The Scion xB that came to our shores in 2004 was a raw box, a direct import of a vehicle originally designed for the home market in Japan. The home market Toyota bB was re-badged the Scion xB for the United States with very little in the way of changes. Thus it was funky fresh, unlike anything else you could buy. It was small, powered by a small engine, and was pretty basic. That not withstanding the xB gained a dedicated following of owners and brought meaning to the Scion brand.
When it came time to bring us a second generation xB, Scion looked for more room, more power, and more refinement to the sometimes quirky xB. Instead of bringing the new home market bB they looked up the product line and instead brought to our shores the larger and more powerful Japanese market Corolla Rumion to be our next xB.
So in 2008 the current xB as we know it changed to a more modern if not subdued design. It gave up much of its boxy look and funky vibe for a more mundane and rounded off look. The second generation xB is longer, wider and lower than the first but still retains much of the same functionality, high seating position, and unique character of the old xB.
We had a new 2011 Scion xB to test for a few weeks that had a host of TRD and Scion accessories installed. As long time Scion owners of a first generation xB our frame of reference for this review almost became more of a comparison from old to new even though this current xB has been in showrooms for a few years now.
Our tester painted in Army Rock metallic was equipped with a handsome set of 19″ TRD wheels and upgraded rubber ($2150). Underneath was a TRD rear sway bar ($325) and polished sport muffler
($489). Both of the latter items are fully visible from behind so they dress up the look as well as provide a noticeably difference in driving dynamics.
Also optional on our 2011 xB was an upgraded Alpine HD stereo ($449), illuminated door sills ($290), and rear bumper appliqué ($69). With delivery charges this brought our vehicle to $21,442 as tested. Like all Scions they come in one model designation equipped with a healthy standard list of features which includes air conditioning, cruise control, power windows and locks, security system, traction control, and anti-lock brakes just to name a few.
The big upgrade in specs from the first generation xB is the 2.4 liter DOHC VVTi engine that produces 158hp, mated to a 4-speed automatic transmission. The engine and transmission combination does provide a lot more power and drivability than the 1.5 liter engine in the first generation xB to be sure. It’s refined and never thrashy under full throttle. Fuel economy is listed as 22 city, 28 highway with 24 combined. That is about exactly what we achieved in our weeks with the xB, getting an average of 24.8 mpg.
A few times we did wonder how much better the miles per gallon could be if the same engine were mated to a more modern 6-speed automatic transmission such as the one found in the new 2011 tC. It’s likely that next time the xB gets a refresh or upgrade it will likely share that new drive train and possibly get back up to the 30 mpg range of the first generation xB.
Driving the 2011 xB the chassis and ride is a lot more solid and quiet than the first gen xB. This feels like a very substantial car, safe and competent on the road where the older version feels like a tin can at times by comparison. And the interior is well designed with everything in just about the place you expect it to be. There are cup holders up front and fro the rear seats. And now there is a center armrest console, something missing from the original xB.
The seats are covered with a handsome durable cloth with matching door panel accents. The uniquely located center mounted instrument cluster is very readable both day and night. The dash that surrounds you is made of a quality feeling material and still has some of the storage nooks and crannies that the original xB had, but looks a lot more handsome. The switchgear of course is traditional Toyota hardware with good tactile feel, quality materials and simple functionality.
The only disappointments we had inside the xB were the optional Alpine stereo and the AC system. It was difficult for any of us to find a setting to make the optional deck sound good. It was either too flat, to scratchy, too this or too that. There are a litany of adjustments and ways to make it’s sound different but nothing seemed to work to make it sound good. We recommend you look at either the standard deck or one of the other units. The air conditioning seemed to take a good while to get to cooling the cabin off in mild heat of 85-90 degrees. We wondered what it would be like in the deep summer with temperatures of 110+. Once cool it did well, but getting there took a while.
On the positive, the new xB handles nice and tight on the road. The electrically assisted power steering is very precise feeling and linear in the twisty roads, a major plus. The optional rubber and wheels combined with the rear sway bar provide a noticeable stiffening up of the handling without affecting the ride in a straight line. These options while a bit pricey are well worth the investment.
Styling on the xB is of course a matter of debate among many. Some like the old boxy look of the first generation. Others like the more rounded lines of the current model. One improvement made of late was the new rear fascia that eliminated the Cyclops back up light in lieu of mounting them in the rear tail lamps. It looks cleaner to be sure.
We liked the cargo capability in the rear, being able to haul our kids to karate with all their gear in tow. Folding down one or both the rear seats made for an easy trip to Home Depot for some gardening goods to get our yard dialed up for spring. The fact that the new xB has a full boat of safety equipment such as front, side, and side curtain airbags really made us appreciate that aspect. Our first generation xB only has front airbags with little or no side protection.
All said and done the 2011 xB is a vehicle which represents a solid value for its price. While ours was optioned up, this is still a lot of car for $16.950. Even at $21,442 as ours was equipped it was hard to see it as priced high. You get Toyota’s legendary quality and reliability in a car that feels solid, has top safety ratings and oh by the way…..is totally cool.
