Cubism: Nissan Cube @ 2008 LAAS

Description

MORE LA AUTO SHOW STORIES: www.edmunds.com We've driven a 2008 Nissan Cube in right-hand-drive Japanese specification. We've also seen it as an art project in the hands of students from the Brooks and Pratt Institutes. Now at the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show, we're seeing the 2009 Nissan Cube, an actual production car that you'll be able to buy in the spring of 2009. The steering wheel is on the left side in this Nissan Cube, of course, and at 156.7 inches from nose to rump, it's nearly 10 inches longer than the previous-generation Cube we tested and it also rides on a 4-inch-longer wheelbase. If we were in Japan, there would probably be a third-row seat stuffed into this extra space, but for us, the extra length merely translates to more cargo room and better crashworthiness. As before, the second-row bench slides fore and aft. Fortunately, Nissan's box-shaped car hasn't grown so large that it's no longer cute: It's still more than 10 inches shorter than the Scion xB and a foot shorter than Nissan's Versa hatchback. Just as important, the 2009 Nissan Cube has the same overall shape as its iconic Japanese forbears and retains their signature styling cues. Up front, the slotted grille and lozengelike lighting elements are familiar — Nissan hopes the fascia design makes you think of a "bulldog in sunglasses." In back, you can't miss the asymmetrical swing gate and the wraparound illusion for the rear glass. Inside the cabin, the JDM Cube's front bench seat has given way to <b>...</b>

Keywords

Nissan, Cube, 2008, LAAS, LA, Los, Angeles, Auto, Show, Edmunds, Inside, Line, car, motor, Scion, xb

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