Opinions on Nissan Cube and Nissan in General

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Hey everyone,

I was hoping some of you out there may own the Nissan Cube. I've been interested in the car since it came out, but didn't need a car at the time. Now, I'm looking to get something for just every day driving. I like my current car, but I would like something a little easier to drive, compact (without losing a ton of space) and better on gas, so the Cube is the car I'm most interested in.

I'm really not looking to spend much on this car since it is more or less a toy (i.e. I don't need it, but would just like something different to drive once and a while) so the cube seems like it would be perfect. I like the looks, I've sat in one (haven't test drove yet, which I will soon) and was surprised with the room it has, price wise, I think it is decent, so overall, it just seems like a perfect fit.

So, I was just looking to see if anyone else here owns a cube and if so your thoughts? If you don't own a cube, but own a Nissan car, your thoughts on them in general would be appreciated!

There are a few other cars I like, i.e Kia Soul, Honda Fit, Honda Element, Chevy HHR etc. but they don't rank as high for me as the Cube, so that is what I'm most interested in now.

Finally, if anyone has any information on Nissan and their promotions, that would be great. I've kind of been watching their site for some deals, but the best I've seen since I've started watching was one time they offered $500 off, otherwise, the best offer is $500 if you are graduating and then some specials for leasing. Right now, they don't have any offers I would qualify for, so if anyone happens to know what may be around the corner, that would be very helpful.

Thanks in advance!
 
My dad has owned a lot of Nissans and he has been able to drive most of them into the ground.

Don't know much about the Cube, but when I see one on the road I always think to myself "Who the fuck would be stupid enough to buy that ugly car?"
 
I actually wanted a Cube, but had to settle for a Versa instead. I like unique looking cars, and the Cube isn't as boxy looking as some out there.

Anyway, my versa has been great so far, it's a 07 model and i've had it since last september or so. Has about 60k miles or so on it by now.

edit- If you find a dealer you like, check their web site, there was close to a 5k price difference between what they had on the lot for mine and their web site.
 
[quote name='Mr Unoriginal']Who the fuck would be stupid enough to buy that ugly car?[/QUOTE]

basically my thoughts.

it shouldn't matter what other people think... shouldn't, but let's not kid ourselves, image matters.

i'd be embarrassed to drive that thing.
 
[quote name='Mr Unoriginal']"Who the fuck would be stupid enough to buy that ugly car?"[/QUOTE]

Probably people trading up from a Pontiac Aztek.
 
[quote name='crunchb3rry']Probably people trading up from a Pontiac Aztek.[/QUOTE]
As soon as u said that all I thot was Walt from Breaking Bad.
 
[quote name='Mr Unoriginal']"Who the fuck would be stupid enough to buy that ugly car?"[/QUOTE]

^ I hate those square cars, so fucking stupid.
 
One of my friend's has a Cube, it has a weird swirly roof design on the inside. I know nothing about how it runs and all that jazz, but go inside one and look up. It's pretty crazy when you're drunk and rambling and exploring someone's new car.

As far as Nissans I own an Xterra, love it. My girlfriend's family has all Nissans due to a relative owning a dealership. Collectively they have two Altimas, a Maxima, and a Quest. I occasionally drive my girl's Altima and have once driven the Maxima. Good make I'd say.
 
Thanks for all the info everyone. Definitely some positives on Nissan, so that is good to hear. Now it is just a matter of test driving and seeing how things go... I really appreciate it.

As for the Cube itself, I think the square shaped cars are either like it or hate it. There are a lot of cars out there that I think are ugly and I would never buy, but then if it isn't my car, I don't really care. I know a lot of people don't like the Cube, but I personally find the shape interesting and it is a design I've always liked.

Despite how it looks, the amount of space you get for the size of the car is a huge plus in my opinion. I want a smaller car, but I still want to be able to put things in it if I need to and take people around when I need to, so I don't want to be stuck with something that can't handle those things. The square design adds a lot of room and I think that is a positive.

Thanks again to everyone that gave me info on Nissan, I appreciate it!
 
nissan cube can go fuck itself for all i care. i've never had such a hatred for such a car in my life. i get angry whenever i see one on the road, urges to just smash into it so it will take its ugly ass off the road. *puke*


otherwise, nissans are good cars from my experience. if you buy a nissan cube though, it will murder your whole family, tie you up in its dungeon and torture the fuck out of you. dont do it.
 
