2011 Nissan Cube Wagon Features & Specs

What's New for 2011

For 2011, an integrated navigation system with real-time traffic and a USB audio interface is added to the options list for the SL and S Krom Edition trim levels.

Introduction

You'd be shocked how few people ask us, "Hey, I'm looking for a car with a shag-carpet toupee fastened to its dashboard. Got any suggestions?" And even fewer people write, "I wish I could find a car that looks like a vintage kitchen appliance and has 20 mood lighting colors!"
Actually, nobody has ever actually asked us those things. But if there were such people, we'd direct them to the 2011 Nissan Cube.
At its core, the Cube is a compact hatchback with a low price, a generous amount of passenger space and a fuel-efficient engine. To fully appreciate these talents, though, you first have to appreciate the Cube's unusual character. Such boxy and quirky cars are all the rage in Japan. However, the Cube is so boxy and so quirky that it almost seems like a Japanese caricature -- the car equivalent of a ninja dressed in Hello Kitty pajamas riding on the back of a robot Godzilla.
Yet there are obviously folks who find the 2011 Nissan Cube's unique style and array of features appealing. For them (and perhaps you), it's important to note that beneath the boxy exterior is the same platform that underpins the Nissan Versa, a comfortable but somewhat dull subcompact. Along with the Cube's water-like rippling texture in the headliner and dashboard that looks like the cabin of a Chevy cargo van viewed through a funhouse mirror, the Cube provides plenty of passenger space and amenities for the price. Of particular note is the backseat that both reclines and slides, which is a unique feature for this class.
Put all this together and you have a car that's a practical little runabout for those who appreciate its unique personality. Of course there are other vehicles at this price range that offer less style but with more practicality. The Honda Fit is a champ in terms of cargo space, interior versatility and handling. The Ford Fiesta feels like a more grown-up car to drive. The Kia Soul is even cheaper and offers its own brand of funky style, while the Scion xB is the original Japanese box on wheels.
You certainly have choices when it comes to low-priced compact hatchbacks with generous passenger space and a fuel-efficient engine. But if you want something extremely out of the ordinary, there's really only one choice: Nissan's Cube.

Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options

The 2011 Nissan Cube is a five-passenger compact hatchback available in base, S, SL and Krom Edition trim levels. The base Cube comes standard with 15-inch steel wheels, rear privacy glass, keyless entry, full power accessories, air-conditioning, a height-adjustable driver seat, a tilt-only steering wheel and a two-speaker sound system with a CD player. The Cube S adds cruise control, upgraded cloth upholstery, a driver armrest, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, map lights, Bluetooth and a six-speaker sound system with steering wheel controls and an iPod audio interface.
The Cube SL gains 16-inch alloy wheels, automatic headlights, foglights and automatic climate control. The SL Preferred package adds keyless ignition/entry, a rearview camera, a touchscreen navigation system, real-time traffic, satellite radio, a USB port and Rockford Fosgate upgraded speakers. The S Krom Edition comes with the Preferred package as standard and also gains unique 16-inch wheels, unique exterior body styling items, special interior trim and 20-color interior accent lighting (available separately).
The long list of accessories includes different alloy wheel designs, body kit items, interior trim pieces (available in five different colors), bungee cord map holders, multicolor interior hooks and a piece of shag carpeting that attaches to the top of the dashboard with Velcro.

Powertrains and Performance

Every 2011 Nissan Cube is front-wheel drive and features a 1.8-liter four-cylinder that produces 122 horsepower and 127 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed manual transmission is standard on the base and the S, while a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT) is optional on the S and standard on the SL and Krom. In performance testing, a Cube with the CVT went from zero to 60 mph in 9.7 seconds -- average performance for a subcompact car. EPA-estimated fuel economy is 27 mpg city/31 mpg highway and 29 mpg combined with the CVT; the manual returns 25/30/27.

Safety

Every 2011 Nissan Cube comes standard with stability and traction control, antilock brakes (disc front, drum rear), front side airbags, side curtain airbags and active front head restraints.
The Cube has not been rated using the government's new, more strenuous 2011 crash testing procedures. Its 2010 ratings (which aren't comparable to 2011 tests) were four stars for frontal-impact protection and five stars for side protection. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety gave the Cube its highest rating of "Good" in the frontal-offset, side-impact and roof strength tests.

Interior Design and Special Features

To complement its head-turning exterior, the 2011 Cube's basic cabin design has soft curves, notably a headliner with the effect of a dropped pebble in a pond, not to mention optional mood lighting with no fewer than 20 different colors. Add the shag carpet dash topper and you'll think you've time-warped back to a 1970s boogie van.
At the same time, simplicity is the theme of the cabin layout. The standard climate control is the old-school three-knob style (the optional automatic system is more complicated). The no-frills stereo has large preset buttons and the cruise control has easy-to-thumb buttons on the wheel. The overstuffed front seats are comfortable during hour-long commutes, although not for much longer.
In back, the tall roof and adjustable backseat (it not only reclines but also slides fore and aft) provides head- and legroom for 6-footers. This hatchback's split rear seat doesn't fold entirely flat for cargo, but it does deliver more than 50 cubic feet of space.

