xA Not As Sensational As Its xB Stablemate, But A Good Little Car Nonetheless
Written: Mar 22 '04 (Updated Nov 30 '04)
Product Rating:
Pros: Slick and refined interior, eager and agile demeanor, better dynamically than tall-bodied xB.
Cons: Tight, cramped-feeling interior, near-nonexistent trunk space, feels out of its element on freeways.
The Bottom Line: With a typical tiny-car feel and drastically less versatility, the xA isn't as special as the xB... but it's way more fun than the Rio or Aveo wagons.
I test-drove a Scion xA five-speed at a local dealership. My test drive lasted about half and hour and covered city streets, winding secondary roads, and the freeway.
Performance
As in the xB, I originally wasn't expecting much in the way of performance from the xA's 1.5-liter, 108hp engine, but it was actually a surprisingly zippy little car. Despite the modest power figures, the xA felt pleasantly eager and energetic from the driver's seat--and a bit faster than the xB, presumably because of its lower curb weight.
Power always felt adequate, even at the low end, and it was especially zingy in the midrange. From 4000 to 6000rpm, the xA provided a little bit of a shove in the back that made it feel surprisingly quick when I nailed the throttle in first and second gear. In higher gears, and on the freeway, response trailed off somewhat, but not to the point that the xB's did, probably due to the xA's smoother aerodynamics.
One of my favorite things about the xA was its crisp, clean engine note that never sounded strained, and made the engine seem happy to explore the higher reaches of its rev range. Vibration levels were reasonably low, but I noticed substantially more vibration in the xA than in the xB. At idle, the engine gently shook the cabin--not enough to be really intrusive, but enough to be slightly annoying if you paid attention to it. Noise levels were quite hushed in gentle driving, but rather loud at high revs.
This high-rpm noise becomes relevant when you consider the xA's gearing, which is very short. This gearing probably contributes a great deal to the xA's surprising quickness around town, but works against it on the freeway. The engine turns a busy 3500rpm at just 65mph, accompanied by more noise than I'd prefer. Yes, I did say that the sound of the engine is quite nice--but when you're trying to settle into steady-state cruise mode on the freeway, and the engine is revving furiously, it starts to feel like you're working the car too hard. Even on my relatively short freeway stint, it began to wear on my nerves, and I was relieved to exit and get the Scion back onto city streets, where it feels more at home.
Transmission/Clutch
The xA's shifter was quite good, handily exceeding my expectations. Also, just like its performance, the xA's transmission seemed a bit better than that in the bigger xB. The long shift lever suggested that its throws might be long and ponderous, but happily, this wasn't the case. Its throws were remarkably short and well-defined, and its effort was fairly firm and natural-feeling. Rowing through the gears revealed somewhat notchy gates, but they were also very well-defined--I was snapping off quick, effortless shifts just a few minutes into my test drive. The shifter felt tighter and less flexible than that in the xB, and it seemed to be a bit closer at hand than the xB's.
The clutch also seemed just a bit tighter, with the same light effort and easy take-up, but engagements that felt just a bit quicker and more precise. The engine could still stand to drop revs a bit more readily, but overall, the xA's transmission was quite impressive.
Steering/Handling
The xA was an agile, maneuverable, and responsive little handler, and its lower center of gravity made it feel more stable than the xB despite its slightly softer suspension tuning. Through most of my test drive, the xA felt nimble and light on its feet, and it felt especially agile in the tight, relatively low-speed maneuvers of city traffic.
The xAs steering is light but well-weighted, and its ratio is notably quick off-center, giving it sharp and immediate response to driver inputs. The suspension is a bit softer than that in the xB, but it's still quite firm, keeping body motions snubbed to a minimum. Body lean is mild in moderate driving, and the xA dives happily into turns, albeit with a bit less immediacy than the xB.
Still, despite the xA's slightly softer responses in moderate driving, the xA has an advantage over its larger sibling when you turn up the wick. Unlike the tall and high-set xB, the xA doesn't get overly flustered when it's pressed to the limits of its abilities. Driving the xA hard along a winding road, its body leaned quite a bit in the turns, but it took a confident set and felt reassuringly stable. Abrupt changes of direction were still accompanied by a slightly nebulous, uncertain feel as the body took a moment to catch up with the quick steering, but the car felt better-tied down and more controllable than the xB. The steering's precision and road feel still fell short of excellence, but it was easier to get a feel for how much grip was left--which was usually, enough.
