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.

    See also:

    New for 2010
    The Frontier receives only minor changes for 2010, centered around safety improvements and greater availability of driveline features. ...

    Backing up behind a projecting object
    Backing up behind a projecting object The position C is shown further than the position B in the display. However, the position C is actually at the same distance as the position A . The vehi ...

    Front manual seat adjustment
    Forward and backward Pull the center of the bar up and hold it while you slide the seat forward or backward to the desired position. Release the bar to lock the seat in position. Reclining ...