In the Krom edition, the Nissan Cube becomes a smart little tech hauler, able to interface with iPods and Bluetooth phones and offering an advanced feature or two. Too bad navigation isn't available.
The Cube is Nissan's entrant to the box car segment, competing with the Scion xB and Kia Soul. All of these cars tend to have economy power plants, funky looks, and good interior space.
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With its flat front, the Cube closely resembles the xB, until you get around to the sides. Nissan chose to make the Cube particularly unique, treading awfully close to ugly.
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This 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine only makes 122 horsepower and 127-pound-feet of torque. The Cube isn't fast, but it will get around.
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Five people can fit easily in the Cube, and its short wheelbase makes it easy to park. Small wheels confirm the urban intentions of the car.
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One questionable design element is the asymmetric back glass, which wraps around the right side of the vehicle. The left-rear pillar is solid to accommodate the side-hinged rear door.
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We found cargo space to be ample in the Cube, making it very easy to stack boxes or bags up to near the ceiling.
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Cloth seats and plastic surfaces show the economy nature of the Cube. In the Krom edition, accent lighting can be set among 20 colors.
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The steering wheel has controls for phone and the stereo on the left spoke, and cruise control on the right.
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The dog-bone shape of the instrument cluster is repeated in the shapes of buttons on the steering wheel.
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Nissan makes one of the best continuously variable transmissions in the business, which gives the Cube smooth acceleration and maximizes the engine's efficiency.
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The single-disc slot over the 4.3 inch LCD plays MP3 CDs.
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The iPod interface looks good on the screen, but the controls on the right are somewhat far from the driver.
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Rockford Fosgate designed a more mannered audio system for the Cube than what we've heard before in Mitsubishi models.
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The Cube's Bluetooth phone system is superior, allowing voice command calls by contact name.
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The rear-view camera was an unexpected surprise in the Cube.
