First Drive Review
On the trip from the airport to the hotel at Scion's recent press event, we spotted an old Scion xB with the bumper sticker that said, "You just got beat by a toaster." Of course, there aren't many cars that the xB could beat in 103-hp stock trim, but that's beside the point. What's important is that Scion owners are so enamored with the boxy shape of the xB that they affectionately compare it to an appliance. So it's no surprise that the 2008 Scion xB is still boxy, but everything else has changed.
Youth-brand Scion itself hasn't changed. Potential buyers still visit the Scion showroom section of a Toyota dealership to order a base car with no options. All the accessories, including stereo and performance upgrades, are done at the dealership. The customization is a big part of Scion's marketing image, to the point where the brand is selling a lifestyle as much as a car.
Exterior and Interior: Bigger in Every Dimension
The xB rides on an all-new platform similar to that of the Auris, Toyota's funky European hatchback. This platform is larger than that of the Japanese Toyota bB on which the first-generation xB was based. The new '08 xB and bB share nothing beyond accessories.
The result of the architecture swap for the new xB constitutes the kind of growth you see from hormones, or maybe even steroids, as opposed to the normal growth spurt common when a car passes from one generation to the next. Overall length is up a whole foot to 167.3 inches, wheelbase grows four inches, and the width increases 2.9 inches. Only the height, at a 10th of an inch taller, is close to unchanged.
The bigger dimensions carry over to the interior, but not as much as the figures would suggest. Front and rear headroom actually decrease by 6.1 inches and 4.5 inches, but unless you regularly wear a Stetson in the car, you probably won't notice.
The improvement in shoulder room, 7.2 and 4.7 inches front and rear, marks the biggest difference in the new xB compared with the old car. Front-seat passengers are no longer in danger of accidentally jostling, and there's enough room for an armrest on the driver's right side.
The rear seat feels deceptively spacious-it's hard to believe there's actually no increase in legroom. There is a small shelf under the seat bottoms, but the rear seats only recline or fold, unlike the versatile second row of the Honda Fit that can fold into the floor for a flat cargo area. Cargo space in the '08 xB is almost the same as in the outgoing model with the rear seats up, but recline the second row, and the 70 cubic feet of storage is 28 more than in the old model.
The tail opening of the new xB is flat, so with the rear hatch open, you don't have to lift anything over the bumper, but the load height is a little taller than expected. Underneath the cargo floor is a compact spare tire with extra storage bins on top.
Powertrain: More Push for the xB's Larger Tush
Add a foot in length to a car, and there will be a commensurate increase in weight. The 600-pound gain moves the 2008 xB right out of the featherweight compact category, and its light weight is one of the things we appreciated about the original xB.
Scion has compensated under the hood, though, by using the 2.4-liter engine from the Scion tC coupe. The inline-four, with variable intake-valve timing, puts out 158 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque. Those figures may not sound exciting, but the power-to-weight ratio on the xB has improved by about four pounds per horsepower. The improved torque is most noticeable in city driving, and you don't have to thrash the engine to keep up with lead-footed cab drivers. The engine is smooth, but a monotone drone emanates from under the hood. Optional intake and exhaust accessories provide a slight improvement.
The xB comes with the choice of two transmissions: a four-speed automatic with manumatic shifting and a five-speed manual. The automatic works just fine, but we prefer the manual, which has a solid, tight-feeling shift lever and smoothly engaging clutch pedal. Compared with other Toyota manuals, like the one found in the Corolla, the xB's transmission is vastly superior.
