Article Comments - 2008 Scion xB First Drive

50 messages, Last post on Feb 13, 2008 at 10:55 PM

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What is this discussion about? Scion xB, Wagon

Article comments for First Drive: 2008 Scion xB - The 2008 Scion xB reminds you of what was accomplished by the first 2004 xB, a car so shocking that the entire Scion brand still revolves around it. (more)

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#21 of 50 Anyone buy one? by bearcrkrd May 21, 2007 (2:36 am)
I own an '06 Sienna CE. Was thinking of already trading for the new XB. They just arrived locally, but the HUGE $$ hit on the trade-in has kinda shocked me back to reality! I thought the first gen XB was pretty nice. Like the look, didn't think they were ugly at all. One guy at work, 52 years old, bought one with an auto tranny. Got rid of it a week later. He said it was gutless, and he felt scared when a semi got next to him. He doesn't drive big boats, either. Another guy, over 6' and close to 50, got a bright yellow one, some special limited promotion, with manual tranny, and still has it. He put cruise on it himself over a weekend. Drives lots of miles, too. He couldn't take the gas bill on Dodge Ram pickup. He liked it from day one. I didn't drive the old one, just looked and sat in. Same with the new one, just sat in and looked at it. I've bought new Toyotas in 04, 05, and 06. Each time would have got the XB, but the dinky engine and toy brakes turned me off 100%. I was looking for an automatic, though. That's why the '08 is exciting! It'll work great with the automatic. The lack of a fifth gear means you will not get anywhere near Camry MPG, by the way. It also means no 'hunting' for the right gear, which is a pretty fair trade, IMO. I didn't turn the key, even though the salesman said it was ok if I wasn't sure on buying at the moment. Anyway, it looks like a BIG step up, without being 'big', if that makes sense.... Was hoping to read posts from owners, but don't see any??? Is that weird stuff about the owners in the First Drive true.......
#22 of 50 Re: Article Comments - 2008 Scion xB First Drive [KarenS] by girlbuffalo1 May 21, 2007 (6:08 am)
Replying to: KarenS (Apr 26, 2007 10:26 am) I just bought one yesterday--I do not like the looks of the PT Cruiser personally and did testdrive the 2007 HHR as well as the Pontiac Vibe, and the Dodge Caliber (and some other radom cars such as the Ford Freestlye, Mercury Mariner, Buick Rendezvous ect)--and it was love at first sight and drive for me in the new xB. I could actually afford a brand new rolled off the truck last week 2008 in the colors and with options that I wanted. It felt very solid, the interior is great, the roominess is great, the engine was responsive and it has one of the smallest turn radiuses in cars I test drove--the get up and go was good even on the interstate (test drove it a bit there to make sure). I do like 'weird' cars though so I may be an exception to the rule. My previous car was a 2002 Suzuki Vitara (not that weird but different I guess)--The Scion has great roominess an comfort for the actual outside size and it drives really well--I say don't knock it till you give it a try. If you are a race car driver you probably won't like it but I thought it was pretty good!
