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Nissan has officially launched its third-generation Cube in the UK.

The near production-ready Cube was in London last night in a specially-created Cube Store being used to promote the car.

See the Nissan Cube UK launch pics

“The Cube is a completely new product for us,” said a Nissan source. “We’re aiming to get it into pop culture and will be using marketing methods for the ca...Read the full article

Since when did "young people" have the money to afford a new car? I got my first new car at 25 and could only do that because of a special deal involving no down payment and 60 months at 0%. There is no way I would have brought a "cube" at the time either, not that I despise how it looks, but because any car trying that hard to be "cool" is going to look tatty in a couple of years (if not already). Added to that the extra money spent on design rather than quality engineering - I'd rather have a dull looking car that's reliable and drives well, as opposed to a good looking car that has sub-standard engineering.

-fantastic!! I love the Cube!

-the price of the Cube is really good as I understand and its already easily stood the test of time - i love it.

-this car has fantastic engineering and its proved its salt in Japan and the USA, thus Nissan turn out another cool great looking car with fantastic and reliable engineering!

-well done Nissan, I just wish we could have got it here sooner!! (you could get them  grey import though for a while)

-i love this car and i want one! and they so practical!! well done Nissan!

 

I am 21, so I guess I fall into this category.

 a few things to consider Nissan:

- As a 21 year old I want a cheapish car because I am struggling to even find (postgrad) work at the moment. I certainly would not buy new as the previous poster rightly suggests.

-  I am male. I have no gender or sexuality prejudices, but if I bought this, my mates would laugh me out of my friendship group. I'd be better off starting to wear ladies' garments when i went out with them.

- When I buy a car, as a 21 year old, I want it to look sporty or at least attractive, not like a fridge with some clever asymetric details that make it look like Mr Dyson is its designer.

I think that is all. You have missed your target market here... 

-i am a heterosexual male and i love it, free thinking, SELF ASSURRED, confident, well designed; its a fanstastic car! and indeed very cool! awesome!

-i am chuffed to bits they have finally brought it to the UK!!

-as a note to Agitprop, if your mates are as sad as you say, get some new ones! and be confident enough to have your own taste; sure if you do not like it, fine, but to list a reason that your friends will not like it?

-it is not them that buy it or drive it and thus nothing to do with them - my advice, just be more confident in yourself, you can like what you like and do not like what you do not like, it does not matter what your friends think and if they are true freinds it will not matter what you decide to buy and what you think as they will accept you for who you are.

CapsLock:

this car has fantastic engineering and its proved its salt in Japan and the USA

The Cube has pretty much flopped in North America.

By "fantastic" engineering do you mean "torsion beam rear suspension", "drum rear brakes" and inflexible seating? If purchasing a vehicle like this my money would go to the Skoda Roomster everytime, despite their current engine range being rather lacking.

 The cube is great,

activate the cube!

For those that don't think it is cool or manly are not really up-to-date with culture. The Japanese youth have been having cars like this for many years, and they actually have straight sex you know. Its all in the mind. But the fact is we are in a different country, i think there is hope for these cars in London where things can start off perhaps.

- it is fantastically engineered like all Nissan cars

-as far as i know its got front vented disc and rear drums (but its not a sports machine so that is cool), its got torision beam as MANY other cars have (nothing wrong with that) and it (as far as i know) will not have the bench front seats and will have two independent front seats and the seats fold down in teh rear to leave fantastic load area and look at the way the door opens!! i think it is ace, truly fantastic!

-as far as its US sales go, it is quite a small car and its not been out that long in the USA; also you state "flop" by comparison too? i would guess Nissan did not expect to sell many in the USA and thus i would not be many means call it a flop unless you have the actual sales figures and the Nissan projections.

- over here it will not be everyones cup of tea and Nissan know that; i love it, i think the Roomster looks like a cut and shunt, half of one car and something of another glued together.

-but they are different cars and for different things, the Cube sits very much in its own space and the only car i can think that comes close is the PT Cruiser, but this is smaller and sits in its own niche! it will do well and i am excited by it; its ushering in a new thing

-i want one! i cannot wait!

I don't dislike it because my mates wouldn't, CapsLock, jut commenting that a lot of blokes will be put off by it for that reason. Just as they are by cars like the 500, C3 Pluriel etc., (I realise this sounds like a a generalisation, but I am going by the reaction of my group of close friends and upscaling that a bit when I said I like the 500). Most of my friends (well, all bar one) are very open-minded people but have very rigid pre-conceived idea of what sort of cars are 'masculine' and what sort of cars are 'feminin.' Personally I'm not that fussed but  I think a lot of people would be.

