The 2009 Nissan Cube features an angular exterior with a canyon of space inside.

Nissan’s new Cube is technically a misnomer. It’s actually shaped like a prism, a name badge previously worn by a Chevy compact sedan. But you didn’t stop on this page for a geometry lesson. It’s precisely the Cube’s un-cube-like features, like the asymmetrical wraparound rear window, that make it so distinctive. The vehicle includes such quirky options as 20-color interior accent lighting and a patch of shag carpet on the dash that makes it looks like Bart Simpson is about to emerge through a manhole. Driving the Cube near Northgate Mall caused passengers in other cars to whip around and gasp: “What’s that.” (Yes, I can read lips.)

Hunt Nissan sales representative David Lee said Nissan clearly hoped to tap the youth market with the Cube, but a fair number of older customers have been test-driving the car, too. “I thought we’d see mostly high school and college-age customers (for the Cube), but that didn’t turn out to be the case,” he said.

DRIVING IMPRESSIONS: I’m one baby boomer who can see the midlife utility in having a Cube in the garage. With an amazing amount of interior space and a back seat that slides forward and aft, the Cube can be a cute runabout or a serious cargo hauler. Visibility inside the Cube is incredible for a vehicle with an attached roof. The A-pillars are so far forward that sitting behind the steering wheel makes you feel as if you are piloting a bus. Leg and head room for both front and back seat occupants are enormous. “We get guys over 6-feet in one of these, and they’re amazed,” said Mr. Lee.

Our tester came with the Cube’s standard 122-hp, 1.8 liter, four-cylinder engine. The Cube won’t challenge the Nissan’s scorching hot GTR sports car in a street race, but it has ample power for tooling around town. The engine is mated to a quiet CVT transmission that helps boost highway mileage to 30 mpg.

FEATURES: Our tester, a Cube 1.8 S, was a black-on-black model that featured chrome-plated door handles, an array of accent lighting and automatic transmission. The S package also includes a four-speaker audio system and body-color outside mirrors.

BOTTOM LINE: If head-turning design and interior room are features you value in a vehicle, the Nissan Cube is a versatile and trusty companion. At a price equivalent to a compact sedan, the Cube is an attractive, fuel efficient package with more than a dash of style.