Car Reviews 2008 Toyota Scion Xb

As the clock on our beloved ’91 Previa All-trac rolls inexorably towards 265,000 miles and the transmission sinks slowly in the west, it is at long last time to consider a replacement… The truth is we don’t so much need a minivan any more- but we do need a car with four doors that will comfortably seat four adults, get reasonable milage and carry a good bit of cargo… Car makers will go to nearly any length to avoid the dread appellation ‘station wagon’ but that is in fact what we need. I’ve driven the original Scion XB and been impressed with it’s cleverness, but bored with it’s 1.5 liter drivetrain and ‘dumbed-down’ dynamics. It always felt like the car had been honed to a fine edge- then deliberately blunted. Not my first choice for an economy car- thus the Focus we purchased last year. As a mini-van replacement however I thought that the newer, larger Xb might be worth a look. And maybe a double take… The new Scion is bigger- three inches wider and the better part of a foot longer. The box has melted somewhat but retains distinctive styling that I find strangely attractive. The price was even more attractive and frankly shocking- $16,230. That’s the real price, BTW- not a teaser. $800 more gets you 16 inch alloys that look sweet and won’t screw up the ride, gas mileage or performance the way the larger optional wheels do. Interestingly though this car is aimed at the youth market the salesman told me that more than half the people buying them are middle-aged. For your 16K and change you get: Cruise control, aircon, power windows, remote opening/locking, an AM/FM-single CD (for us dinosaurs that still use CDs) with a built-in I-Pod port and an ‘AUX’ port for other MP3 players. The remote controls on the steering wheel allow you to scroll through your I-Pod’s playlist on the in-dash stereo display too. Four-wheel disks with ABS, traction control, driver and passenger side-curtain airbags, seat-belt pretensioners, electric variable-assist power steering- all standard. The seats are comfortable and supportive and adequately adjustable so that long-distance cruising won’t wear on you excessively. I immediately put the driver’s seat all the way back and adjusted it to my liking, then got into the drivers side rear seat. Surprisingly for what is still a rather small car I was able to fit my 6’4″ frame into the rear seat quite comfortably. The four adult-requirement was satisfied, then. With the rear-seats folded down there is more than ample room for a comprehensive Costco run, several large dogs or a plush week-long ‘camping’ trip. Slipping back into the drivers seat and looking around I found all of the controls easy to reach and exactly where I expected them to be. While I am not a big fan of digital speedos, the Scions’ center-console mounted unit was easy to read, and the tach importantly was a good old-fashioned dial. The chunky vents were solid, the HVAC controls where they should be and easy to figure out. There is even a driver’s arm-rest. The shift lever for the 5sp manual protrudes from the dash in a location that mimics the shift location of our Alfa Romeo spider and so seemed quite natural to me. A+ for ergonomics! Ahhh… But how does it drive? Surprisingly well as it turns out. Frankly as I was veiwing this as a mini-van replacement I was prepared to accept some dynamic compromises but I needn’t have worried. While this car isn’t much quicker than it’s predecessor (due to a 605lb weight gain) it feels quicker than you would expect. Torque is greatly increased and the traction control was either off or is dialed back enough to allow some wheel-spin; I inadvertantly chirped the tires leaving the first light. The clutch is light and responsive if a bit long-travelled and the shifter, while offering a relatively short throw, did not impart a feeling of great mechanical precision. Nonetheless I never missed a shift or had to search for a gear and the shifter’s position is excellent. The stock 2.4 liter inline four never feels short of power around town either; you find yourself easily and unconsciously going a lot faster than you mean to. Linda (my wife) decided fairly early on that it would be advisable for her to use the cruise-control as a speed-limiting device to save her license and our insurance rate. The car wants to go fast and if you aren’t paying attention will take every opportunity to indulge itself. Off to Monster Road then. A half-mile stretch of this road changes altitude several times by as much as 75 feet and offers a lot of curves and humps. Many a car sales-person has turned white on this road… Roaring up the first hill the car built velocity out of proportion to my post-minivan expectations. The hill crests and imediately jogs to the right as it abruptly drops you a dozen feet on the way into an immediate tight right-hander, followed by a dip with another 30 degree right-hander and a rise that takes you into a near-hairpin left and drops you back another twenty feet in mid-corner and you punch it back onto the (almost) straight over the gravelly railroad crossing. After which the salesperson in the passenger seat exhales audibly for the first time since you started up the hill. It’s like a very short, very intense roller-coaster. The Xb handled this with a wisp of understeer at the limit easily cancelled by a firm application of right foot. Mid-corner lift-off caused the rear end to slip out ever-so-slightly but it was easily under control and tucked right back with only a pleasant amount of drama when Mr Right Foot reached for the floor-boards again. Body roll was minimal and grip was higher than expected on stock ‘R’ radials. Not perfect dynamically but damn good- and somehow it’s minor dynamic deficits made it more, rather than less, fun. Fun is more important to me than out-right speed, but to give a clue I took this road in an 07 Mustang GT at speeds from 40-45mph and felt that I was pushing it a bit for a test-drive. The Scion went through between 45-60mph and was more fun than the V8 Mustang. How hard was I trying? I ran up against the rev-limited fuel-shutoff three times in half a mile. The upright driving position helps to intensify the sensations of this sort of hair-on-fire driving. The car was adept on the freeway as well, happily cruising at well over the posted limit feeling rock-solid and stable. Passing was easily accomplished without dropping a grear and the electrically assisted steering was precise with a surprising level of feedback for a system of this type. How do they manage it? I don’t know, but it works. Wind noise wasn’t intrusive thanks to the boxy but carefully crafted shape. So- I was pleasantly surprised by the fun factor, deeply impressed with the ergonomics, space and interior accomodations, surprised by the unbelievable levels of standard equipment and shocked by the price. Surprisingly chuckable but still an easy long-distance freeway cruiser. What more could you ask for in an econo-box? Linda offered to trade in her beloved Focus without hesitation or remorse- a pretty high recommendation given how much Linda loves her car! So- did I buy it? Not yet- but only because the thought of another car-payment is a bit painfull and we’re still upside-down on the Focus. But you can expect to see one of these in my parking strip before the end of the year. Color mine ‘Black Cherry Crush,’ please! Category:Home › Autos • Will the trend toward economy-size car models lead Americans back to buying smaller-sized cars? — part 2 • You should never use after-market auto parts when maintaining or fixing your car • Should a new car be rust-proofed? • Will the trend toward economy-size car models lead Americans back to buying smaller-sized cars? — part 1 • Five safest cars in North America • How to ensure your teen drives safely after getting a license • Pros and cons of using an hydrogen generator for your car • DIY automotive maintenance: How to change the oil