Spy photo!

The 2010 Chiapet:

55 mopar.jpg



... and a possible 2011 luxury model Chiapet:

60 fury.jpg

 

That WINS!

 

I laughed out loud when I got a close look at those pics

 

I've had a Soul for a while (work) and I like it - I can push it around the lab by myself. The inside is pretty cool, too, but roomy. All the guys even like it.

I saw a Cube in person for the first time this past weekend though - no thanks. I was never into the xB thing, though. The Cube is bigger than it looked and it's not cute when it's that big, just funny looking.

 

The Cube pictured at the top of the thread is the original Japanese market model. Nissan will offer a more "Americanized" Cube 2.0 for sale here.

I think Nissan has the idea for this type of vehicle better nailed down than Toyota ever did with the original Scion xB.

I am not a fan of either vehicle but can appreciate why some folks are attracted to this type of ride. I rode once in a co-workers 2005 Scion xB and the car felt underpowered and was fairly rattly/noisy for a Toyota product.

One thing to be clear about these Cubed shaped cars..... They are all about looks, stereos and space packaging. Performance and handling are secondary in that market.

 

This is the third generation Nissan Cube (2009 MY onwards) that will be sold in the US and Canada:



Its got a 122HP 1.8L 4 cyl engine and available CVT automatic and 6 spd manual transmissions. It rides on the same exact Nissan Versa FWD platform and uses the same powertrains. Essentially, the new Nissan Cube is a Nissan Versa with a squared off body.

Below, the first gen Nissan Cube made from 1998-2002:



And the more popular second generation Cube that was built from 2002-2008:



To me personally, the best looking model was the 2002-2008 Japan market only generation. However it was saddled with a puny 1.3L engine and only available with a CVT or 4 spd automatic transmission. No manuals.

 

I wonder if these low vehicles with upright windshields have the same windshield cracking problems we have in our minis.

 

Probably. The Honda Element and Subaru Forester, to name two, have had the same windshield issues.

 

I had this same experience when I test drove a 2008 corolla and a 2008 sport edition scion tc. I was a die hard toyota fan until I drove those cars after test driving a MINI for grins. I got more excitement from a civic, more power from a subaru, and just plain MORE from the MINI.

The tc was quick, but the car felt cheap.

I'm all for buying cheap cars, but there are cheap cars and then there are cars that someone slapped together for the sake of being cheap, and that's how I felt about driving the scion especially. Someone spent a lot of time designing those seats (the sport edition seats for the tc were *very* nice) and making them very comfortable and gave the car some vroom, but they totally forgot about everything else.

 

I never cared for Toyotas myself, save the old Supras, 1980s RWD Celicas and the original and second gen MR2. Oh and the Cressida was fairly decent sedan much better than the FWD Lexus ES crappola they replaced it with (Or the junky Avalon).

Last time I was in Canada I had a 2005 Corolla rental (Crank windows, cheapo Canadian model) and the car was a BORE to drive. And I drove some of the most beautiful roads in the Canadian Rockies. Bad radio, Mouse gray drab interior, so-so seats, gutless engine, cheap feeling all around.

I honestly don't know what people see in Toyotas and Scions. I guess these cars are aimed at people that either don't know any better or simply hate cars.

 

I'd have to go with the "don't know any better" option. I loved my Toyotas primarily because you had to go to a great deal of effort to kill them. I can count the number of times that both of those cars were in the shop for repairs on one hand. My husband's VW gave us more trouble than both toyotas put together. For what they are, cheap transportation for the masses, Toyotas are great cars.

I think that the category of fun to drive is a completely different market. Another gal I know drives the same model of corolla that I replaced with Viola and she goes on and on about how well it corners and how fun it is to drive. She has driven toyotas and american made cars exclusively and I'm sort of afraid of what would happen if I put her behind the wheel of a MINI. I don't think she'd know what to do with a car that requires you to be an active participant in the driving process. Most people aren't prepared for the fact that when you put your foot on a pedal or turn the wheel, you'd better mean it.

I'm definitely a convert, but I also have a lot of friends that I would rather see driving corollas. It's safer for the rest of us that way.

 

I have no experience with the Honda Elephant, but do have about 200 K behind the windshield of a Forester. No cracking issues other than the sand bast effect all windscreens get over time.