I was looking to trade-in for one last summer, as a local dealership was hot to move a Cube that was ordered but not picked up. However, Nissan hadn't put it through the crash/roll tests yet, which made me a little uneasy given that it was new in the States and might have a slightly high center of gravity, so I stuck with the beater.

I took a few Cubes out for extended test drives. The ride was okay (I'm used to a rough ride, though), but what really got to me was the road noise. On the interstates it was damn loud in there. Also, reviews at the time said that it didn't pull the MPG it was supposed to.

People shout down the design, but then never follow up with anything constructive or critical. I admire -- and kind of like -- the asymmetry of the wrap-around rear window, which is probably the feature that separates people into the hate/love camps. Otherwise it's very similar to the other box cars (e.g. Kia Soul, Scion xB). Also, it's definitely more upright than the other box cars, which is something I definitely would want -- more of the rigid box/short cargo van look and less of the tall, fat station wagon look. Scion actually took a step toward station wagon with their revision of the xB, which got rid of the rigidity of the original and slammed the roof quite a bit.

The dedicated cargo space for the Cube -- the spot behind the passenger seats -- is fairly shallow. However, that makes the passenger seating fairly roomy. On one of my test drives I took some of the family along, and everyone commented on how comfortable it was relative to the xB, Soul, and Fit (not a box car but throwing it in), which we'd also seen that day.

Overall, I really like the idea of a box car, but no matter the box car, I feel like the options being put out there don't satisfy: all don't get the MPG they should (IMO, damn the engineering) and all miss on the design/layout in some small, annoying way. The Cube and the xB are probably my favorites in the box car niche, but they each have limitations (Cube is noisy, not much cargo room; xB doesn't have the look of the old xB, MPG is not what Toyota claims). The Kia Soul is probably the best deal out there, but the look of it is a little too much and the interior of the Soul is very cheap and tacky. I wish Honda were more aggressive with the Element, which I consider a member of the box club. I like its "ball cap" look more than the others, but jesus is it expensive and jesus does its MPG suck.

Anyhow, all of this back and forth is the reason I didn't buy last summer and probably won't again this summer if the beater doesn't explode.
 
I wanted 28 city and 30mpg highway. I wanted a lot of cargo room and folding down seats in the back was a huge plus. I went with a green 2009 Cube.

I got the thing last July. Has about 6000 miles on it and I have no complaints at all. I live in the Midwest and it handled very well in the Winter even with all the snow, ice, and salt. There was 2 factory recalls on it so far and both of them were to winterize the vehicle. The tire pressure monitoring system gets corroded from road salt, and the 2 rear door handles they added a gasket to make it so they cant freeze shut. That is nothing in comparison to the auto-pilot recall on the Toyota's out there.

I have had plenty of people tell me its ugly as sin and other various slams, but I also have a fair contingent that thinks it awesome. The passenger area of the dash board has a small divot that is very useful for breaking up tobacco too.
 
[quote name='Habbler']I wanted 28 city and 30mpg highway.[/QUOTE]

What are you getting so far?

(Not everyone keeps track, just asking in case you do.)
 
doesn't get you laid = cube
gets you laid = 370z

but seriously any square type car is ugly, there are better looking cars out there with just the same amount of cargo space, comfort, and fuel economy as square-cars.

Nissan is a very good company, i use to work for nissan in the past, and my parents have own a few altima's and i own a 350z. No issues. if i had to pick a weak point it would be their transmitions sometimes. The one-gear ones are boring, and after alot of years (10+) the tranny would go first before the motor. But still a great tranny only second to honda or vw trannys in my opinion out of experience.

p.s: fuel millage is all about how you drive (1# factor) , if i shift properly and at low rpm's i can get 30city out of my 350z while still not begin slow, but of course when i feel like ripping it that number hits like 12 lol
 
I am getting pretty damn near close too it. the gauge has 20 dots for the fuel or rather 5% increments. at 2 dots I refill my car and put in 10 gallons to go to full. I am getting the 30 mpg highway, and the city isn't that bad either. Its not summer, but without AC I get the estimated 300-320 that shows on the dash when full.
 
