Nissan Cube, or square subcompact

In the 1990s, the Japanese concern Nissan experienced a shortage of "B" class cars. The engineers and designers of the company were tasked with developing a car that would fill this gap. At the same time, special attention should be paid to the original design and practicality of the car. The first test prototypes appeared in 1996. They were tested in the USA and Japan.

The serial version of the Nissan Cube was introduced in 1998 at an automobile exhibition in Tokyo. The name "Cube" car was not accidental, but because of the shape of the body, the silhouette of which resembles a square.

Such a non-standard appearance fell to the taste of the target audience of the company - the Japanese youth. Two years the car was sold only in the Japanese market, and in 2000 the official sales of "Cuba" started in the North American market.

The car is built on the platform "B", inherited from the model Micra. Moved from the older sister and a gasoline 1.3-liter engine. The basic version of the car received a 4-speed automatic transmission. As an option, it could be equipped with a stepless variator. Not only the front-drive, but also the all-wheel drive version of the Nissan Cube is available. Reviews of car owners said that the company has something to work on, but in general, the "Cube" turned out to be a solid four.

Second generation

The second generation was introduced in 2002. The model, even more reminiscent of the square, appeared as a microenone with an enlarged interior space. A distinctive feature of this generation can be considered the glass of the side rear door, combined with the trunk windows into a single whole. The luggage compartment door opened from left to right.

Nissan also produced a special version of the Cube with an enlarged wheelbase and seven seats. This version was equipped with the all-wheel drive "e4WD".

The second generation of "Cuba" no longer used the old 1.3-liter engines: it received two 1.4- and 1.5-liter petrol engines (since 2005). They worked together all with the same 4-speed automatic transmission or stepless variator.

In 2008, the concept of the electric version of the Nissan Cube - Denki was presented at the New York Auto Show. The new "Cube" was sold not only in the US and Japan, but also in many European countries. Collected the same model in the city of Sunderland, in the UK.

The third generation

The official debut of the last generation of the car took place in 2008 as part of the Los Angeles Auto Show. In 2009, the novelty appeared on many world markets, with the exception of Eastern Europe, as well as Russia.

Design

Less angularity is the hallmark of the third generation Nissan Cube. "Tuning", which was carried out by Nissan designers, made the car more streamlined. The car received a narrow radiator grille, elongated oval headlights with retracted optics of the far and dipped beam. On both sides of the emblem of the brand there are six ventilation openings. The original design of the radiator grill led to the fact that the car received the nickname "bulldog in sunglasses."

The rear bumper of the car is convex and more streamlined than its predecessor. In its upper part is located the rear optics, combined into an elongated oval.

Interior

Salon Nissan Cube has changed dramatically. Designers gave the interior a Jacuzzi shape, however strange it may sound.

It should be noted wavy torpedo car. At a time when, in the second generation, the dashboard and the center console were combined into one, in the third generation they are independent elements of the cabin.

The biggest elements of the instrument panel are the oval tachometer and speedometer. Between them is the on-board computer screen. The handlebars are three-spoke with a grip of medium thickness. The central console protrudes into the interior, and the instrument panel and the niche above the glove box are in undulating dimples. In its upper part is a full-time recorder (expensive complete sets equip multimedia Nissan Connect with a touch screen), on the sides of which are oval air ducts. In its lower part is placed the control unit of the climate system, and on the central tunnel there are compact cup holders.

Front seats "Cuba" with short cushions and weak lateral support are still quite comfortable.

High landing provides the driver an excellent overview. A wide reclining armrest divides the back sofa into two seats. Back row backs fold in a ratio of 40/60, thereby increasing the volume of the luggage compartment to 1645 liters.

Nissan Cube. Specifications

The third generation of "Cuba" is built on the same platform "B". The wheelbase of the car is 2530 mm, the total length is 3720 mm, the width is 1610 mm, and the height is 1625 mm.

The engine range for the Nissan Cube consists of three petrol and one diesel engines. Gasoline is represented by a 109-horsepower 1.5 liter, 112-horsepower 1.6 liter and 122-horsepower 1.8-liter power units. Diesel 1.5-liter engine is capable of developing 110 liters. from. All engines work in conjunction with the manual transmission in a five- or six-stage version or are aggregated with a stepless variator.