In answer to my question from August, "Is this the Nissan Cube I've been waiting for?" the answer is, "Yes, and they even flipped the rear asymmetry to accommodate LHD and Right Side of Road driving."
Nissan finally unveiled the 2010 Cube at the LA Auto Show. It's the third generation of the awesome little space car, and the first to come to the US. It's about as big as a 1st gen Scion xB, and it should help push the bloated 2nd gen xB over a sales cliff where it belongs.
In Japan, the Cube manages to have three rows of seating. In the US, we only get two, though the rear seat slides back to provide limo-like legroom. When I confirm you can fit three car seats across the rear bench, like in the xB, I'll update the post--and start clearing out the garage. [figuratively speaking, of course, since we don't have a garage.]
Nissan Cube Revealed: launch and mfr pics, plus the awkwardly "hip" press release [jalopnik]
Wait...three car seats?
Yeah, I thought that might be misconstrued. We don't need three, I'm just thinking of it's a good principle to not have to buy a new car every time you have a new kid.
Though now that I think about it, it'd make carpools and playdates easier.
I didn't have the chance to do a three car seat test in L.A. but I was not impressed with the Cube.
I actually thought the Kia Soul was a better done, ute-like economy car.
The cube's rear seat has a lot of leg room but is just a solid bench and when you fold the seats forward there is a big ledge there. However, my colleague Kelsey Mays thought it was better than the Soul and xB.
http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/2008/12/three-boxes-one.html
Teh Sexxy! When (gods forbid) my trusty Outback Sport dies, this little beauty might just be my next car.
Hopefully that event is a good while away, as I have only 85k on mine (though I do tend to beat it like a rented mule).
By the time I'm in the market, they will probably inflated this tiny little gem to the size of an Armada, but what can you do?
Blk/Blk/Blk had BETTER be an option (as must a decent stereo system, something Subaru has yet to master).