Unfortunately, the xA made no noticeable improvement on the unsettled freeway manners I noted in the xB. The xA was easily blown around by crosswinds, and it wandered in its lane more than I would like. The steering felt just as vague on-center as the xB's at higher speeds, further detracting from accurate control. Despite the subtle differences, the xA's overall handling character is similar to that of its stablemate--nimble and fun around town, but out of its element on high-speed straightaways of the Interstate.
Ride
The xA's ride was a bit firm and jumpy, but considerably less so than the stiffly-sprung xB. Around town, the xA soaked up bumps and rippled pavement quite gently, and it deals with potholes and other road imperfections quite well. There's a fair bit of quick bobbing and pitching from the suspension over uneven pavement (and sometimes even apparently smooth roads), but rough patches are swallowed with no impact harshness at all.
Helping the xA's ride quality was its rock-solid body structure. The structure felt tight and stiff over sharp bumps and expansion joints, and never once quivered or rattled. Its structural integrity even felt a bit better than that of the already-extraordinary xB. Road noise was moderate but well-muted, and wind rush was reasonably quiet on the freeway. This allowed me to hear the busily-revving engine on the freeway even more clearly than in the xB, but as far as bump absorption goes, the xA was quite satisfactory. If you're set on a Scion and prioritize a comfortable ride, the xA is the one to have.
Interior
The xA's interior was just as entertaining and unique as that in the xB, but with with one noticeable advantage, and one major disadvantage. I'll start with the similarities first. The xA's interior shapes and textures had the same edgy, Generation-Y style that I found so pleasing in its larger sibling. The shapes of the dashboard were a little more daringly contoured, but it had the same techy, futuristic look that reminded me of an expensive boombox stereo. It also had the same three-spoke steering wheel, aluminum-look trim, and eyeball vents, which contributed to a sporty, "import-tuner" ambiance.
The xA's driving position retained the tall, upright feel of its sibling, which gave a commanding view out without feeling stodgy. The windshield was lower and much closer to the dashboard, which made the car feel smaller and sportier, but my stance behind the wheel was very similar.
Now, the xA's advantage over the xB. Despite being lower in price, the xA's interior materials are actually a significant step up from those in the xB. Where the xB had a hard, grainy plastic covering much of the dashboard, the xA's dash plastics were soft and rubberized. The aluminum-look plastic trim felt smoother and thicker, and the door panels had a more solid feel and a pleasant dimpled-plastic texture. The rotary climate-control knobs were still a bit clunky for a Toyota product, but that wasn't as big a deal when the rest of the interior was so much closer to Toyota's outstanding norm. I found all this a bit surprising, given the fact that the xA is the less-expensive of the two Scions, but hey, I'm not going to argue--especially since the xB's materials were already above-average for the class.
Now, the bad news. the xA doesn't look that much smaller than the xB from the outside, but from the inside, the difference is night and day. The xA feels little. Really little. There's just enough room in the front to avoid feeling boxed-in, but the rear seat is very tight, even a little claustrophobic if you're a six-footer like myself. And the cargo room that I raved about in the xB? Gone. The space behind the rear seatbacks is miniscule and has a very high floor, making even the Chevrolet Aveo's little hold seem ample, There's maybe enough room for a few grocery sacks, but anything bigger will have to go in the back seat, or require you to fold the rear seatbacks down. This was really disappointing, considering how thrilled I was with the xB's incredibly efficient use of space and cavernous interior room. As a result, the xA didn't really exude the vibes of novelty and usefulness that made the spacious xB so desirable.
Practicality
So, as I'm sure you've gathered by this point, the xA isn't nearly as practical or useful as its xB sibling. But to be fair, it's not too bad by the conventional standards of the small-car class. Compared to other cars like the Kia Rio and Hyundai Accent, the Scion's accommodations up front felt sufficiently roomy, with comfortable and supportive seats that were far superior to those in the Rio. And while the rear seat was pretty tight, it was okay when compared to these rivals. The sheer volume of space back there was about the same as the cramped Kia Rio, but there was lots of headroom, and a couple clever touches that made it feel more roomy than it was.
For example, the backs of the front seats aren't covered in solid fabric, but in a soft, stretchy material like a polyester shirt. So if your knees press into the seat in front of you, it's no big deal--they just poke softly through the fabric, instead of jostling the driver's seat every time you try to get comfortable. Good thinking.
