Safety & Features

The Cube has yet to be tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Standard safety features include six airbags, antilock brakes and an electronic stability system; click here for the full list. The Soul and xB have similar features, but you'd be hard-pressed to find another $14,000 car with antilock brakes and a stability system standard. On this front, I'm impressed with all three of these cars.

The Cube 1.8 starts at $13,990, which is $690 more than the base Soul but $1,760 less than the xB. Standard features include remote keyless entry — it's optional on the Soul — plus power windows and locks, air conditioning, and a two-speaker CD stereo with an MP3 jack. The xB and Soul include standard USB/iPod inputs, which offer better integration for music players than the Cube's basic jack.

The 1.8 S starts at $14,690 and adds a four-speaker stereo, cruise control and a few other convenience features. The CVT automatic runs $1,000. The 1.8 SL ($16,790) includes the CVT standard; it also gets alloy wheels, automatic climate control and a six-speaker stereo with — finally! — a USB/iPod input. A Rockford Fosgate stereo with steering-wheel audio controls is optional. The tricked-out Cube Krom, which includes all these features, runs $19,370.

    See also:

    Recent Calls
    Use the Recent Calls command to access outgoing, incoming or missed calls. “Outgoing” A Use the Outgoing command to list the outgoing calls made from the vehicle. “Incoming” B Use th ...

    Cargo
    Given that all three cars are space-efficient, the Cube's smallest-in-group exterior size has to hurt something. It does — the cargo space. Nissan says volume behind the second row totals just 1 ...

    Compact Disc (CD) player operation
    Place the ignition switch in the ACC or ON position and insert the Compact Disc (CD) into the slot with the label side facing up. The CD will be guided automatically into the slot and start pl ...