If someone ever made a film called Oi Mate, It's Japanese Graffiti, the Cube would feature heavily.
The interior isn't plush, but it is stylish: the upholstery features cool materials and designs that will appeal to fans of retro/bohemia. The plastics aren't too bad, either: a little hard, but on the right side of brittle and not too cheap-looking. The bench seats can slide backwards and forwards and there's plenty of room in the back for adults, thanks to that high roofline.
The Cube's performance is disappointing, but not unexpected. The 107bhp 1.5-litre engine is mated to a CVT gearbox controlled by a steering column-mounted shift lever. This combination isn't great: in order to get the best out of it, you're required to keep the revs up, but this can get a little wearing, especially if you're cruising on a motorway (not the environment it was built for, admittedly, but one it's likely to find itself in). And that CVT 'box has the all the worst attributes of such transmissions: sometimes you begin to wonder if the damn thing will ever change up.
However, if the idea of buying a next-gen Cube appeals, don't let this put you off. Nissan insiders have suggested that powertrains for Europe will be different, with a 1.6-litre petrol and 1.5-litre diesel strong possibilities. Hopefully, Nissan will also find a way of sticking a manual transmission in it, too.
So by the end of 2009, we could be seeing new Cubes on the roads of UK cities with all the positive aspects of the current model, but without the performance-related downsides.
With a bit of luck - and some foresight on behalf of Nissan Europe - all this means we've seen the future. And it's Cube-shaped.
