[hal9000]

Though I really don't like the new design..I noticed one of the links had a photograph of the new cube in a nonmetallic cream color...actually looked pretty good. I knew this was too good to be true as apparently ALL Americans like only dull metallic colors. Well...after checking out Nissan's web page..we are indeed getting hosed by being offered a bunch of dull metallic colors.....good grief this keeps getting worse....large engine only, no e-drive, no sunroof, questionable redesign, and now not even a good color selection...pretty much confirms my other post that Nissan is going backwards and copying the first gen Scion Xb..right down to the colors..a white and a bunch of dull metallic.

 

[anderlan]

*Not* copying the first gen xB. The first gen xB has an almost-unheard-of-in-US 1.5L engine. I *really* *really* *really* thought Nissan was going with their 1.6L in the Cube (like you'll be able to get in the Versa soon).

Still, 1.8L may not be that bad for MPG, with the funky CVT.

CVTs seem less common, even in fuel-sippers, than they used to be in the early nineties. I am very, very curious about such beasts. I like my 1.5L xB because I can drop it to get into traffic. Will I be able to do that with the CVT? Will I be able to do that without hurting MPG like I'm driving a 1.8L Matrix Sport or something? Something about a small engine is that, given a range of possible MPG you could get depending on your driving style, the floor of that range is higher if you have a smaller engine.

 

[R50Paul]

Will I be able to do that with the CVT?

A CVT transmission is a belt driven transmission. There are gears but you can't select them. It's PARK, REVERSE, and DRIVE. When you mash on the gas to get on the freeway in a CVT, it'll turn the belt faster and therefore be quicker though the gears. I've got a few friends with MINI Coopers with the CVT transmissions and that is the best way to describe what they do. Although good mpgs can be pumped out of one, the six speed manual will be the winner. When it comes down to mileage.

 

[hal9000]

When I was referring to copying the first gen Scion I wasn't talking about the engine displacement. I was talking about the choice of subdued metallic paint colors and leaving the A pillars body colored.
New Cube/Old Scion=A pillars body color..Old Cube/New Scion=A pillars black....this has a major visual impact when the eye flows from front to rear of vehicle..and since they made the ridiculous toy-like photo window it looks like it will be near impossible to black the pillars out on your own.

 

[Guest]

Well, I had posted a link for everyone to contact Nissan regarding the limited options available to US customers.
Mr. Goon and I still feel that there is still a strong possibility that a sunroof and even the e-awd system might
make it here as a limited model of some sort. The Nissan website does make mention of e-awd from a review on the 2008
model, so isn't kind of stupid they wouldn't bring it here for 2009? Don't tell me traction control is their excuse for not shipping e-awd.

 

[Commando]

I hope they do have a version that includes eAWD, sunroof, and other things. The curvyness is kind of wierd considering it is called the cube. I dunno. Maybe they are playing with different package options and will have huge differances between a "luxury" model and "bare-bones" model.

 

[Pejay66]

There are a number or great colors (red/chocolate/silver).

Patrick