We recently had a chance to test one of the latest small crossovers to hit the American auto market, the 2009 Nissan Cube.  While the Cube has been an iconic vehicle in Japan for almost a decade, this is the first time it has landed stateside.  The Cube  features styling that provides functionality while maintaining its own original identity.

True to Nissan style, the interior controls are well-thought out and easy to use. The interior design can be personalized from the dash to the lighting. For a better idea of how of you can give your Cube a more personal touch, check out www.nissancube.us. Thanks to the exterior boxy design, the interior provides good head space, with ingress/egress in both the front and back seats proving easy, even for those with ample height. Then the asymmetrical windows and side hinged cargo door gives an eye-catching design paired to utility function.

The 2009 Cube comes standard with Nissan’s 4-cylinder engine, producing 122 horsepower at 5,200 rpm and 127 lb-ft of torque at 4,800 rpm.  Both CVT and manual transmissions are available.  The CVT we tested got 28 mpg city and 30 mpg highway.

For starters, the Cube will be offered in three models: base, S, and SL.  However, in a few months, Nissan will be offering the Chrome model, which will be higher end with more customization options.  For the mid-range S model, like we tested, with a few personalizations will probably end up costing around $16,000, but base price starts at $13,990 for the ’09 Cube.

With the growing hybrid trend in the automotive industry, it was only a matter of time before Cadillac got into the game with its large, gas guzzling, luxury SUV, the well-known Escalade.  The 2009 Escalade looks like the regular model, but the hybrid badges and messaging are plastered all over the vehicle.  Like its cousins, the Chevy Tahoe and GMC Yukon hybrids, the Cadillac Escalade uses the same 2 mode gas-electric drivetrain but shares none of the other commonalities like the aerodynamic front ends or light weight construction.  Some things though, remain the same in the hybrid ’09 Escalade, like the styling and the cabin noise, but in this case, the bulk of the noise is from the switch from the gas and electric motors.

The engine in the hybrid Escalade is the 6.0-liter hybrid, producing 332 horsepower at 5,100 rpm and 367 lb-ft of torque at 5,100 rpm, mated to an electronically variable transmission.  This engine is only slightly less powerful than the Escalade’s regular 6.2-liter V8 engine that produces 403 horsepower.  The fuel economy for the 2009 Escalade hybrid comes in at 20 mpg city and 21 mpg highway.  While those are not Prius numbers, it is still impressive for this three ton SUV, considering that the 200 pound lighter GM SUV hybrid models get the same 20 mpg numbers.

But with the savings on fuel, you may be wondering, “what will I pay for this hybrid”, since it still bears the Cadillac Escalade name and luxury.  Base price starts at $71,685 and our as-tested model was slightly more, coming in at $72,780