CUBE TO THE CANYON
By: Melanie Droz
2010 Nissan Cube 1.8S
Since I am a teacher with summers off, my husband and I decided to take the 2010 Nissan Cube 1.8S on an overnight trip to the Grand Canyon. Considering the 27 city mpg/ 31 highway mpg and 5-star government safety ratings, the Cube was a sensible car to drive up north.
However, with the Cube’s 4-cylinder engine and 122 horsepower, we did struggle a bit climbing the hills in elevation, but the Xtronic CVT (Continuously Variable Transmission) provided a smooth ride even when having to accelerate uphill. You can barely hear or feel the shifting of gears. All we could hear was the XM radio blasting from six upgraded speakers with Rockford Fosgate subwoofer.
Arriving in Williams, AZ to spend the night, we drove into town on the famous Route 66. In the Moss Green Cube with illuminated kick plates and stainless steel custom grille, we fit in with the other classics strolling down Main Street over and over again. When we finished the 10-second drive down the center of town, we went to bed early so we could drive out in the morning to the Grand Canyon.
In everyone’s eagerness to see the beauty of the national forest, several vehicles were passing cars along the highway. Luckily, we had the 2010 Nissan Cube 1.8S with 4-wheel anti-lock braking system, electronic brake force distribution and brake assist. More than once, I was forced to slam on the brakes as a car cut in front of me not realizing the Grand Canyon has been there for millions of years and will remain in the same spot for several years to come.
It was quite a sight to see. Pictures and videos do not do it justice. The inside of the canyon is phenomenal. It is a bit similar to the Cube, which is on a much smaller scale, of course. Not everyone may be attracted to the exterior of the Cube, but the inside has luxuries you might not expect. For example, driver seat armrest, premium grade seat fabric, leather-wrapped steering wheel, steering-wheel mounted controls, Bluetooth, chrome plated inner door handles and an interface system for iPod. Not too shabby up against the powerful and inspiring landscape of the Grand Canyon.
Although we didn’t do much hiking (I yelled at Matt when he got too close to the edge; by the way, where are the railings?), the Nissan Cube does seem like a perfect vehicle for an active lifestyle. The rear bench seat folds down to create a ton of cargo space with cargo area protector to keep all of your gear. The only gear we brought were tennis shoes, but we were better off that some other tourists wearing flip flops.
I realized on the drive home that one of my favorite features of the 2010 Nissan Cube was the cupholder located to the left of the steering wheel in perfect location for the driver and my sudden need for all the water in the world. My husband was jealous he didn’t have that or an armrest on the passenger side. I also liked the oversized visors for when the sun was beating into my eyes on the way home. I had to be careful not to put the visor down too far or I wouldn’t be able to see the road.
The shag dash topper and front door bungees were also something new that I liked; however, I wasn’t sure what their purpose was. The removable shag dash topper was where I kept my cell phone during the drive, and it didn’t budge at all. I kept some cash in the front door bungees and noticed in the glove compartment that there was a bag of different colored bungees, so we changed the orange for purple on the ride home.
Starting at $15,350, the Cube is an affordable vehicle and great for traveling. Our trip to the Grand Canyon was unforgettable and so was the 2010 Nissan Cube!
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