2004 Scion xB - Resurrecting the box on wheels..
Written: Oct 27 '03 (Updated Oct 05 '07)
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Pros: Oddly stylish, Base price, Large interior.
Cons: Acceleration, Cost of accessories, No sunroof option, Auto tranny lacks autostick.
The Bottom Line: Not only recommended for youngsters, but to anyone looking for a wagon that sports good economy, quality, and utility.
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| shoplmart's Full Review: 2004 Scion xB |
When you visualize a boxy looking automobile many vehicles of the past probably come to mind, perhaps those older Volvo wagons or even the late Ford LTD, but what about a post millennium vehicle? In the latter part of 2002 the Honda Element turned more than a few heads with its boxy appearance, however Toyota quickly upstaged the boxy Element in 2003 with the introduction of the even boxier Scion xB. Though the 2004 xB may make vehicles like those old Volvo wagons look downright curvaceous, the Scion xB flaunts its boxy sheetmetal with something that the public rarely gets to see; style.
The Scion (another word for offspring) is a new automotive brand introduced by Toyota Motors that is blatantly targeted towards young drivers who want an affordable vehicle minus the ho-hum Toyota nameplate (kinda like what GM did with the Geo brand). Apparently Toyota feels that first car buyers will choose the Scion brand and then upgrade to the ma and pa Toyota badge with age. The Scion xB may be a cheap ploy to get youngsters to purchase a Toyota product, but how does the thing drive? Read on..
Under the hood:
Toyota has introduced the Scion brand with 2 generically titled models; xB and xA (a xC model is due out sometime in 2004). There are currently no trim levels available for the xB, just optional accessories. The xB's sole power plant is a DOHC 1.5 liter borrowed from the Toyota ECHO that pumps out the same modest 108 horsepower and 105 lb-ft of torque. Transmission options remain basic. The Scion xB can be had with either the standard 5-speed manual or an optional 4-speed automatic (equipped for $800).
Driving Impressions:
While the xB could only be considered fast if it sat next to a 1930 Model A Ford, it doesn't do too bad in this department. The 16 valve 1.5 liter 4-cylinder does an adequate job moving the xB's mass from the light and keeping up with traffic is not as much of an issue as one might think. The xB's smooth shifting 4-speed automatic works wonderfully with Toyota's 1.5 liter engine by holding gears to suit throttle pressure. Though more power would have undoubtedly added more fun to the xB's game, the Scion xB should provide enough power to satisfy most first time car buyers searching for a vehicle in this category. If you are looking for a very modest horsepower gain, the Scion xB can be had with a cold air intake at an extra cost ($400).
Having a vehicle with a tiny engine usually means that you are going to have to put up with some harsh engine noise when accelerating; the xB is no exception. Even with only mild throttle pressure the xB's tiny 1.5 liter shows no shame by making itself clearly heard inside the cabin. Press the throttle to the floor and the noise level inside the cabin deteriorates even further. It would have been nice to see Toyota's 1.8 liter somehow added for quicker throttle response and a slightly quieter ride.
The Scion xB's ability to tackle twisty roads was somewhat of a surprise, especially since the xB is built on the same platform as the less than sporty Toyota ECHO. The xB does tend to lean a bit heavily in sharp turns, however it does not perform nearly as poorly in these types of situations as its boxy design suggests. Having driven both the xB and the much more curvaceous xA, there really is not much of a difference in the handling of the two wagons. Standard on the xB come 15" wheels and P185/60 All Season tires which help give the xB a more stable feeling on the twisties (comparing to the ECHO with 14" wheels). While the stock tires do an adequate job with grip, a slightly wider lower profile tire would most likely have furthered the xB's ability to tackle twisty roads.
The xB comes standard with front disc/rear drum brakes coupled with ABS. While ABS is a novel standard feature, these brakes only work adequately stopping this vehicle.
On the highway the Scion xB was much smoother than I had expected. Judging from the appearance of this vehicle and the relatively low MSRP I was sure I was going to be in for a bumpy and noisy ride; not the case. I found the xB to be just as good absorbing bumps in the road as I did with Toyota's more expensive wagons e.g., the Toyota Matrix XR. The xB also does an excellent job keeping wind, engine, and road noise outside the cabin during high speed travel. While the xB's engine can be very loud on takeoff, it calms down to almost a whisper when cruising on flat roads at around 65 MPH. Unfortunately cruising on flat freeway surfaces is the only time the xB's engine is quiet. On hills the xB's 1.5 liter strains in small engine fashion to keep up with traffic on hills. The 4-speed automatic also loses its composure by making sudden downshifts and up-shifts just to maintain legal speeds on this type of terrain. Again, this is where a larger engine or a small turbo would have come in handy.