[quote name='Habbler']I am getting pretty damn near close too it. the gauge has 20 dots for the fuel or rather 5% increments. at 2 dots I refill my car and put in 10 gallons to go to full. I am getting the 30 mpg highway, and the city isn't that bad either. Its not summer, but without AC I get the estimated 300-320 that shows on the dash when full.[/QUOTE]
That's fair. Drives me nuts when models regularly miss the "rated" MPG. Though what I had read last summer -- and granted it's not reliable -- is that the Cube was meeting the city mileage easily but missing big on the highway. Your experience is the opposite...are you doing more of one type of driving than the other?

I'd still consider a Cube if Nissan would do a bit more with it. I have a feeling, though, that they're just going to hang it out to dry, as it may not have received the reception (and sales) they needed to justify improving the model further. I think the design is good as it is, but I'd like to see the engine tweaked a bit, the safety beefed up, and the rear seats moved forward just a shove to create a little more dedicated cargo space.
 
The Rear seats actually slide back and forth just like a front seat in a car can. Pull the lever and the whole bench moves. The bench can recline too which is kinda cool for the drive-in movie.
 
Thanks for the info dothog, I really appreciate it. Like I said, I haven't had the chance to test drive it yet, so once I do that I may change my mind on it. The car I have now is very nice, don't really hear the road noise, comfortable ride, etc. but I just would like something a little better for everyday commuting and things like that. I'm interested to drive it and see how it goes, may end up loving it, may end up hating it.

I used to really like the look of the xB, but I didn't like the changes they made to it, otherwise, I would probably consider it as well. I've checked the Soul out and I like it, but I don't like the design as well as the Cube. Not to mention, it feels a lot cheaper, i.e. just closing the door I could tell a huge difference (I think the Cube got really good safety ratings last year, if I'm remembering correctly) The biggest positive in the Soul, I think, is the warranty, I think it is 10 years, which would be very nice, but if the car isn't made as well, that doesnt' help as much.

I checked out the Fit, which I liked, for the price, I thought it was a really nice car. But again, I just really like the look of the box cars (despite what others think of it) I've always liked the Element and once they took the plastic off around the bottom, I liked it even more, not to mention, I think the colors they have now are really great. However, there are a few things I don't like about it. First, the price, it is a heavier car, so it is obviously going to cost more, but since I'm just looking for a second car, I really don't want to spend that much (that goes for my next nice car :D ) As you mentioned, the MPG is not that great either, which doesn't help me out in that want. Finally, I didn't like the way the back seat was, it was comfortable once I got in it, but getting in and out was a pain and I just didn't like the design of it. Overall, I like it, but I just think it is more than what I'm looking for right now.

I still don't see too many Cubes in my area. I see them, maybe, once a week. Sometimes I will go a while without seeing any, then I will see them everywhere I go. So I don't know if the sales haven't been good, or if it just isn't popular around me, but I wish they would do more with the car. I think, if anything, what I will have the most problem with is the transmission. The biggest complaint I've heard is that it doesn't have a lot of power behind it, so that is a little disappointing.

Habbler, thanks so much for the info. I'm glad I found someone that owns the Cube. The MPG you are getting is definitely a good sign, always important (my brother had a car once that didn't get half of what the estimated MPG was, he ended up getting a new car pretty quick because of that)

I'm in Florida, used to be in Ohio, so I don't have to worry about the snow. But, it is great to know those were the only two recalls. I think the car looks great and from what I've seen so far, I'm impressed with the overall design inside. There isn't a huge cargo area, but for what I need (i.e. games :D ) it will be perfect and I think the trade off for more roomy seating space is worth it.

Glad to hear the positive review and looking forward to actually getting in one once :D

Thanks again for all the replies!
 
The car has a surprising amount of interior room when you actually sit inside. Especially when compared to how it looks outside (it's not too big of a car), you will definitely say to yourself "where did all this room come from?" when you sit inside.

I'd say it's a great car for families or when you want to go on road trips as there is plenty of space you can fit all your stuff/snacks/backpacks/sleeping bags/peoples. It can fit a lot more than a regular car.

You can buy a car that's practical and super efficient, or you can be a tool and buy a "cool" car that compensates for a personal lack of cajones.
 
[quote name='antlp89']The car has a surprising amount of interior room when you actually sit inside. Especially when compared to how it looks outside (it's not too big of a car), you will definitely say to yourself "where did all this room come from?" when you sit inside.[/QUOTE]

Yeah, if you were to remove the passenger seats, you'd have a cool little cargo truck for a delivery business. That's how I first viewed it.

