The Kubistar is a small van in the same mould as the Ford Transit Connect, Peugeot
Expert and Renault Kangoo. Especially so with the Kangoo, as aside from the Nissan
badge on the front, Kubistar is a Kangoo - the two are idential.
It's a good
alrounder: nippy enough around town, adequate on the motorway and capable of
carrying a payload of up to 800kgs. It's an ideal choice for small buinesses
looking for van that's cheap to run, fliexible and easy to drive.
A comfortable
van to drive with a clear view of the road ahead and an adjustable and it's easy
to get in-and-out of quickly, making it ideal for couriers. The dash is simply
and functionally laid out. Entry-level Kubistar E has tinted windows, remote
central locking, tinted glass, power steering, an airbag bulkhead, rubber load
mat and interior wheelarch protectors. SE adds electric windows, electric door
mirrors, a CD player instead of the cassette, roof storage shelf and ABS.
Choose from a 1.2-litre with 60bhp or an excellent 1.5 dCi with 60, 70, or 80bhp.
The diesel is the engine to go for. It's punchy, refined and impressively frugal.
In terms of performance, it's nippy enough around town and performs acceptably
well on the motorway, especially in 85bhp form. It's a bit noisy when it starts
up, but this soon dies down and power delivery is smooth.
The 1.5 dCi - which
has previously been used in Renault and Nissan passenger cars - is very economical
and all diesel outputs achieve in excess of 50mpg. With a turning circle of 10.4
metres, Kubistar makes an ideal choice for couriers and other firms who often
use vans in town: it's compact and nippy.