With a highway EPA of 30/34 (30/33 with the 5-speed manual) this puts the xB in the same EPA category as the heavier and more powerful Toyota Matrix XR and most economical wagons on the market. If you are looking for a higher mileage wagon by Scion, I highly suggest checking out the slightly smaller xA which receives approximately 6 more miles to the gallon.
Interior:
Similar to the Scion xA and the Toyota ECHO, the xB's instrument cluster is not exactly the most user friendly. Instead of your conventional instrument cluster location which is usually directly in front of the driver, Toyota has moved the xB's cluster to almost the center of the dash. While Toyota claims that this type of instrument gauge placement makes for a more "eyes on road" driving experience, I personally find the placement of this cluster to be more annoying than helpful. The instrument cluster also has an overly large speedometer which leaves only a tiny space for the tachometer and temp gauge. Other than the instrument cluster my other gripes would have to do with the slight overdose of plastic titanium accents. Toyota has went with this titanium theme in a number of their vehicles for the 2004 model year, the Scion xB did not avoid the same fate. Gripes aside, other than the instrument cluster all gadgetry in the xB is logically placed and easy to operate.
The Scion xB may not offer the most standard amenities in its class, however this wagon is also very far from having a bare bones interior. Standard equipment for the Scion xB comes just about everything you would find in your high quality Japanese built economy car. The xB comes standard with an excellent sounding Pioneer sound system with the availability of a Bazooka subwoofer ($430) mounted in the rear. Standard equipment for the xB also includes power everything, air conditioning, a first aid kit, dual front air bags, 3 cup holders, one 12 volt power outlet, and much more. For a complete list of standard amenities you can visit www.scion.com.
If the standard amenities offered in the xB are not enough, Toyota offers a total of 40 optional accessories. Instead of having to go to your local aftermarket automotive shop, Toyota has opted to offer its own line of stylish accessories. Some accessories for the Scion xB include auxiliary interior lighting (including cup holder illumination), a variety of carbon fiber trimmed manual shift knobs, remote alarm, body side graphics, alloy rims, a Pioneer AM/FM 6-disc CD changer, performance parts, and as mentioned a Bazooka subwoofer. There is only one major problem with the accessories Toyota offers for the xB; price. The price for many of the optional accessories can be double the price of what you could get them for on eBay Motors or your local aftermarket auto shop. For example, the twist alloy wheels cost nearly $700, more stylish 15" alloy wheels can be had at your local tire shop for much less.
Though the xB's perforated cloth seating surfaces could do with a bit more refinement, the front bucket seats in this vehicle are very comfy and offer both excellent upper and lower body supports for aggressive driving. A novel feature found inside the Scion xB are the rear 60/40 split seats. Not only do these seats fold completely flat, but they are also equipped with adjustable 3-way head restraints, this is a safety feature that is not always found in sub $15,000 hatchbacks/wagons.
So what about room? By the outward appearance the xB doesn't exactly look roomy; oh contraire. Other than a slight issue with elbow room, the xB boasts more than enough room to cater to 5 adults without feeling cramped. The Scion xB offers loads of leg room for both front and rear passengers and more than enough head room for occupants over 6' tall. The xB feels equally as roomy as larger vehicles, e.g., the Ford Focus ZTW. Stowage space is also abundant. With 21 ft. of cargo space (with the rear seats in use), the xB offers enough storage space for most large household items. Since the tall lift-gate opens completely it enables large items to easily be packed inside the cargo area. If more storage space is needed, the 60/40 split rear seats fold completely flat (cargo space is doubled to 43 cubic ft. when the rear seats are removed). The xB also comes with many storage cubbies throughout the cabin, including a small under the floor hidden storage area in the rear cargo area.
Note: If you opt for the Bazooka subwoofer it will be mounted by Toyota in the rear cargo area which will take up significant cargo space.
Price/Warranty:
The xB starts at a just under $14,000 (about $3,000 more than the xA) with just standard amenities. With accessories, however, the price of the xB rises; fast. With the automatic transmission ($800), the all-weather floor mats ($120), remote alarm ($450), twist alloy wheels (almost $700), and the Bazooka Subwoofer ($450) my Scion xB came to a whopping $17,500. This was with no dealer markup. If anything happens to your Scion xB, Toyota Motors backs up the xB with a 3 year/36,000 mile bumper-bumper warranty and a 5 year/60,000 mile powertrain warranty.
Final Thoughts:
The xB could definitely benefit from some improvements i.e. more power, better brakes, and the option of a sunroof, though as it stands the xB offers a decent bargain for those looking for a small wagon without the stereotypical wagon appearance. If you are in the market for new small wagon/crossover vehicle I do recommend the new Scion xB, however I suggest avoiding Toyota's expensive aftermarket program and save yourself some cash by visiting automotive online stores such as eBay Motors or your local automotive retail store.
Looking for a more powerful wagon, check out my review on the 2008 Scion xB
-Thanks for reading
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 17,500
Model and Options: xB
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