Cube in the Market

Nissan wins the oddball award, even among kooky-looking box-cars, and 28 mpg in the city is impressive. But even urban driving requires an occasional jaunt on the highway — or a road trip to see the 'rents — and here the Cube suffers, especially compared with the more substantial-feeling xB.

Another observation: Value and funky styling aside, these econoboxes give something up compared with what the same money will buy in a more conventional — if slightly pricier — car. Consider your alternatives if you're shopping one of these boxes, because the quality and refinement that's baked into $17,000 sedans like the Honda Civic, Kia Forte and Mazda3 will have you thinking twice about the Soul, xB and Cube. If car shoppers continue to crave value, these cars have robust futures. But low prices can only do so much; quality matters, too, and in the long run, I suspect all three boxes will have to make significant strides to stay competitive.

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    Operating tips
    -When the engine coolant temperature and outside air temperature are low, the air flow from the foot outlets may not operate for a maximum of 150 seconds. However, this is not a malfunction. ...

    After the operation
    1. Lower the vehicle carefully to the ground. 2. Dispose of waste oil and filter properly. - Prolonged and repeated contact with used engine oil may cause skin cancer. - Try to avoid direct ...

    Audio main operation
    VOL/ON·OFF control: Place the ignition switch in the ACC or ON position and push the VOL/ON·OFF control knob while the system is off to call up the mode (radio or CD) that was playing immedia ...