Here in California, we were blessed to be the preview state for Toyota's new youth-oriented brand - Scion. Designed to appeal to Gen Y and to break free from Toyota's stodgy image, the Scion nameplate is composed of 3 models - the xA, xB and the just-introduced tC coupe.
The xA
The xA is a small 4-door hatchback with a tiny 1.5L 4-cylinder engine rated at 108 hp and 105 lb-ft @4200 rpm of torque. Though the numbers may not impress, for such a light car (2300 lbs), the xA is very nimble in the city - especially with manual transmission.
Styling
Scions - you either like them or hate them. As a member of Gen X, I was disappointed with the Scion fleet. The xA is cute enough from the rear, looking very much like a Mini Cooper. But the front end styling is bland, reminding me of the old Toyota Paseo. The xB is the squared-off mini-van thing that looks like a child's attempt at drawing the Honda Element. And the new tC is very slab-sided and doesn't bear any car family resemblance to the xA or xB - surprisingly conservative stylistic choices from the company that has given us some interesting looking cars like the Celica, Supra and that funky Star Trek-like Previa. Maybe Gen Y will like these new shapes.
Out of the 3, the xA is probably going to be the design that will wear the longest - at least through your lease or loan payments. With gas bouncing between $2.50 to $3.00 a gallon, the xA is a smart-looking car that is EPA-rated at 32/37 city/hwy mpg. It's not as Mini Cooper-cute, but it's not Mini Cooper expensive either.
Inside
The interior of the xA is a sporty affair with deeply bolstered VW-like seats that are positioned high, durable charcoal fabric and a cool dash with a thick center console trimmed with brushed aluminum with orange-neon backlighting. There is no leather option. The dashboard instrumentation is of the center-mount variety. It's a little offputting at first but you get to enjoy a better view from the driving position and the Scion xA's gauges are huge. With thick round gauges, round air vents and round switches, you get another feeling that Toyota was taking a hard look at the Mini Cooper. The Scion's interior may not as be as retro-cool as the Mini's, but there are plenty of similarities.
Some car companies will tell you that having center-mount gauges are better for the driver but there's another reason - cheaper to retool the car to export to RH-drive markets.
The back seats are also firm but, in spite of the 4-doors, seating is snug for legroom, especially if any front seat passengers have their seats pushed back. Also, your backseat passengers - like the Mini's - will have their heads almost up against the rear window. It's pretty claustrophobic back there.
Driving
With the small 4-cylinder engine, the xA is still a blast to drive around town. Refined yet peppy, the xA will chirp its tires at the traffic lights. And thanks to the bolstered seats, you'll have fun taking corners in the xA. It's not a race car and its no Mini Cooper in the handling department, but it's tight and reminiscent of a Mazda Protege - an econo-car known for its moves.
I didn't get a chance to take the car out on the highway, but a fast zip down some streets kept the car composed although tire noise was audible. This car would be plenty noisy at 50mph+ speeds.
Utility
All Scions are hatchbacks which make them great for carrying cargo. Though hatchbacks have a stigma of being cheap econo-cars, it's an efficient use of space and given how small the xA is, a single person or a couple will need to fold down those seats if they're going to haul anything larger than 4 bags of groceries.
Customization
The Southern California car culture means customizing your ride and the Scion car line offers a good basic car to build on. There are lots of options to add to the cosmetics of your Scion. Nicer wheels and a dark paint choice would take away from the dull front end. Don't forget that the xA is a barebones car that needs some dressing up!
Competition?
The xA is an odd duck. In the looks department, this car competes with such unique looking oddities as the Mini Cooper and the VW Beetle but is priced $6000 less. Note though that the Beetle has a so-so reliability record and the English-built Mini makes you go through BMW (read: pricey) service.
In the xA's price bracket, you've got a stripped and ubiquitous Honda Civic, the old school Chevy Cavalier/Pontiac Sunfire, the Korean-built Chevy Aveo, a stripped Ford Focus, Hyundai Accent, Kia Spectra, or Toyota's own ugly Echo. In this crowd, the Scion xA looks pretty good with more modern engineering, a better interior and the Toyota quality reputation.
Overall
With car prices rising and gas prices becoming an issue again, Toyota has introduced the Scion at the right time. All the car companies were previously racing to the top of the marketplace with premium offerings and SUVs - there's more profit there. Toyota has Lexus, Nissan has Infiniti, etc... but the real world needs cheap, reliable wheels that's good on gas. Not wanting to concede the low-end market to Korean competitors like Hyundai, Scion offers a smart combination of Toyota build-quality with prices that start at $13,000.
With a solid car and attractive pricing, Gen Y car tuners can save up money to pimp their ride.
I'm guessing that like the improvement from the first to second generation Toyota Prius, we'll see Scion styling change dramatically in the next model rotation. I wonder why the Prius wasn't sold as a Scion...
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 13000
Condition: New Model Year: 2004 Model and Options: xA
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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