FOUR SEASONS LOGBOOK

Our Four Seasons Nissan Cube plays while the sun shines.

I T H I T S YO U T H F U L S H A P E , cheery paint, and fun-house interior, the Nissan Cube is unquestionably the adolescent of our Four Seasons fl eet. So as the hot weather hit, the Cube was quick to escape its daily commuting duties for a summer vacation.

In June, associate web editor Je rey Jablansky made a banzai run from Ann Arbor to Newport, Rhode Island, via New York City, and then back to Michigan in one weekend. Considering its aerodynamic ambivalence, the Cube instilled a new respect in Jablansky for its composure over 1600 highway miles. As he observed, “The Cube did a better job of staying in its designated lane than our departed Four Seasons Honda Fit, which has a much more sleek shape.” The Nissan’s upright design does create some visibility issues, although not as you’d expect. At night, the excellent headlights illuminate a broad patch of road, but the vertical side windows create distracting refl ections in your peripheral vision from both passing vehicles and the Cube’s instrument panel.

The Cube headed east again less than a month later, this time landing in the suburbs of New York City, where the Nissan would spend three weeks of its summer with senior editor Joe Lorio and New York bureau chief Jamie Kitman. Again, the Cube quickly dispelled any notions that something so cheap, so small, and so square couldn’t possibly manage itself on the highway. “A CVT is unlikely to set an enthusiast’s heart alight, but it does make for pretty relaxed highway cruising, spinning at

four seasons logbook: fl eet update

relatively low rpm at highway speeds,” noted Lorio. At 70 mph, the Cube’s engine turns just 2400 rpm, while many other compacts Notes: 18,826 miles buzz near 3500 rpm. However, the Cube generates a moderate “The Cube is a great entry-level car roar at the A-pillars and windshield header when moving along at that doesn’t remind you how little it highway speeds and above.

“More motor is emphatically unnecessary,” Kitman asserted. costs each time you get in it.” “Even on the highway, illegal speeds are su ciently easy to — senior web editor Phil Floradayachieve and maintain.”

As unlikely as its high-speed demeanor is, no one would be eyed the beveled box. Since we had no intention of driving to the surprised to hear Kitman’s remarks when the Cube hit the Big West Coast, we did the next best thing and took the Cube to Apple. “For city driving, I love the size and overall practicality,” he Michigan’s own west coast. As expected, our Caribbean blue wrote. “Parking is a cinch, visibility is mostly decent, and the Cube looked right at home on the shore of Lake Michigan, golden upright driving position is refreshing and comfortable. Some sand beneath its four-spoke aluminum wheels and two sur oards blind spots lurk owing to crazy pillars, though, and a rearview stacked on its Thule roof rack. And it’s not just the styling that camera would come in handy.” captures the laid-back lifestyle. “As often as manufacturers have

On a Boy Scout trip to a Connecticut aquarium, Lorio found aimed to create the living room on wheels, I think Nissan is the that the accommodating cabin, practical dimensions, and supple fi rst to truly nail it,” concluded associate editor Eric Tingwall. ride belied the Nissan’s bargain price. Two adults “With the windows down and a breeze pulling enjoyed plenty of space up front, and three kids through the airy cabin, I could be content for were perfectly content in the rear with the THE SPECS hours just listening to music on the reclined rear sofalike bench and generous legroom. “With low Nissan Cube bench. I don’t know that I’d say that about any sills and big doors, getting in and out is extremely Price: $19,490 other car.” easy,” he remarked. “The cargo hold isn’t as big Engine: 1.8L I-4 As the season turned, the Cube fell back into as some, or as expandable as the Honda Fit’s, but Power: 122 hp the daily grind, but the fun wasn’t over. Instead, the Cube clearly is more focused on carrying Torque: 127 lb-ft the activities merely changed. As it does in most Months in fl eet: 9people than stu .” Miles to date: 20,083 settings, the Cube garnered plenty of attention

While New York City seemed to be a natural Observed fuel amidst the typical array of SUVs and crossovers at habitat for the small, funky Cube, we also couldn’t economy: 27 mpg the tailgate party for the fi rst University of help but think of a California beach every time we Michigan football game. AM