But the xA's cargo room really is lacking. Even compared to the Hyundai Accent, there's just not enough room in the tiny, shallow shelf behind the rear seatbacks. A split-folding rear seat comes as standard, but the lack of trunk room is really a major weakness for the xA. If I wanted to load my bass guitar and amplifier into this car, it would all have to go into the back seat. Bummer. Part of my disappointment, I'm sure, comes from the fact that I had elevated expectations for the xA, because of the phenomenal practicality of the xB. Still, even independently of that initial let-down, and compared to the more-conventional small cars in its class, cargo space is a significant weak spot for the xA.
Reliability
Consumer Reports doesn't list a reliability rating for the xA yet, but they do have data on the Toyota Echo, which was the basis of both Scion models. Scions are built by Toyota, and in Japan they are sold under the monikers Toyota Ist and Toyota bB. They're both built on the Echo platform, using the same engine, transmission, and suspension components--albeit tuned for a sportier feel. So the reliability of the Echo is pretty much a dead ringer for how well the Scions will hold up. And the good news is, the Echo gets Consumer Reports' highest rating for reliability. Its Better Than Average score promises virtually trouble-free operation, and so the Scions are unlikely to show anything less than similarly excellent reliability.
The only issue here is the Scion's unexceptional warranty--same as Toyota's--which is just 3 years/36,000 miles bumper-to-bumper and 5 years/60,000 miles on the powertrain. Next to the Korean competitor's marathon coverage, this seems pretty ordinary, although it's partly compensated for by the promise of a superior reliability record.
Overall
It was interesting for me to test-drive the xA and experience Scion's approach to selling cars, since (being a 21-year old near-college-grad) I fall conveniently into the demographic this youth-oriented brand targets. My impressions of the xA, and Scion's tactics in general, were mostly very positive. Before I get into my overall evaluation of the car itself, I want to mention the excellent customer service at the Scion dealership, which was totally unique except for the equally customer-friendly Saturn brand.
The salesperson showed me around the xA for a few minutes, gave me a brochure, and then handed me the keys to let me test-drive it, by myself, for as long as I liked. I love unaccompanied test-drives, because they allow you to concentrate more on the car, and they rule out the old salespersons' tactic of talking your ear off as you drive through the roughest or twistiest sections of road that are most likely to reveal a car's weaknesses. Upon returning to the dealership, I simply gave the key back, was handed the salesperson's card, and sent on my way. Perfection! I also think it's really smart for Toyota to use this respectful, no-hassle approach specifically on young buyers, who so often feel pandered to and manipulated by marketers, and not taken seriously by adults.
Now, on to the car itself. After being thoroughly blown away by the boxy xB, I was expecting similarly great things from the xA. But while the xA a great little car, I wasn't as impressed overall as I was by its sibling. First, though, let's give it some credit. I entered my test drive thinking that the xA would be less fun to drive than the xB, since all the magazine reviews I read had commented on its softer handling and gentler suspension. Instead, I found the xA is actually the more-capable car on the road. Its acceleration was ever-so-slightly more energetic, and while its suspension tuning was a bit softer, its lower center of gravity more than compensated in the turns. On twisty roads, the xA's behavior felt distinctly more composed, stable, and natural-feeling compared to the slightly nebulous, uncoordinated limit handling of the xB. So despite the cuter, jellybean styling and softer ride, the xA is the more athletic of the two Scions (although I wouldnt call either of them real driver's cars).
But does this make the xA a better value than the xB? Well, it's appreciably cheaper, and it offers a higher-quality interior to boot. But its tight interior accommodations and almost-nonexistent trunk made it feel smaller, less-special, and therefore less of a screaming bargain. While the xB could have been from another planet, the xA seemed more like a really nice-looking Echo wagon. Plus, despite its incremental performance/handling benefits, the xA still shares all of the xB's major faults. Its loud, busy, wandery freeway manners make it feel in over its head on the Interstate, and the impression is heightened by the fact that, unlike the xB, the xA feels like a really little car.
So let me put it this way. If I had to choose between the two Scions, the xB would definitely be the one I'd put in my garage. But since the xA is cheaper and really competes more directly with cars like the Chevy Aveo 5-door and Kia Rio Cinco, it's still an awesome value. Given my choice between the xA, the Aveo, or the Rio, there would be absolutely no contest. The xA is a far more finished, refined, and quality-feeling machine. I'm already seeing a lot of Scions, both xA and xB, on the roads here in California--and I'm expecting to see a lot more when their sales go nationwide.
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
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