Habbler noted that the passenger bench is adjustable, so you can eke out more dedicated cargo room if needed. However if you've got a child seat installed, that bench stays where it is and negates that feature. So the dedicated cargo room is a reliable measure, it just depends on context.

Also, IIHS rated the 2010 as "Good" (best possible rating) across the board and NHTSA gave it 5 out of 5 in side tests, 4 out of 5 in front tests, and 4 out of 5 in rollover. So that's not bad for safety.
 
I like my S14 240sx alot, but it got upgraded too much that i slowly stopped using it as a daily driver so i don't use it all the time. Good times though.
 
antlp89, that was my first thought when I sat in one. I've actually got to see them twice and somehow was able to walk around the entire lot at the dealer without a single salesman so much as asking if I needed anything. I looked around for a while, both times, but then had to leave so I never got the chance to test drive it.

Other than me, all my other passengers would always be adults, so having some extra room would be nice. Normally, I wouldn't use that car to take people around in, but considering it has more room than my current car, which is larger than the Cube and it doesn't have near the space... My one friend is over 6 feet tall and doesn't fit too well in my car :D When I'm not transferring other people, the extra room will be great for buying every day things, so it just seems like the perfect fit. Inexpensive, roomy, looks nice, good gas mileage, etc.

I have had plenty of cars where I bought more for looks than anything else. This time around, I'm buying a car I like the looks of, but will be more practical, so it works out well.

dothog, that is true, I never thought of that. I've read that the back seats don't fold as flat as some other cars, so it kind of takes away from the storage you could get, but it is definitely a decent size if the seats weren't there. The HHR is another car I've been interested in and they actually sell a model where there are no back seats and it can be used as a delivery car, for the size, it has a lot of space as well.

No child seats for me, so I don't really have to worry about that. When I looked at the Cube, overall, I was okay with the Cargo space, of course, more is always better, but I could always get by with it. For the most part, anything that I could get that is larger could just go on the back seats or something.

Thanks for the info on safety, I thought I read it did really well in the tests, but I wasn't sure. That is good to know, considering it is a pretty cheap car, those are very good results. I know some of the cars in this price range don't do as well, so that is a great sign.

Thanks JoKu, that is good information!

Thanks again for all the info!
 
Whatever you do, always check the websites of all the dealers in the area, and haggle and price match before you come in. Most dealerships will give you a much better deal if you contact them through the website than if you just walk in. The reason being that they assume the internet shopper is more savvy and has pricematched with other dealers.
 
Yes, that is true. I even like the new Pathfinders, I think it is a pretty decent car, but it is way more than I'm looking for... but I definitely agree!
 
Maybe I have bad taste in cars but I kinda like the Cube. They were very popular in Japan, I'd see them everywhere. I personally just bought a 2008 Versa a few months back. I love it, but then again I've always had cars that were 15+ years old, so I'd love anything that's fairly new.
 
Well Rodimus, if liking the Cube means you have bad stlye, then I'm right there with you. I think it is a nifty looking car, something that doesn't look like everything else on the road... Has a little character, at least in my opnion. Obviously, not for everyone, but I like it, so I guess that is all that matters :D

I've not really looked at the Versa in person, but I like it online. It may be something to consider, if I end up not liking how the Cube drives... I guess the reason I'm most interested in the Cube is because it is something a little different than what I normally would get, so it would be a nice change once.

Thanks for commenting... Glad to hear you like the Versa, great to know!
 
Versas are pretty cool for the price. I have the SL package in mine, really love the built in hands free bluetooth adapter.
 
For every good car Nissan makes. Their are 3 bad ones next to it. As for the cube, the new one looks as ugly as ever on the outside. While the interior looks pretty cool.
 
[quote name='vic_x51']doesn't get you laid = cube
gets you laid = 370z

but seriously any square type car is ugly, there are better looking cars out there with just the same amount of cargo space, comfort, and fuel economy as square-cars.

Nissan is a very good company, i use to work for nissan in the past, and my parents have own a few altima's and i own a 350z. No issues. if i had to pick a weak point it would be their transmitions sometimes. The one-gear ones are boring, and after alot of years (10+) the tranny would go first before the motor. But still a great tranny only second to honda or vw trannys in my opinion out of experience.

p.s: fuel millage is all about how you drive (1# factor) , if i shift properly and at low rpm's i can get 30city out of my 350z while still not begin slow, but of course when i feel like ripping it that number hits like 12 lol[/QUOTE]

How reliable are 350z? My Del Sol is getting there (1994-180k) and I'm planning on buying a used 350Z with 50-70k miles, and hopes it at least gets 100k past that.
 