#23 of 50 2008 XB by vu2000 May 23, 2007 (10:13 am)
I checked ot the XB a few days ago. Sat in it but did not drive it. I thought it was very nice with lots of room.The price is good. With the new 2.4 engine, pickup should be good. Over a year ago, I was about to buy an 2006 XB until I test drove it. The 06 XB with the Auto tranny was gutless and noisy, and the AC was very weak. The 08 with all the safety equipment and more power should be much better. This vehicle is a smart buy. The gas mileage on this vehicle should not be much less than the Camry(with 08 EPA adjusted mileage figures). Just bought an 07 Prius 8 moths ago(LOVE IT!!). Will have to wait another year before I buy this car. Replies to this message: gsolman6 (Jun 24, 2007 6:00 am)
#24 of 50 Re: XB is boring. [ptsilver] by caliban_sf May 23, 2007 (1:25 pm)
Replying to: ptsilver (May 02, 2007 9:09 pm) Yes, the review was quite funny. But the final result rings true. I did buy a new xB over a PT Cruiser and a Chevrolet HHR! After testing more than a half dozen cars, including the two I previously mentioned, the xB won me over. Plenty of room, plenty of power, plenty of standard features, and plenty of cool add-ons to customize your ride. At the beginning of May I was all ready to buy a Convertible PT Cruiser Turbo but decided to wait a couple of weeks to test drive the 2008 XB. I am glad I did. The PT Turbo had style and power, but it was seriously lacking in comfort and handling. Ever try to do a sharp u turn in that thing? Good luck! Some of my requirements for my new car were also not easily integrated in the Cruiser's rigid and sterile central control panel. Again, lots of style but little substance. I am now the proud owner of a 2008 Scion xB and I couldn't be happier. For about the same money I was going to spend on the PT Cruiser I got a cool looking car with a navigation system, two tone leather seats, a rear spoiler, a panoramic sun roof, alloy wheels, and a premium security system. Most importantly, I have peace of mind of owning a Toyota, a company well known for product reliability and great re-sale value. The PT Cruiser is, after all, a Chrysler... The xB boring? I strongly disagree.
#25 of 50 Re: 2008 XB [vu2000] by gsolman6 Jun 24, 2007 (6:00 am)
Replying to: vu2000 (May 23, 2007 10:13 am) Unfortunately the XB will consume about twice the amount of fuel whilst providing about the same amount of utility when compared to the Prius. Too bad Toyota is falling into the American Car Company philosophy of bigger is always better.
#26 of 50 2008 xB!! by icey Jun 25, 2007 (6:39 pm)
I did all the homework and drove over 20 vehicles and bought the 2008 xB. Love it so far. The xB is about the most room you can find with highest MPG without going hybrid. I'm 6'6" and the 2nd best is the 2007 or new 2008 Ford Escape. I went with the xB due to the following: 1) More comfort than the Escape and costs less too. 2) Decent MPG for a 3000 lb machine. 3) Liked the 2006 xB, Like the 2008 look more. 4) Decent engine with the 2.4 from the Camry. 5) Better ride, smoother power, quieter, better fit and finish, more standard equipment, more comfortable than the Jeep Compass, Caliber, Matrix/Vibe, Cruiser, HHR, CRV. 6) The real IPOD connection has the rest beat! Works just fine with the standard radio. 7) Decent extended warranty package for $850 that extends the factory from 36k to 75k. Others charge $1500 to $2000 for the same coverage. 7) Did I mention lots of head and shoulder room in the new xB for a 6'6", 250lb guy? I really tried to go USA on this purchase, which replaced a Ford Windstar minivan, but in the end I opted for the xB. The next best for me were the Escape, Element, the Jeep Compass (really liked it and it's CVT trans) and the Kia Rondo. The Rondo was very nice and has an optional 3rd row of seats if that interests you. The Rondos 4cyl is more than adequate. I skipped on it for the shape of the xB and the dependability of the Camry engine. It's my first Scion/Toyota, so time will tell if it was the best choice. FWIW, Our new vehicle will probably be the Escape Hybrid, which will replace our 2001 Escape. So far it's been a great car too and since it's a city car the hybrid will shine. BTW, I also tried to go with a Prius. Unfortunately Toyota was too clueless to offer an adjustable height seat for the driver of the Prius, so my head was against the roof. What an oversight!! Gee, just put the seats from the xB or Camry into the Prius and sell a ton more to taller people! The HHR and PT were unbelievably uncomfortable to drivers of my size. The looks of both actually create an unnecessarily cramped and dangerous interior for taller drivers. I'm glad my search is over and at this point I'm averaging 27 mpg with about 60% highway driving. It's not the mid 30's that i wanted, but I did make an improvement and will trade up again in a couple of years as the MPG's continue to increase in the marketplace. I'll again try for a small hybrid next time but they will have to fit me a little better somehow. Replies to this message: trucktricks (Jun 26, 2007 7:44 am) arumage (Jun 29, 2007 7:14 am) big_guy (Jul 02, 2007 1:26 pm)
