We spend a week in the boxy compact from Toyotas youth brand
Pros:
Versatility and cargo volume
Bang for the buck
Rear seat room
Cons:
Rear visibility
Interior plastics
Center instrument cluster
Is it really a 2012?
Here at LotPro.com most of the vehicles we receive for evaluation are current models, so you can imagine our surprise when a brand new 2012 Scion xB showed up at our front door. Be that as it may, we forged ahead for two reasons: Number one, we've been waiting to test and xB for quite some time now. Number two, the xB hasn't really changed at all since the second gen 2008 model was released. So bear with me.
Our time with the Scion xB fell during my annual pilgrimage to the Windy City for Thanksgiving. As such, I was able to get a much clearer picture of how the still-boxy but more evolved people mover performs under a much wider variety of driving situations. So in addition to the usual suburban driving, the xB was put through its paces on the frequently treacherous city streets of Chicago as well as hundreds of miles of interstate cruising (thank you, Toyota).
2012 Scion xB
The xB is one of the original models in Toyota's Scion brand, although the original subcompact version based on Toyota's Yaris platform was supplanted by the current compact-sized offering when it was introduced to the press during media days at the 2007 Chicago Auto Show (back when that venue carried more prestige with auto manufacturers than it currently does).
Exterior
The second generation xB sits on a 102.4 inch wheelbase, is just under 14 feet long at 167.3 inches, while its 69.3 inches wide and 64.7 inches high. Ground clearance is 5.1 inches and, despite its brick-like appearance, it has a fairly respectable coefficient of drag of 0.32.
During the seven years the current version has been produced, Toyota made a number of changes to its exterior in both 2009 and in 2011.
Up front, the fascia has morphed from one with nearly identically-sized upper and lower grilles to one with a narrower upper grille and larger lower air intake. In back, the changes have been more subtle with the single round lower back up light embedded in the bumper being replaced with more conventional backup lights embedded in the lower taillamp lenses with twin recessed rear reflectors placed in the lower outer corners of the bumper.
In addition to making the second generation xB larger, Toyota also raised the beltline, thus narrowing the window height for a somewhat less airy-feeling cabin while, at the same time, rounding off the model's exterior edges for a more flowing look.
Interior
The good news inside is that the front seats are very supportive with good bolstering. Likewise, rear seat passengers will also find comfortable seats with more headroom and nearly as much legroom and shoulder room as those in front. Like other Scion models, the door panels feature small cloth inserts above the arm rests that match the seat inserts, while the texture of the central portion of the steering wheel matches that of the dashboard.
Overall passenger volume is 101 cubic feet. There is an additional 21.7 cubic feet of storage space behind the rear seatbacks that, when folded, yield a generous cargo volume of 69.9 cubic feet behind the front seats.
Another bright spot is the fact that Toyota has finally seen the light and equipped the xB's premium audio system – sourced from Pioneer and featuring both HD radio and Bluetooth – with a single volume/power knob, although other functions including phone, seek, track and settings, still require the user to touch an icon.
The bad news is that the xD, like other Scions and even though they're nicely grained, still features a plethora of hard plastics throughout the interior including the instrument panel and upper door trim. Not only that, it has a funky central instrument cluster that, despite the fact the gauges are canted towards the driver, is distracting to use. As for the information actually displayed in front of the driver, there's little more than a flat slab of gray plastic centered over the steering wheel. Other nits include cheesy-looking silver trim, steering-wheel and window controls that aren't backlit at night and windshield visors that lack an extension so they only cover roughly half the side windows, making them nearly useless when the sun faces the driver's side of the vehicle. Finally, the USB/aux ports are located underneath a removable lower shelf in the center console storage bin – not exactly the handiest of places, especially if you're driving sans a co-pilot.
On a positive note, the HVAC controls are straightforward and consist of three rotary knobs: air delivery/recirculation, fan speed/ rear defrost and temperature/AC. In addition, there are plenty of storage cubbies on all four doors plus one to the left of the steering wheel on the dashboard. There's also a storage shelf located just above the glove box.
Sitting in the driver's seat, visibility out the front and sides is very good. Looking over your shoulder and out the back is an altogether different story; however, as the huge C-pillars hinder the rear three-quarters view (they're so large, in fact, that Toyota even offers the option of C-pillar storage).The rear headrests also rob a fair amount of the rear window's usable real estate.
Under the hood
The xB is available with just one engine: Toyota's 2AZ-FE DOHC, 16-valve, 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with variable valve timing that produces 158 horsepower at a peaky 6,000 rpm and a comparatively robust 162 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,000 rpm. The EPA estimates drivers will get 22 mpg in the city and 28 mpg on the highway, while we managed a decent, if unimpressive for a compact, 26.7 mpg in combined driving.
On the road
On the road those 158 horses under the hood combined with a curb weight of 3,086 pounds yields some pretty zippy performance even when equipped with the smooth 4-speed automatic. While the combination won't win many drag races, the xD does feel nimble and well-balanced both in a straight line and through the corners with its MacPherson strut front and torsion beam rear suspension doing a nice job of minimizing body lean. There's a nice weight to the steering and the front-disc, rear-drum brake setup brings it all to a halt in fairly short order. I detected no fade and the brake pedal was easy to modulate.
Thanks to its comparatively long wheelbase and unlike a number of Scion models, over less than smooth surfaces the ride never gets busy or jittery. The xD's suspension easily absorbs minor road imperfections and when it encounters major ones – like some of those pothole-scarred Chicago streets – only the largest ones are telegraphed to the cabin and even those are fairly well damped.
Additionally, engine, wind and road noise are fairly low for a vehicle this size.
Equipment
As is Scion's custom and despite its fairly modest assignment, the xD is available in just one flavor that's fairly well equipped. In addition to those goodies previously mentioned, standard features include air conditioning, keyless entry, rear wiper, 50/50 split-folding rear seats, power locks, mirrors (with LED turn indicators) and windows.
Safety equipment includes 6 airbags, ABS with electronic brake distribution, brake assist and smart stop technology, vehicle stability control with traction control and, ta-dah, a first aid kit.
Pricing
The xB has an MSRP for 2012 of $17,250. Our Army Rock Metallic (you read it right) tester came with an optional rear spoiler ($423), Pioneer premium audio system ($479), fog lights ($340), carpeted cargo mat ($184) and cargo cover ($259). These extras plus a $755 delivery, processing and handling fee meant it checked in at precisely $19,690.
The Bottom Line
Once again it should be noted that people purchase small hatchbacks for four basic reasons:
Point number one, they can be both small and versatile at the same time. In many cases they make more sense than larger vehicles in urban areas.
Point number two, they're affordable. As a rule, the smaller the vehicle, the lower the price of admission.
Point number three, they're more fuel efficient. Keeping hybrids out of the equation, as a rule, the smaller (and lighter) the vehicle, the easier it is on your wallet.
Point number four, they can be entertaining to drive despite the general lack of horsepower. Given the choice, I'd rather drive a slow car fast than a fast car slow.
That being said, the more points a small car can amass, the better it is.
In the case of the xB, it manages to score three and a half out of a possible four points. The half point takeaway is due to its less than stellar fuel economy and the abundance of hard plastics found in its cabin.
The bottom line is that in its own funky boxy way the xD is a viable option for urban dwellers and others needing a dependable, compact people hauler and should be high on the shopping lists of these kinds of buyers.
