To earn Top Safety Pick for 2011, a vehicle must earn the highest rating ("Good") in all four Insurance Institute for Highway Safety tests: high-speed front and side crash tests, a rollover test, plus evaluations of seat/head restraints for protection against neck injuries in rear impacts. In addition, the winning vehicles must offer electronic stability control. [*]

The 14th annual AutoPacific© Vehicle Satisfaction Awards were recently announced and the Nissan cube® was named best in class in the category of compact car. AutoPacific’s president George Peterson notes, “Vehicles that score highest in the Vehicle Satisfaction Awards are delivering value and satisfaction across a wide range of attributes.” [*]

Taking a road trip this summer? The experts at Kelley Blue Book explored 10 popular summer festivals and events from coast to coast, and then chose 10 vehicles they felt would kick those road trips up a notch. Features like a comfortable cabin, good fuel economy, reliability and superior over-the-road driving dynamics were considered, and the cube made the top 10. Whatever your journey, make it memorable in a cube®! [*]

The Nissan cube® is "funky, fun and futuristic", and those are just three of the many reasons the versatile vehicle was named AUTOMOBILE Magazine's 2010 Design of the Year. The cube's roomy, ergonomic interior and singular body styling are cited as further reason to bestow this honor on Nissan's innovative crossover. [*]

 It's cool to be affordable, kbb.com says: "High fashion and a low price make the Nissan Cube an excellent choice for buyers who want to look cool on a budget." Using the same set of criteria that consumers might, Kelley Blue Book chose only 10 favorites. They based their choices on safety, fuel economy, interior size, comfort, technology, fun to drive, and of course the cool factor. [*]