2010 NISSAN CUBE SL
The 2010 Nissan Cube is sometimes considered to be “cute” to some. To those who have never driven one it may appear to be an attention-getting pushover on the highway. Having to propel a 2800 lbs “Cube” does not sound like an easy task but somehow Nissan packed in just enough power get the job done in a better fashion than some of the Cube’s competition. The performance area was one complaint we had with the Kia Soul in a review we did last year.
Aside from performance, because obviously that’s not what the Cube is all about, it is a different take on the automobile that people do not want to call a “car”. The Nissan Cube has actually been around for several years in Japan entering into its 3rd generation. Nissan thought it would be a good fit for the U.S. market and they were right.
The incognito look and appeal of the Cube on the outside is somewhat mimicked on the inside. The dashboard is very different from other vehicles even in the Nissan lineup. You have an attractive electroluminescent cluster, a centralized round climate control pod that’s easy to operate, a shag dash carpet (I have no idea what this is for), and a decent stereo with a color screen.
2010 NISSAN MURANO SL
The Nissan Murano still shares many of its counterparts with the Nissan Altima just as it did over 8 years ago. Both the Altima and Murano have grown up receiving its latest major redesign in 2008 as a 2009 model (there never was a 2008 Nissan Murano). Some of the notable changes from an exterior viewing perspective would be the front fascia and headlights along with a new tail sporting LED brake lamps and amber turn signals. The outgoing 2007 Murano blended the rear LED lamps into one (solid color) cluster for braking and signals.
Outside of the 2010 Nissan Murano you will find smooth lines in the sheet metal running from the roof line down to a high riding chassis rolling on 18-inch alloy wheels wrapped in 235/65R18 all-season tires. 20-inch wheels with 233.55R20 all-season tires are optional for the upper-scale LE model. Some may confuse the new Murano for its smaller cousin, the Nissan Rogue. But make no mistake, the Murano is much more spacious and does a good job fulfilling its place as one of the best selling mid-sized SUVs (crossover) on the market.
Nissan has its ducks in a row when it comes to making a car “better” than its predecessor. Although many of the improvements in the 2010 Murano vs. the older styled 1st generation are small, they are very important to the consumer. For instance, the 2010 Murano can be optioned out with many of the luxury amenities that were once only found on Nissan’s luxury brand, Infiniti. Now for 2010 you can option your Murano with a technology package that integrates rain sensing front wipers, power lift gate, and not to mention something that is almost a given in new midsized vehicles, a Bluetooth hands free system. Nissan’s Navigation package is also packed full of goodies including a Bose audio system with a 9.3 GB (hard drive) music box and integrated compact flash card slot. The navigation unit is displayed through a clear 7-inch LCD screen that also displays the backup camera and live traffic updates via XM NavTraffic service.
Jom komen!