( Pictured: The Kia Soul, The Nissan Cube )
I remember countless hours spent as a child playing in a box. Yes, a standard-issue cardboard box. If it was raining or too cold outside, my mother would pull out a box from the closet and the fun ensued. To add context to this story, our TV was B&W, there were only three channels and computers and video games were things of the distant future. So if there was nothing suitable on TV and mother couldn't send us outside to play ( or lock us in the dog pen—true story ) , we had to entertain ourselves and, gasp ( ! ) , we used our imaginations.
My favorite model of box was large enough for me to sit in with enough room for my legs to extend in front of me. I would modify said cardboard plaything with a old 45 from my brother's record collection taped to the center cylinder of a paper towel roll for, you guessed it, my own steering wheel. I would then spend hours driving in my mind; or at least until one of my nine siblings decided I was having too much fun and would fabricate a massive crash and destroy my paperboard play toy.
These memories came flooding back recently when I experienced three box-like vehicles in a row: The Scion xB, the Kia Soul and the Nissan Cube. All three are funky entries into the entry-level segment and give new meaning to "Econo-box." This triad is similar in price point ( under $15 ) , powertrain choices ( 4-cylinder with either a 5-speed manual or automatic ) and intended target market ( the ever-elusive "youth" market ) . But like the products housed in the myriad of cardboard containers at your big-box store, the shape alone doesn't indicate what's inside. Each vehicle is as distinct as the myriad of products that come wrapped in Georgia Pacific's best.
The Scion xB ( base: $15,750 )
The Scion xB is the oldest of this group and the one that started it all in 2004. The first iteration was a direct translation of a Japanese domestic product that helped launch Toyota's Scion brand.
The Scion feels considerably less sophisticated than its new competition. It has the most powerful engine but in this case, more power isn't necessarily a good thing. The torque steer was quite strong and the brakes on our test car were not up to the performance the engine delivered. My first 5-minutes behind the wheel were hair-raising as I hit the brakes upon approach to a particularly lumpy exit ramp near Newark, N.J. I overestimated their stopping power and ended up bouncing violently through the corner. I never got used to the brakes and driving in and out of New Jersey/New York City traffic had a few uncomfortable moments.
Where the xB excels is interior room. If you want maximum interior space, this vehicle wins hands down. With the seats folded down, a dorm room's worth of accoutrement can fit with plenty of room for a driver and passenger. Headroom is also exemplary.
Bottom Line: The first, the biggest but not necessarily the best.
The Kia Soul ( base: $13,300 )
The 2009 Kia Soul isn't exactly a box in the same vein as the Scion xB and Nissan Cube but the price point, target market and unconventional look make it a natural competitor to those more square in nature. It is technically a "two box" design like the xB and Cube but its design is the most sporty and aggressive of the bunch. It is also the most conventional of the three, which in this group isn't that hard to do.
Don't get me wrong; the Kia Soul is far from "normal" when it comes to affordable transportation. Like its competitors, its design and customization options allow owner's to create their individual Soul but in my opinion, the shape, size and driving characteristics have more of a broad appeal than the Scion or Nissan.
Of the three, I'm referring to the Soul as the box that the entertainment center came in. You can't help but smile when you approach the car and with color choices like "Alien" and "Motlen" it is evident that the designers and product planners had fun creating it. Once you get behind the wheel you notice that the fun continues on the inside as well. The design is cohesive and entertaining without trying too hard. Even the seat fabric and patterns are fun with designs ranging from black with glow-in-the-dark "Soul" inserts to an available houndstooth pattern.
The Nissan Cube ( base: $13,990 )
I'm just going to come out and say it; the Nissan cube is cute. And by "cute" I mean a little cartoonish. And by "cartoonish" I mean, well, "girly"..not that there is anything wrong with that. There have been many an argument over whether or not cars can be gender-associated and I've argued for and against it but in this case I have to say that the cube = cute ( follow the definition trail above ) .
The real surprise is when you begin to drive the cube. The 1.8-liter engine delivers 122 horsepower via either a five-speed manual or an advanced continuously variable transmission ( CVT ) and in this funky box 122 horsepower is enough. I spent a few hours behind the wheel in Miami in both the manual and CVT and was pleasantly surprised at how fun to drive the cube was. It can't match the xB on raw oomph and it isn't as spirited as the Kia Soul but the cube holds its own in city and on the open road. The CVT takes bit of getting used to as the engine will rev to an optimal RPM and then stay there as the cube gathers speed. It is a bit odd to the unaccustomed but after a few hours it becomes normal. Owners of other Nissan's won't even notice. The manual is the real gem as it allows the cube to get a little crazy and even chirp a tire here and there. Both combinations of engine/transmission deliver excellent MPG numbers of 28 city/30 highway.
I'm calling the cube the Playhouse. It looks like a less-than real vehicle but like some Playhouses my friends had growing up, it is surprisingly sophisticated. If you love the design, you'll love the car. If the design freaks you out, I challenge you to give it a chance and at least test drive it. It will surprise you.
Read more at www.Gaywheels.com .