The Cube is, IMO, one of the ugliest cars on the road today.

But Nissan is a good brand as far as overall quality is concerned. My wife had a Maxima that she never had any problems with and the parents have a Murano that has been very good to them.

A friend of mine had some transmission issues with his new 370z but it was fixed under warranty and all has been well since.
 
[quote name='Brownjohn']Whatever you do, always check the websites of all the dealers in the area, and haggle and price match before you come in. Most dealerships will give you a much better deal if you contact them through the website than if you just walk in. The reason being that they assume the internet shopper is more savvy and has pricematched with other dealers.[/QUOTE]

To add, if are going to the dealer to negotiate further, make sure you haggle as a cash buyer. You can always work out payment terms once you've set a final price (plus taxes and fees). You should also work on getting financed on your own. Shop around, get a price for the car, then shop/apply for a loan using a site like bankrate.com. Capital One auto finance usually has very good rates. A lot of times, if you go through a dealer to finance, your loan will ultimately get sold to Capital One anyway, so you may as well try to cut out the middle man. You may also want to consider joining your local credit union, as they also offer good loan rates.

About the Cube itself, it's a great little car to drive. Be advised, though, if you're going to be doing a lot of highway driving, the Cube and cars like it (Scion xB, Kia Soul, etc) are very susceptible to crosswinds. It can be tricky to keep these cars steady on the highway at times, and that can also impact your fuel economy.
 
Thanks for the info Joliet. I was actually surprised with some of the options Nissan has for the cars, generally in this price range you don't see a lot of these things, so that is nice.

Fro, when you say that, do you mean the models they offer, or the actual quality of the cars?

Thanks BillyBob, that is good to hear. I've been noticing that once people buy Nissan's, they tend to stick with them, so that is a good sign!

Thanks for all the info saturn. I will probably just pay cash anyway. The only reason I would finance is if they offer 0% financing, which isn't very likely, but if they have it, might as well take advantage of it.

I have heard some complaints about the cube on the highway. It is disapointing, but not a big deal breaker, of course, need to try it first to see. I don't drive on the highway really (been here almost a year and have only been on the highway 2 times, I try to avoid them :D ) and if/when I need to, I always have my other car if I do find the Cube has issues after I buy it. It is definitely something I want to check out though, so thanks for the info!
 
No comment on the Cube, but the Leaf has me interested. I think an electric car would be perfect for me since I don't commute very far each day.
 
I'm actually interested in the Leaf as well. I've not seen it in person yet, but from what I've read and looked at, it looks very interesting. If I were to get the Leaf, I think I would wait a little longer. I don't really like buying things right after they ar released and if it is a brand new product, then I really don't like to do it. I just want to see what happens with reviews and things, but it looks very interesting!
 
Yeah the problem with waiting on the Leaf is you might miss out on the $7500 tax credit. I hate buying first model year anything though, like to give it 2 or 3 years to work out the bugs.
 
Yeah, that is true. I think the car is a little over priced, but then I guess it has to be that high, just not what you normally would get for that kind of money. I think the tax credit brings it down to a more nominal price. Of course, once the credit is gone, Nissan may have some promotions going, but then it is hard to say (afterall, they aren't doing much with the Cube) with it being so new and unique, they may not, but then if it doesn't sell well, they will probably have to do something... The thing I'm wondering about is how much the charging station will cost, I'm thinking it won't be too cheap, which adds a lot on to the price. Plus, I've heard that the batteries for these things can be outrageous, so that is something else to consider.

I usually wait at least a year to buy anything, I think it is just too risky, so many bugs and problems that need to be worked out... I have a hard time making the decision to buy anything, so a car is just crazy for me, but waiting until it has been out a little while makes me feel a little more at ease.

I definitely like the Leaf, I want to see it in person and see how it looks, from what I've seen online, it looks good.

I guess I should also be looking into some Hybrids as well, I kind of forgot about those...
 
Thanks for the info dmaul.

Joliet, I know what you mean, I thought the same thing. Someone asks you what you drive and all you say is "a leaf" kind of weird :D
 
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