Used Nissan Cube Buying Guide: 2009-2014, CVT Warranty Facts, New 2026 Recall

A used Nissan Cube is a cheap, roomy, slightly goofy box, and the one to buy is a manual car or a CVT car with transmission records, from any year 2009 through 2014. The step people miss in 2026 is a brand-new recall: in April 2026 Nissan recalled 2009-2010 Cubes because the driver's air bag inflator may rupture or come loose from the steering wheel in a crash. On an early Cube, that's the first thing to clear by VIN.

I checked every Cube model year against NHTSA's recall API on Sunday, October 18, 2026, and found four campaigns, with nothing listed for 2011 or 2012. For the car itself I used Consumer Guide's 2009-14 Cube review and Nissan's own warranty pages. One thing a history report can't tell you is how a 12-to-17-year-old CVT feels on the highway, so plan your test drive around that.

What you're actually buying

Consumer Guide says the Cube arrived late in the 2009 model year as a front-drive subcompact wagon with a swing-out back door, in 1.8, 1.8 S, 1.8 SL and Krom trims. Every one has the same 122-hp 1.8-liter four, borrowed from the Versa, with either a six-speed manual or a CVT. The base car and S came with the manual, the S could get the CVT, and the SL and Krom were CVT only. Antilock brakes, traction control, antiskid and front and curtain side air bags were standard from the start, which is decent for a cheap car of that era.

The entry-level model was dropped for 2013. Consumer Guide's testers got 26.6 mpg with a manual and 28.2 mpg from a long-term CVT car, and called the cabin pleasant but noted plenty of tire noise on coarse pavement. If you're cross-shopping boxes, our used Scion xB guide and used Kia Soul guide cover the obvious rivals, and the engine is shared with the cars in our used Nissan Versa guide.

Recalls NHTSA lists

• 26V230, 2009-2010: the driver's air bag inflator may rupture or detach from the steering wheel when it deploys. Dealers check the inflator serial number and replace it if needed, free. Nissan's number is R26A1, and NHTSA says owner letters went out June 9, 2026. A 2009-2010 Cube that "had its air bag done" years ago can still be open on this one.
• 10V330, 2009-2010 built Jan. 30, 2009 to July 30, 2010: the car failed the federal fuel system integrity standard after a rear crash test, leaking too much fuel when rotated. Dealers add a protector to a fuel tube near the filler neck.
• 15V418, 2013-2014 built July 3 to Oct. 21, 2013: in heat, the start/stop button can stick in its housing, and road vibration can then shut the engine off while you're driving.
• 09V393, 2009 cars in road-salt states: a tire pressure sensor nut that can corrode and crack, letting a tire go flat.

Run the VIN through the NHTSA recall API or Nissan's owner site, then see our Nissan recall check by VIN guide for telling an open campaign from a closed one.

The CVT, and the warranty that ran out

Listings get this part wrong all the time. Nissan's 2010 warranty booklet carries a notice that CVT coverage on its CVT-equipped cars was extended to 10 years or 120,000 miles, for transmission repairs, replacement and related towing only, and Nissan's owner warranty page still says 2003-2010 CVT vehicles carry that extension. The booklet also says the warranty starts when the car was delivered to the first retail buyer. Do the math and every 2009-2010 Cube is past the 10-year mark, and 2011-2014 cars aren't in that 2003-2010 group at all. Nissan's page puts regular powertrain coverage at 5 years or 60,000 miles, which would have ended long ago even on a 2014. So if a seller says "the transmission's still under Nissan warranty," ask to see it in writing, because I couldn't find a Cube where that's true.

On the drive, accelerate gently from a stop and then firmly up a ramp. Listen for a whine that rises with speed and watch for the revs flaring without the car pulling. Ask for fluid service receipts. A history report may show a transmission replacement if a shop reported it, which our CARFAX transmission replacement post explains, but it won't show that a CVT is slipping today. A manual Cube sidesteps the question entirely, if you can find one.

Smaller trouble spots

Consumer Guide lists squealing rear brakes on 2009-2010 cars (revised shoes fixed it) and outside rear door handles that Nissan replaced with stronger ones on 2009 models. Open and close that swing-out back door a few times, check the handle, and look at the hinges for sag. Then decode the VIN with our Nissan VIN decoder guide to confirm year and trim, and search NMVTIS for salvage and flood brands. Cheap quirky cars attract cheap repairs, and a photocopied report from the seller proves nothing about this VIN.

CarVins resells CARFAX and AutoCheck reports under license and has no affiliation with CARFAX, AutoCheck, Experian or Nissan. Around mid October 2026 you'll see roughly $5.50 for a guest report, about $4.50 for members, or about $6.75 for both brands bundled, compared with the usual $39.99 to $44.99 retail. Prices get adjusted, so check the total at checkout before paying.

Sources

• Consumer Guide: 2009-14 Nissan Cube
• NHTSA recallsByVehicle, 2009-2014 queried Oct. 18, 2026
• Nissan: 2010 Warranty Information Booklet and owner warranty page
• NMVTIS