[unclejemima]

I am 100% baffled as to why the US spec model will not get the e4wd like the JDM model...???!!! ???
I still remember the article in Car&Driver where they brought the JDM model to our shores for a test, so that they could get the media warmed up to the new cube...this model had the e4wd...why in the heck did they tease us with the e4wd if they were not even going to bring it over???!!!
Any chance they will add this? Will the Canadian cube's get the e4wd???
Thanks!
-unclej

 

[qbcle]

I too was hoping the US model will offer e-AWD but it's all good because after reading more about the e-AWD, I can live without it.

I'm hoping to see the model with the 3rd Row Seat come to US.

 

[The Blue Potato]

I would wait to see what happens in Jan/Feb with Nissan USA....anything can change by then...right now we are still working with early press releases, etc. I would think that Nissan did their homework in Japan and found out that the e4wd sells well to that particular market rather than say the US/Canada market.

 

[ebm14]

The Cube hasn't even arrived at your local Nissan dealer and it already has stiff competition from Toyota's Scion and Kia's Soul. The very idea that Nissan offers e-AWD , and the others don't will certainly make the CUBE the leader. By all means, this shouldn't be standard, but it DEFIANTLY should be an OPTION and Nissan needs to tell the public about this or otherwise the Cube will lose ground. Nissan's USA website does make reference to the e-AWD (referring to a press article on the 2008 model) so there is still a good chance this will come here. I don't think Goshen wants any of us to buy a Fit or XB, so he better listen up.

Below is a link to Nissan USA, please write to them saying that you would like e-awd (and sunroof)

http://www.nissanusa.com/apps/contactus

 

[richmond2000]

hopefully they do offer it next year

 

[zaidim]

In Japan only 10% of Cubes have e-4WD...

 

[Tomas]

I suspect part of the difficulty of offering an e4wd model in the US related to the space the e4wd hardware takes, and the changes to the unibody required to accommodate those changes - such as removal of the spare tire space and replacing the spare with a tire patch kit...

I doubt Nissan has plans for more than one LHD chassis at this point, and the 2wd chassis is different than the e4wd chassis...

 

[ebm14]

"In Japan only 10% of Cubes have e-4WD"...

That is interesting. The winter isn't as bad as the east coast of the US and some midwest states, but lets not forget that it gets really cold in Hokkaido.

"I suspect part of the difficulty of offering an e-4wd model in the US related to the space the e4wd hardware takes, and the changes to the unibody required to accommodate those changes - such as removal of the spare tire space and replacing the spare with a tire patch kit...

I doubt Nissan has plans for more than one LHD chassis at this point, and the 2wd chassis is different than the e4wd chassis"..

You cold be very well right about that, but I believe the small electric engine uses power cables to generate the AWD system which should eat up enough space. Mounting it near or around the hanging spare should be such a problem since the tires aren't big to being with.

 

[Tomas]

Check the tire thread here for more info direct from the JDM owner's manual... http://www.nissancubelife.com/forum/index.php?topic=154.0 starting about the eighth post...

Looking at the JDM drawings of the e4wd system, the e4wd generator, control box, rear electric motor and fairly large rear geartrain take up a surprisingly large amount of room, especially for a system that automatically disconnects at speeds over 25 MPH.

On the JDM cubes, if you have e4wd you do not have anywhere to put a spare, and I'm not sure that most US drivers would be happy with no spare.

 

[richmond2000]

the BMW mini car has the spare only as option , wonder if some one has states on sales ?

 

[Tomas]

I am talking about the translated text from the JDM owners manual for the latest version of the Cube where it says that on the 2wd model the spare is a compact spare under the cargo area floor, reachable by lifting the floor, and that instead of a spare, the e4wd model gets a tire patch kit.

(Starts at post 8 not ends at post 8.)

The translation is in post 21...

 

[ebm14]

I think a large portion of buyers today are like the ones that get fooled into thinking they buying the same burger as seen on TV. This won't be the same burger if it lacks the same toppings that press has been so enthused about. That being the E-AWD system.

 

[Commando]

Yeah this si really confusing to me as well. As ebm said. it is referenced on the site, which is still there at this moment.

I'm wondering if they are going to have perhaps two models released. This smaller Cube "mobile" and perhaps the Cubic or something like that. I personally think that would be about the dumbest move they could make, but...

 

[ebm14]

I believe only one body style will be available here, Commando. As far as the AWD system and S/R, who knows?
The Nissan website is kind of misleading but what else is new. I guess for now if you want AWD, you'll have to look @ the Rogue. The Pathfinder & Xttera are has-beens.

 

[CubeMaster1]

It's about just making it fit the American Spec. It actually would be a more costly venture but I'm sure within the next couple of years they will have th option of the E-AWD.