First Drive: 2008 Scion xB

Previews

The box gets bigger.

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 says “you just got beat by a toaster.” Of course, there aren’t many cars that the xB could beat in 103-horsepower 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 new 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 dealer to order a base car with no options. All of 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.
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SupraNeverBack - 5/3/2007 1:33:49 PM

-1 Boost

Another winner for Toyota. 22mpg/28mpg seems to be a bit low though.

EL34 - 5/3/2007 6:19:07 PM

+2 Boost

,and another box!

bagwell - 5/4/2007 8:50:54 AM

+2 Boost

nope, Toyota blew it with this one....in this day and age, why build a car that gets LOWER mileage than the previous one???

sc1975 - 5/10/2007 3:04:36 AM

+1 Boost

WASHINGTON — Fuel economy ratings of cars and trucks will drop significantly starting with 2008 models, some of which will go on sale early next year.
The declines are because the Environmental Protection Agency is using more-realistic conditions to estimate the mileage cars and trucks will get. The vehicles themselves, in most cases, haven't changed, only the formula used to assign fuel economy numbers.

Averaged over all vehicles of all types, city mileage ratings will drop 12% and highway numbers will fall 8%

Based on the new more accurate estimates the old xB would get 26/30 instead of 30/33

So for a gain of 50 hp 22/28 is not bad.

Agent63 - 5/3/2007 6:19:26 PM

+3 Boost

That's an ugly car from Toyota. The box never won my heart. Only the TC I think is nice.

goosubuc - 5/5/2007 11:52:43 AM

+2 Boost

I must be woefully uncool, because I don't get the xB's. I didn't like my friend's at all because it was the most uncomfortable car for anything over 30 minutes.

r_driver04 - 5/4/2007 4:22:56 PM

0 Boost

That bread box won't get 22 mpg. As soon as he drivin into a head wind or turns the A/C on he'll drop to 18 mpg. Most owners aren't reporting good mpg. You can't put a 4 banger in a box and then run it 70 mph w/ A/C and expect to get good gas mileage. My RAV4 V6 avg 21-24mpg. In the wind, w/ A/C at 75mph.

sc1975 - 5/10/2007 3:23:08 AM

+1 Boost

The new xB just started arriving this week in dealerships. How can most owners report gas mileage if they are just getting on the road now?

Also based on the new more accurate 2008 epa mpg formula your RAV4 V6 would get 19/26 instead of the 22/29 that was on the sticker.

If your trying to say the RAV4 is more aerodynamic that the new xB you are wrong the RAV4 sits a lot higher than the xB and the air flow under the vehicle will affect it. The slope of the hood and windshield are similar to the RAV4 the windshield is just shorter.