Avoid: 2010, 2009 (lowest Year Scores on complaints per year on the road, crash reports and recalls)
Best: 2012
6 model years of NHTSA owner complaints and recalls · How we grade
Across 6 model years, the Nissan Cube has 374 owner-filed NHTSA complaints and 7 recalls on record. The most-reported areas are electrical system and steering. 2009 drew the most complaints (202), 2013 the fewest (3).
Source: NHTSA complaints and recalls filed for Nissan Cube vehicles (US, public record).
Complaint volume by model year. Raw NHTSA totals, not adjusted for sales volume or time on the road, so older and higher-selling years accumulate more. Every year links to its full breakdown.
Highest: 2009 (202 complaints). Lowest: 2013 (3).
Sentiment is polarized, with a strong divide between owners who cherish the vehicle's unique character and practicality and those who have faced significant mechanical failures.
Complete failure requiring replacement, slippage, whining noise, lack of acceleration, error codes. Very frequent concern, cited as the model's primary weakness.
Anxiety over long-term durability, reports of shops refusing service, advice against fluid changes by some mechanics.
A known defect causing the rear hatch door to become inoperable; repair cost estimated around $400+.
Difficulty sourcing parts due to the model's rarity and discontinuation, leading to higher costs and longer repair times (e.g., starter motor).
Described as slow, especially for highway merging and passing; handles "like a slab-sided bus.".
Owner insights cover all generations of the Cube. Individual model years are broken down above.
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