I think my other points remain valid though; I am really feeling the effects of a depressed jobs market now as I try and find work for Sept '10 and the last thing on my mind is a brand new car. My car does need replacing as it is on its last legs, and I am fortunate/unfortunate - whichever way you want to view it (I'd rather have my Nan) - that I have come into enough money to replace it next year. But I'll be spending £3-4000.

 Finally, I know this is subjective, but i think it looks bloody awful. People criticise BMW and the like for 'challenging styling,' but the Five Series GT looks pretty next to this. I just think it has all the appeal of a van.

 I hope I did not offend anyone with my previous post. It was not meant to be homphobic/sexist/insulting - I was simply highlighting how I think a lot of people would see it.

 

Another brave car from Nissan.

Nissan has displayed so much courage in their designs of late that someone deserves a medal. Wish I could bring myself to actually like one though. :-(

Hope it sells mind you. Is nice to see "out there" cars out there.

Agitprop:

I don't dislike it because my mates wouldn't, CapsLock, jut commenting that a lot of blokes will be put off by it for that reason. Just as they are by cars like the 500, C3 Pluriel etc., (I realise this sounds like a a generalisation, but I am going by the reaction of my group of close friends and upscaling that a bit when I said I like the 500). Most of my friends (well, all bar one) are very open-minded people but have very rigid pre-conceived idea of what sort of cars are 'masculine' and what sort of cars are 'feminin.' Personally I'm not that fussed but  I think a lot of people would be.

I think my other points remain valid though; I am really feeling the effects of a depressed jobs market now as I try and find work for Sept '10 and the last thing on my mind is a brand new car. My car does need replacing as it is on its last legs, and I am fortunate/unfortunate - whichever way you want to view it (I'd rather have my Nan) - that I have come into enough money to replace it next year. But I'll be spending £3-4000.

 Finally, I know this is subjective, but i think it looks bloody awful. People criticise BMW and the like for 'challenging styling,' but the Five Series GT looks pretty next to this. I just think it has all the appeal of a van.

 I hope I did not offend anyone with my previous post. It was not meant to be homphobic/sexist/insulting - I was simply highlighting how I think a lot of people would see it.

Lad has a point. I loved my ex wife's Micra 160SR so much most of my personal milage was done in it rather than my company Saab 9-3 Vector Sport. Got loads of stick from mates along the lines of "what you doing in that girls car."

CapsLock:

it is fantastically engineered like all Nissan cars

I can name several Nissan products that are below par - whether it be the engine in the Navara, the legacy of the "Almera" line etc... I say this as a very happy owner of a Nissan car!

 

CapsLock:

as far as i know its got front vented disc and rear drums

Correct. For a car of its weight and what you would assume to be its "average" weight loading it should have discs at the rear, not only for the extra stopping power they provide, but also because disc brakes react quicker to abs inputs, thus slowing the vehicle faster and with better stability.

CapsLock:

the seats fold down in teh rear to leave fantastic load area and look at the way the door opens!!

Wow, the seats fold. They don't even fold flat for God's sake! That's not a "well thought through" or packaged vehicle. Compared to the folding, sliding, removable seats in the Skoda Roomster, or maybe the clever seats in the Jazz and you should admit that really Nissan missed an opportunity to make the most of this vehicle.

CapsLock:

as far as its US sales go, it is quite a small car and its not been out that long in the USA; also you state "flop" by comparison too?

Sales below those that Nissan predicted. They're still desperately trying to shift what they refer to as 2009 stock, when almost all manufacturers have shifted the last of their 09 stock (bar those dealers selling Chrysler etc). This is despite a shift in consumer buying towards smaller cars, including the introduction of cars like the Kia Soul, which is doing very well.

CapsLock:

but they are different cars and for different things, the Cube sits very much in its own space

No, they're not. They're both mostly based on a supermini (Micra and Fabia), they both try to maximise space with a boxy design in the load area and they're probably going to be in similar price brackets. Stylistically (is that a word) the Cube does sit on its own, because very few manufacturers are prepared to produce something like it for the European market.

You have now made me sound like I really hate this car - I don't. I quite like the look of the cube. I couldn't have owned one at 21, I couldn't afford it and to be honest I agree with other posters here - there would have been comments from my friends. I had a used civic at 21, I took the "old man" comments in my stride, but the Nissan really isn't my cup of tea. It's very interestingly designed, asymmetrical etc, the interior is pretty interesting on the Japanese version, I wonder if the UK version will be similar (as both RHD) or will be the more boring North American interior.