April part 2

Still, I had no complaints about the Cubes interior design. The rice paper-style sunroof blind gave a real Japanese flavour, while the curvy dashboard and door panels were designed to resemble a jacuzzi for a calm, relaxed feel.

Unfortunately, the stylish design was let down by cheap materials. Every surface was hard and unappealing, and my cars grey colourscheme was dour. The assembly was questionable, too. After only a couple of months the door pull on the front passenger side started to fall apart.

Lacklustre
For me, though, the biggest disappointment was the Cubes lacklustre driving manners. The vague, overly light steering didnt inspire much confidence on twisty roads, and bends caused way too much body lean.

That would have been easily forgivable if the Cube gave a comfortable ride, but it didnt. The car felt choppy over patchy urban surfaces, while on the motorway it managed to feel both lumpy and floaty.

Buying information
Running costs
Servicing and repair costs
Depreciation index
List- and Target PriceMotorway journeys were also noisy: tyre-, wind- and suspension noise were too prevalent at 70mph, but the drone of the 1.6-litre petrol engine was even more annoying.

All of my concerns were echoed by magazine editor Jim Holder, who took the car to Wales for a family weekend away. He noted that it was noisy on the motorway, and the boot was barely big enough for all of their stuff.

The vital statistics
Fuel economy wasnt great, at an average of 34.4mpg, while carbon dioxide emissions of 151g/km meant company car tax was in the high 19% bracket, too.

The Cube isnt exactly cheap to buy, either, costing 15,100. Rivals such as the Citron C3 Picasso and Nissans Note cost much less, and both are better to drive and offer more practicality.

True, Im not too upset to be saying goodbye to my car it might have raised countless smiles along the way, but not all of them came from me. That doesnt mean Im happy that the Cubes days are numbered, though due to the profit-pinching effects of international exchange rates, Nissan has stopped importing it.

Its a shame, because if there were more Cubes on the road, the world would be a slightly more cheerful place.

Reader Test Team
Name Stephen Taylor
Drives Nissan Cube 1.6 LDN
Stephens verdict

I was offered a really good deal on my Cube and Im really glad I bought it. The seats are the most comfortable youll ever sit on and the handling isnt too shabby for such a tall car. The Cube has an amazing turning circle, too, and visibility is very good.
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