Driving Impressions

In the cut and thrust of city traffic, the 2011 Nissan Cube is rarely caught flat-footed. Much of the credit goes to its superb CVT, which makes the most of the engine's available power. Another positive is the plush ride quality. On the highway, though, the Cube's shape doesn't exactly slip through the air, so noticeable wind noise at higher speeds is the result. This is also not a platform for enthusiastic driving, as the Cube's slow, light-effort steering and soft suspension make it an uninspiring companion.

Colors

Exterior

Interior

Exterior

Tires and Wheels

• Steel wheels
• 15 x 6.0 in. wheels
• Steel spare wheel
• P195/60R15 97H tires
• All season tires
• Underbody mounted spare tire
• Full wheel covers
• Temporary spare tire

Roof and Glass

• Variable intermittent wipers
• Privacy glass
• Rear defogger
• Intermittent rear wiper

Towing and Hauling

• Cargo tie downs

Measurements

• Width: 66.7 in.
• Height: 65.0 in.
• Length: 156.7 in.
• Ground clearance: 6.3 in.
• Front track: 58.1 in.
• Rear track: 58.3 in.
• Wheel base: 99.6 in.
• Cargo capacity, all seats in place: 11.4 cu.ft.
• Maximum cargo capacity: 58.1 cu.ft.

• EPA interior volume: 109.1 cu.ft.
• Gross weight: 3825 lbs.
• Drag Coefficient: 0.35 Cd
• Curb weight: 2789 lbs.

Exterior Options

• Splash Guards

Mechanical

Engine & Performance

• Base engine size: 1.8 L
• Cam type: Double overhead cam (DOHC)
• Cylinders: inline 4
• Valves: 16
• Valve timing: Variable
• Torque: 127 ft-lbs. @ 4800 rpm
• Horsepower: 122 hp @ 5200 rpm
• Turning circle: 33.4 ft.

• Base engine type: gas

DriveTrain

• Drive type: front wheel drive
• Transmission: 6-speed manual

Suspension

• MacPherson strut front suspension
• Torsion beam rear suspension
• Front independent suspension
• Front and rear stabilizer bar

Fuel

• Fuel type: gas
• Fuel type: regular unleaded
• Fuel tank capacity: 13.2 gal.
• Range in miles (cty/hwy): 330.0/396.0 mi.
• EPA mileage est. (cty/hwy): 25/30 mpg

Safety

Safety & Security

• 4-wheel ABS
• Front and rear head airbags
• Dual front side-mounted airbags
• Child seat anchors
• Remote anti-theft alarm system
• Emergency braking assist
• Ventilated front disc / rear drum brakes
• Rear door child safety locks
• Engine immobilizer
• 2 front headrests
• 2 rear headrests
• Passenger airbag occupant sensing deactivation
• Rear center 3-point belt
• Front seatbelt pretensioners
• Stability control
• Traction control
• Electronic brakeforce distribution
• Front height adjustable headrests
• Rear height adjustable headrests
• Passenger head restraint whiplash protection system
• Driver head restraint whiplash protection system
• Tire pressure monitoring

Warranty

• Basic: 3 yr./ 36000 mi.
• Drivetrain: 5 yr./ 60000 mi.
• Roadside: 3 yr./ 36000 mi.

Interior

Front Seats

• Front head room: 42.6 in.
• Front hip room: 48.8 in.
• Front leg room: 42.4 in.
• Front shoulder room: 52.2 in.
• Height adjustable driver seat
• Cloth
• Bucket front seats

Rear Seats

• Rear hip Room: 47.6 in.
• Rear head room: 40.2 in.
• Rear leg room: 35.5 in.
• Rear shoulder room: 52.4 in.
• Split-folding rear seatback
• Reclining rear seats
• Folding with storage center armrest

Power Features

• Remote power door locks
• Power mirrors
• 1 one-touch power windows

Convenience

• Front console with storage
• Front and rear cupholders
• Front and rear door pockets
• Retained accessory power
• Electric speed-proportional power steering
• 12V front power outlet(s)
• Tilt-adjustable steering wheel

Comfort

• Interior air filtration
• Air conditioning
• Simulated alloy trim on dash

Instrumentation

• Clock
• Tachometer
• Trip computer
• Low fuel level warning

In Car Entertainment

• Mast antenna
• 2 total speakers
• AM/FM in-dash single CD player stereo
• Auxiliary MP3 audio input

Interior Options

• Cargo Version (Special Order Only)

Packages

• Interior Designer Package