Raise speeds and a higher din follows suit, as does air turbulence. But it's not unbearable or annoying; just roll up windows to reduce the severity of both. There's a bit of drone with the top up on the highway, but again, it's not annoying.

Product planners wanted to keep the CrossCabriolet simple, so only one fully equipped edition is available. Feel free to take your time choosing which sunny beach to visit or what golf course to play; passengers won't mind when they're coddled in comfortable seats wrapped in thick Hato Hasi hide. The front thrones have sloped shoulders to give a clear look at what's going on in the back seat, or vice versa.

Because of the lack of a C-pillar, the roomy rear couch has inboard seatbelts duer. Dash layout follows current Nissan lineage with a colorful 7-inch central display screen and six dominant control knobs set immediately below. Matte-finished plastic pieces and diagonally quilted leather portray a sense of quality. Woodgrain patterns are unique to the model and vary with leather choice.


Thinking of the billions of yen and exhaustive engineering efforts needed to create the "world's first all-wheel drive crossover convertible" is as shocking as the CrossCabriolet itself. Yet, even if it fails to fill Nissan's coffers, the convertible will draw opinions and, better yet, a staggering amount of attention to the brand's virtual and brick-and-mortar showrooms. That fact in itself justifies this part crossover, part convertible's very existence. So does it get your thumbs up?