piko piko!
May. 28th, 2009 01:31 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
keryxI picked up Piko, who is a 2009 Nissan Cube SL, the other day. My usual post-purchase review is "I bought it. Of course I like it.", but you kids keep asking me about the car. So. I have thoughts.
The CVT: I dig this transmission. Shifting is almost imperceptible and it never seems to be working hard, making for a smooth & quiet ride with the windows up (like I ever ride that way) or on city streets. It behaves a little like a manual at idle on hills - I noticed I could take my foot off the break, but also that I had to remind it how the whole going forward thing works after a stop. Overall a win, but would be annoying in a hilly urban environment like San Francisco, or even Asheville.
Appearance: It's cute. Really really cute. It's a little over-designed, with multiple metaphors influencing the interior and exterior. I like the watery elements in the interior. The exterior is toylike, which is more noticeable with Piko cause she's red. Predictably, one of my favorite things about the car is that it challenges the prevailing bilateral symmetry of car exteriors.
Comfort: The seats are cozy. Seriously. They're made out of something like flannel pj fabric. It's supposed to seat 5, but really - only if everyone but the driver is a child. It could hold 4 dancerts with gear, though, given the little cargo well in back. The rear seats lean back, and the front seats lie flush with them, meaning I can sleep in my car should the need arise. The driver's seat is height-adjustable, which I always wanted in the Scion.
Compared to others in its class: The Cube is smaller than the Scion xB, similar in size to the Kia Soul, and similar in total length to hatchbacks. Like the original xB, its compressed nose means it gets more out of that length (plus it's taller). It felt less compressed inside than the Soul, but more so than even the 2004 Scion. With a smaller engine than both the Soul and the xB, it still manages to keep up with the latter and outpace the former.
Similes: It's like someone inflated an old xB. Or gave a Honda Element a shrinking pill. It's rather like the cars in Richard Scarry and other kids' books.
Crazy car person factor: High. Like the xB when it first came out, people stare at this. People who like cars? Stare, roll down their windows & want to talk to me. A dude on a motorcycle rolled up, checked her out, gave me a thumbs-up and then did a little show-offy "look I'm on a MOTORBIKE" thing last night, ferinstance.
iPod integration into the stereo: Sweet. Totally worth buying a more expensive trim level. I haven't entirely figured out the controls yet, but I like that it turns the iPod off automatically and love being able to fuss with music selections without peering into a wee gadget. The sound system in general is comparable to the xB.
Anything else you want to know?
The CVT: I dig this transmission. Shifting is almost imperceptible and it never seems to be working hard, making for a smooth & quiet ride with the windows up (like I ever ride that way) or on city streets. It behaves a little like a manual at idle on hills - I noticed I could take my foot off the break, but also that I had to remind it how the whole going forward thing works after a stop. Overall a win, but would be annoying in a hilly urban environment like San Francisco, or even Asheville.
Appearance: It's cute. Really really cute. It's a little over-designed, with multiple metaphors influencing the interior and exterior. I like the watery elements in the interior. The exterior is toylike, which is more noticeable with Piko cause she's red. Predictably, one of my favorite things about the car is that it challenges the prevailing bilateral symmetry of car exteriors.
Comfort: The seats are cozy. Seriously. They're made out of something like flannel pj fabric. It's supposed to seat 5, but really - only if everyone but the driver is a child. It could hold 4 dancerts with gear, though, given the little cargo well in back. The rear seats lean back, and the front seats lie flush with them, meaning I can sleep in my car should the need arise. The driver's seat is height-adjustable, which I always wanted in the Scion.
Compared to others in its class: The Cube is smaller than the Scion xB, similar in size to the Kia Soul, and similar in total length to hatchbacks. Like the original xB, its compressed nose means it gets more out of that length (plus it's taller). It felt less compressed inside than the Soul, but more so than even the 2004 Scion. With a smaller engine than both the Soul and the xB, it still manages to keep up with the latter and outpace the former.
Similes: It's like someone inflated an old xB. Or gave a Honda Element a shrinking pill. It's rather like the cars in Richard Scarry and other kids' books.
Crazy car person factor: High. Like the xB when it first came out, people stare at this. People who like cars? Stare, roll down their windows & want to talk to me. A dude on a motorcycle rolled up, checked her out, gave me a thumbs-up and then did a little show-offy "look I'm on a MOTORBIKE" thing last night, ferinstance.
iPod integration into the stereo: Sweet. Totally worth buying a more expensive trim level. I haven't entirely figured out the controls yet, but I like that it turns the iPod off automatically and love being able to fuss with music selections without peering into a wee gadget. The sound system in general is comparable to the xB.
Anything else you want to know?
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(no subject)
Date: 2009-05-28 06:13 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-05-28 06:19 pm (UTC)I don't have a photo of us both yet.
(no subject)
Date: 2009-05-28 10:25 pm (UTC)I like that you called it crazy car person factor, that makes me happy :-)
(no subject)
Date: 2009-05-30 08:26 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2009-05-30 09:19 pm (UTC)