Back on topic..... The Cube

I think it is a strange one. Not my cup o tea.

 

We were just talking about "the other" car tonight. His concern seems to be "what would the dogs do to it??"...Slober on the Windows!!

One of our Beloved Dogs rode in my '96 Chevy Pickup to CO and back, as a Puppy. And our 2 Beloved Dogs have ridden in his '99 Chevy Blazer (Sold), and now our "other car" is an '01 Dodge Durango,which will be going away...far...far...away late next year. I am still hoping he will decide on a MINI, but he seems pretty adament about spending that kind of $$ on a car for "The Dogs"!!

When the time comes I'll 'push' him into a Test Drive in an S, I know then that that will make up his mind!! Or a better idea would be for me to go and buy a MINI for him!!

 

If I were my parents buying me a car (or, in the case of my parents "buying" me a car, letting me spend money on buying a car), this is one I might allow myself to consider. Figure that out.

In all seriousness, seems like a decent non-used starter car. Frugal, practical, doesn't blend in completely (a la Corolla), better pricing than the Fit, and rocking sound system. My only reservation is the CVT. The Versa was marked down for CVT reliability.

 

+1!

 

Wow, those look worse than the xB. What's up with the whole boxy miniature mini van thing nowadays?

 

Only word that comes to mind; FUGLY!!

 

Early Elements have more problems with broken windshields than MINIs do.
My wife has a 2003 its on its 4th broken windshield.
Back to the subject. Cars like the Cube and the Element make great transportation modules. The Element is easy to clean inside with rubber floors and has much more room inside than you would believe.

 

I'm glad small transport pods are out there. Maybe some folks will pass up on getting a full sized gas hog when they see they can have some utility in a small package.

 

I'm not a big fan of Toyota by no means. I have always believed they rode BMW's coat tails. not to mention they are one of the most unoriginal companies around. If one company does something, they are right there to copy. So, when I see Honda put out the new Insight and it looks just like the Prius, and now Nissan bringing the Cube for a full on assault to the XB, I'm glad. It's about time someone slapped Toyota in the face. Not that I like any of these ugly, Picasso inspired freaks. It's just I'm glad to see someone put Toyota in their place.

 

This is news to me - I wasn't aware of a windshield cracking problem with MINIs until now.

A friend has a Honda Element, and I totally get the appeal of these cubic-mobiles. They have a small "footprint" on the road, comfortable upright seats, good gas mileage from their smallish 4-cylinder engines. Not to mention fabulous utility - it really is amazing to witness the amount of junk that can be crammed inside one of these things. And the "modding" crowd goes wild about them - monster stereos, glowing paint jobs, pimped out interiors, etc. What's not to like?

Well - - - their appeal ends (for me, anyway) with the driving experience. Purely utilitarian and dull, the exact opposite of our MINIs. All that good stuff about the cube-mobiles is totally forgotten the moment my MINI starts moving down the road. The feeling of being connected to the road and the go-cart steering are the raison d'etre of the MINI. I even prefer my regular Cooper to the "S", it is such a nicely balanced package of steering, ride, braking, cornering and power. Throw in great gas mileage and a small dose of utility and the MINI blows them all away.

Like having a party on your way to work every day.

 

I totally agree, but I admire the idea of a small scale van. Not a driver's car, sure, but if I had to haul musical instruments, or flowers, or any number of things, a more scaled-down, cleverly designed van would be a nice choice, especially if it was capable of being frugal on fuel.

I guess what I like about the Cube (at least the second gen version) was that it skipped out on meaningless embellishments, favoring more simple, direct, honest lines. It was...well, a cube...and didn't try to escape that fact.

 

Except, perhaps, the zen "ripples" on the headliner:
http://www.autoblog.com/photos/chica...-krom/1351060/

But I do see the appeal. It's versatile, frugal, cheap, and not without character (or potential for character). I'm still not convinced about Nissan's CVTs though (or any CVT for that matter... yet).

 

Yeah, I'm not sure I'm a fan of that next-gen Cube.

 

We rented one when we went to Japan (summer 07) I liked it. It's not a fun car to drive but as a practical car it's great. They are quite popular in Japan.