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The Cube's style and virtues don't exactly intersect with my personal tastes, but I admire Nissan for taking such a different tact with this car. Unlike a Scion xB or Kia Soul, which drive like very conventional compacts, the Cube reflects its quirky, asymmetrical styling in an offbeat driving experience. The strained buzz of the 1.8-liter saddled to the continuously variable transmission is reason enough to avoid exceeding 3500 rpm, but doing so also makes you feel like you're driving the Cube "correctly." This is a surprisingly spacious, comfortable, and relaxed car that entices you to drive at a slower pace, leave the windows down on the highway, and wave to the jerk that just cut you off. The front seats are seriously wide and flat but also well cushioned, and the rear bench is more usable than in most mid-size cars. There's also an unusually soft ride for such a small car. The Cube leans through corners more than most cars, but again, if you're squealing the tires and causing your passengers to reach for something to keep themselves in their seats, you're doing it wrong.