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Nissan Cube

This truck-nugget -- at 146.9 inches long, a foot shorter than a Mazda MX-5 -- has more cargo space than a Mercedes-Benz S-class. -- Dan Neil

This truck-nugget -- at 146.9 inches long, a foot shorter than a Mazda MX-5 -- has more cargo space than a Mercedes-Benz S-class. -- Dan Neil  (Mark Boster/ Los Angeles Times)

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A sneak peek shows the truck-nugget tackles today’s big issues: driveability, fuel efficiency, space.

CUBE steering wheel

The Cube, which is said to hit LA markets in early 2009, will be different in some of the surface detailing -- and it will almost certainly have the Nissan Versa’s 1.8-liter engine instead of the 1.4-liter fly swatter under the hood now -- but it will still be smaller than just about any other wagon on the market. -- Dan Neil  (Mark Boster/ Los Angeles Times)

CUBE Spedometer

This is the car you get when you put the American market’s appetite for mega-space, utility and people-moving together with a 35-mile-per-gallon CAFE standard and $5- and $6-per-gallon gasoline. -- Dan Neil  (Mark Boster/ Los Angeles Times)

CUBE tail light

Few cars fold into a lifestyle as easily as the Cube. It’s effortless to drive, easy to park, as nimble as a parkour artist in the city. -- Dan Neil  (Mark Boster/ Los Angeles Times)

CUBE sideview

The Cube is, no doubt, a rather leisurely way to traverse Euclidean space. Zero-to-60 mph takes about 14 seconds and top speed on the highway is about 85 mph, when the Cube’s quarry-block styling generates truly epic aerodynamic drag. -- Dan Neil  (Mark Boster/ Los Angeles Times)

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