#27 of 50 Re: 2008 xB!! [icey] by trucktricks Jun 26, 2007 (7:44 am)
Replying to: icey (Jun 25, 2007 6:39 pm) Your idea of "decent MPG" is sure not the same as mine. With only 158 HP, this vehicle should be getting way more than 28 Highway. My HHR can run circles around this thing with its 175 HP and get 30 MPG while doing it (it actually does better than than that). I was driving a Vibe before the HHR and although a good car, its Toyota engine was very very buzzy. The Chevy 2.4 is quieter and smoother and way more powerful. Toyota is slipping badly in the engine department these days. Replies to this message: arumage (Jun 29, 2007 7:14 am) big_guy (Jul 02, 2007 1:26 pm)
#28 of 50 2008 Scion XB by kero1 Jun 26, 2007 (2:53 pm)
Went and looked at the 08 scion XB a few weeks ago. The dealership only had one on the lot. Inside the car was nice and room. Why they covered the back seats in fabric instead of plastic is odd. When I put the seats down to create a flat surface I can see things getting caught on the carpet on the back of the seats. I thought it was nice and might trade my 06 LX for this. I want a little more utility since I like to camp but don't want a true SUV and such. I would have to put some type of rims on this vehicle since the hub caps are pretty cheesy. I also worry about the AC condenser getting ruined by small debris just like people who own Honda Elements. They have to put make shift gutter protectors in front of the condenser to keep it from getting punctured.
#29 of 50 Test Drive Impressions by bpraxis Jun 26, 2007 (3:29 pm)
Hello everyone and I had an opportunity to test drive the 2008 Xb last night. I was very impressed with the handling, quietness, and power for a tall heavy car. The air conditioner was very strong and one of the best that I have experienced. The stereo upgrade did not impress me and I thought the sound quality was not that good. In addition the radio controls were confusing and not very ergonomic. As a 47 year old I felt that the Xb may be a bit too young and hip for me but I came away favorably impressed. This would not rule out me buying the car though. I am looking for a road trip car with plenty of cargo space. With almost 70 cubic feet the small Xb has great cargo capacity. The rear floor seemed delicate and may not hold the weight that I need. I am also considering the Honda CRV and the Element. The CRV is very attractively styling looking somewhat European to me. The Element would be a great car to travel in but the Element is now five years old and the chasis is based on the last CRV. The new MPG standards from our infinitely wise masters in Washington is more stringent for 2008. So the two wheel drive 2008 Element will be rated at 25 MPG on the highway and the 2008 CRV will match the Xb at 28 MPG on the highway. So my decision is between these three vehicles and does anyone have any comments or advice??? Replies to this message: kero1 (Jun 26, 2007 6:57 pm) bpraxis (Jun 27, 2007 7:21 am) kero1 (Jun 27, 2007 8:44 am)
#30 of 50 Re: Test Drive Impressions [bpraxis] by kero1 Jun 26, 2007 (6:57 pm)
Replying to: bpraxis (Jun 26, 2007 3:29 pm) The vehicles are different as in many ways alike. The real issue is the element has been on the market for a while and most problems/glitches have been worked out for the most part. If you get an element, you will have to get $6 worth of gutter protector from Home Depot and make a condenser sheild to protect your A/C system. If you don't and the condenser gets punctured honda will not cover it warranty. If you like elements, join EOC (http://www.elementownersclub.com/) for more info on what to expect from the element. The XB is a redesign so expect first year glitches just like I had on my 06 honda civic LX sedan. It's always best to avoid first year redesigns if you can. I did not have a choice really. I like both and have sat in both and did test drive the element about 6 months ago. Element looks and feels bigger and the seats fold up against the sides of the vehicle, which makes for great cargo space. The doors open suicide style with no support in between for a large loading area, etc. Either for me would do fine and either for you would most likely be a good choice. The element is more expensive and if you go for an EX prepare to spend 20K to 21K, etc. Replies to this message: bpraxis (Jun 27, 2007 7:21 am) kero1 (Jun 27, 2007 8:44 am)