2011 Nissan Cube Specs, Prices, Pics and Reviews

For 2010, Nissan has added another trim level to the boxy Cube, the Krom (with a long O, pronounced "chrome").

The Cube is otherwise unchanged for 2010 (see them compared), and Kelsey Mays' 2009 Cube review details the lineup well. I'll concentrate on the new Krom.

In short, the Krom turns the affordable Cube into a more distinctive and definitively less affordable Cube, whose higher price I suspect will turn off many, many buyers. It also has a dorky name. Chrome with a K? It's no better than the Kia Forte Koup (coupe). Why do automakers do this?

At $20,440, the Krom adds a whopping $6,450 over the suggested retail price of the base Cube 1.8. Perhaps more relevant, it's $2,990 more expensive than the closest trim level, the 1.8 SL.
Here's what it gets you: The bumpers are more prominent, adding almost an inch to the car's length, and the grilles are chrome. Sill extensions give the Krom a lowered look, and the 16-inch alloy wheels are specific to the trim level, being — you guessed it — chromed. (The SL also has 16-inch alloys, but they aren't chromed.) The Krom also has a spoiler atop its rear swing gate.

The interior has exclusive black and gray seat fabric, aluminum pedals and titanium-tone trim around the vents and gear selector. The Krom is also the only version to get steering-wheel stereo controls. Standard features that are optional on the 1.8 SL include a backup camera, which employs a small display in the dashboard, and keyless access.

The Krom is as much an enigma as the regular Cube, if not more so. I don't know if it's their styling that makes the Cube's boxy-car competitors more universally appealing, or the fact that the Scion xB has been around longer and has become old hat. See how the Cube, xB and Kia Soul fared in our Cars.comparison of 2009 models.

Comfort Levels

I remember finding our 2009 Cube 1.8 S' driver's seat rather uncomfortable. The 2010's seemed better, though it doesn't appear to be different, aside from the fabric. Another editor, who took the Krom on a longer trip, was unimpressed: What was soft on a short drive translated to unsupportive over the long haul. As before, front passengers wanted an inboard armrest; only the driver's seat has one.

The Cube has an edge over the xB and Soul in one comfort aspect: ride quality. It soaks up bumps well, which gives it another advantage on pockmarked city streets. Likewise, even though the Krom is almost an inch longer than other Cubes, it's 4 inches shorter than the Soul and roughly 10 inches shorter than the xB, which makes it good for small urban parking spaces. The turning diameter is 33.4 feet, tighter than the Soul and xB, both of which are more than 34 feet.

Boxy Dynamics

I have no reason to believe the Cube is unstable, and it has a standard electronic stability system, but it does feel more top-heavy than the other boxes — and definitely more so than conventional cars. It's also more susceptible to crosswinds, as I learned on a gusty day of highway driving.

The Cube is modestly powered, and our car's continuously variable automatic transmission cost us a little off-the-line acceleration compared with last year's six-speed manual. It also seemed slower than it actually was. Though Nissan's CVTs are among the best-executed on the market, they characteristically let the engine rev up to high rpm, often at unexpected times, which gives the impression of straining. In truth, it's just finding the most powerful and/or efficient combination of engine speed and gear ratio.

 

It pays off. The CVT is rated 27/31 mpg city/highway, and the manual gets an estimated 25/30 mpg. This beats the xB (22/28) and the Soul's smaller engine (26/31). Of the three, the Soul gives the most options, challenging the Cube with its smaller engine and the xB with its more powerful one (24/30). Learn More...

Source : http://www.cars.com