Review of the new Nissan Cube 1.6

Cars are often criticised for being boxy but even the most squared-off estate or right-angle ridden 4x4 looks like a Ferrari 250 GTO next to the Nissan Cube. It's not a perfect cuboid, that would be silly, but it's as close as any other car currently on the market and that throws up a unique set of strengths and weaknesses. We tried the 1.6-litre petrol version to decide whether the Cube is hip or square; or both.

The Cube has been around for well over a decade in Japan and although the car enjoyed a relatively high profile in the UK, popping up in magazines and on enthusiast websites from time to time, the clamour to import it through official channels was always resisted by Nissan. Perhaps they thought we weren't ready. The Cube, you see, has always been a wilfully leftfield proposition, even in Japan where the small and cute holds a particular fascination, its quirkiness stands out.

This Cube, the one we finally did get, is actually the third generation model. We're told that by this stage the designers have chamfered off many of the Cube's odder eccentricities but that does make you wonder just how weird it was before.

There's nothing all that noteworthy about the 1.6-litre petrol engine found in the Cube. It has a modest 108bhp and isn't particularly well endowed in the torque department. It rev's reasonably freely but there's little accelerative reward for pushing on towards the redline, it's better to accept that you're going nowhere fast and take things easy. The 0-60mph time is 11.3s and a 109mph top speed can be achieved if you really went for it.

"Good manoeuvrability and easy controls make the Cube adept in an urban setting"

The Cube looks like it will handle like a garden shed, partly because it shares a similar silhouette. These kinds of low expectations are partly confounded when you get behind the wheel though because the Cube doesn't drive too badly for something so tall. There's plenty of width to counterbalance all that height and the wide track produces a super-tight turning circle and body-roll isn't too disconcerting in quicker corners. The steering is light and the six-speed gearbox relatively slick which is a further boon in an urban setting. The ride is quite firm, however and bumps in the road often send shudders through the cabin.

The Nissan Cube's quirkiness is at least partially explained when you learn more about the people behind it. The design team apparently spent most of their time pooling thoughts and ideas rather than embarking on a more regimented process as favoured with other models. Out of this brainstorming hotchpotch emerged a cartoon of a bulldog wearing sunglasses and around this 'incognito canine' the Cube's look was formed. It really does take all sorts. The Cube's elongated headlamps that spread right across the grill joining in the middle are the sunglasses while the chunky shape and foursquare stance do give it a suggestion of bulldog if you squint a bit. What's definitely noticeable is that the Cube is devoid of sharp edges. Despite its boxy look, its extremities end in soft curves which help create its cuddly persona.

At the rear, the door is side hinged and opens like a fridge so you can access cargo in spaces that would restrict a top hinged tailgate. It's still quite a sizable door however and you'll need to leave a bit of space behind the car to load your shopping. Once you get inside, the design comes over more curvy still but the theme remains geometric (inspired by the circular ripples that spread when a drop hits a pool of water). Nissan claims to have created a 'casual lounge' interior with the sofa-style rear bench arranged in a 'jacuzzi curve'. It all sounds very luxurious but isn't really that far removed from traditional car interior design.

There's absolutely loads of headroom, enough for Peter Crouch to drive wearing a Grenadier Guard's bearskin if the necessity ever arose. But the important areas of leg and shoulder room aren't any more generous than you'd expect in a more conventional supermini MPV.

The standard Cube grade not only introduces iconic asymmetric design to your driveway, but also includes a glass roof, rear privacy glass,Bluetooth and cruise control. Spend a little more and you can upgrade to Kaizen trim. This adds the Nissan Connect audio and navigation system, a rear parking camera and full climate control to the standard equipment list. The diesel model that serves as the alternative to this petrol version comes at a £1,200 premium. It's worth paying if you do a significant annual mileage but for short urban journeys, the petrol will work fine. The only decision is whether to choose the sharp-shifting manual transmission or opt for Nissan's advanced CVT.

Nissan is hoping to tap into the fashion-conscious urban market, people who want a compact, economical and manoeuvrable car to use around town but who also want to stand out in the traffic jams and multi-storey car parks. Toyota's iQ and the Smart Fortwo are far smaller than the Cube but they're pitched at a similar demographic. Daihatsu's Materia is an equivalent size and looks to have been influenced by the Cube's styling but it hasn't the same kudos and isn't as well executed as the Nissan. More competent but less stylish rivals include the Vauxhall Meriva, Renault Modus and Nissan's own Note. The Cube's designers claim to have formulated something unique and for the time being, there isn't anything else quite like it.

Nissan's 1.6-litre 108bhp petrol engine gives the Cube emissions as low as 151g/km and combined fuel economy as high as 42.8mpg. These are average returns by modern standards and the diesel will do far better. At least the purchase price is cheap and the individual design should help support residual values.

Small MPV's don't usually attract that much attention but the Nissan Cube is a major exception to that. The looks will always divide opinion but Nissan isn't aiming to set the sales charts on fire with this quirky offering and enough people should fall in love with its cuboid looks to make it a success. The 1.6-litre petrol models offer reasonable performance and a low price but they aren't economical by modern small car standards.

Good manoeuvrability and easy controls make the Cube adept in an urban setting and there's a huge amount of space inside, though not necessarily in the right places. It's the design that will sell this car though and if you're after a small, practical runabout with the capacity to attract attention, there aren't many better options.