- hatchback 226,233
- 890 below average
- 3,995 good
- Orlando, FL
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- autoshopper.com
- 890 below average hatchback 226,233 automatic
2004 scion xb review this car review is specific to this model, not the actual vehicle for sale. But the brand name toyota doesn't click with this crowd. Neither does the present line up, starting with the echo and closing with the avalon. The scion xb is one of three all-new models wearing the new badge and can now be found in about 80 percent of the toyota showrooms in california. In february 2004, scion will expand to the south and east coast. Scion is expected to complete its national rollout in spring 2004. the success of the scion xb depends in part on how it stands out in the market. There's no question it stands out visually. The scion xb is a box on wheels. Built by toyota to high standards of quality, durability and reliability, the scion xb feels tight and quiet, with little wind noise and no squeaks or rattles. It rides smoothly and is easy to drive with good brakes and a smooth clutch. It's no hot rod, however, so shifting into lower gears is needed for quick acceleration. Inside, it's roomy and has a nice interior with controls that are easy to operate. The driver and passengers sit upright in chair-like seats and enjoy excellent visibility. These comprise both appearance and functional items. Among the eye-candies are clear tail lamp lenses, rear bumper applique, body side graphics, led interior lighting, carbon fiber shift knob, sport pedals and instrument panel applique. Adding function are a leather-wrapped steering wheel (red or gray), front strut tower brace, fog lamps, cup holder illumination, removable roof rack, 6-cd changer, satellite radio tuner and antenna, cold-air induction system and an assortment of handling and performance goodies from toyota racing development. Accessory prices range from $49 for a shift knob to $665 for aluminum alloy wheels. walkaroundthe scion xb looks like nothing else on the road. Even the boxy 2003 honda element seems almost curvaceous next to this exercise in extreme angularity. side body panels composed of sheets of virtually flat metal and glass join at right angles with a flat roof, a flat hood and a flat liftgate. Only the barest hint of a curve softens the front end and windshield. tall doors open wide. Top-hinged outside door handles fit smoothly into the xb's slab-sided styling, but they're less ergonomic and less friendly to fingernails than open, full-round handles like those found, ironically, on the xb's more traditionally styled sibling, the xa. Instead of their traditional location directly in front of the driver, the instruments huddle in a slight depression centered on the top of the dash. By way of explanation, the car maker says this placement makes the instruments easier to see because they're closer to both the driver's line of sight through the windshield and the driver's eyes' focal plane. It no doubt helps that this also saves cost in a car built in both right-hand and left-hand drive versions. As for driving the car, initially, at least, encountering a blank landscape of nicely textured plastic between the spokes of the steering wheel where gauges 'ought' to be takes some acclimation. Once acclimated, the driver finds a large, black-on-white speedometer, a smallish tachometer and an even smaller fuel gauge. the seats are more like chairs than car seats, raised somewhat above the mostly flat floor. Side bolsters on the seat back and seat bottom cushions are minimal, so entry and exit are relatively unhindered. The design of the seats indicates the xb is not intended to be a sports car. The floor-mounted shift lever falls readily to hand, as does the hand-operated emergency brake. Pedals are ergonomically placed. the broad expanses of glass make outward visibility stellar, easing some of the stress often triggered by urban traffic and tight parking spaces. interior quality is better than decent, especially given the xb's price point. Fit and finish are up to toyota's standards. The stereo is mounted above the air conditioning controls, where logic says it should be. The a/c settings are adjusted with basic knobs, buttons and lever. But the stereo plays to people to whom directional buttons and pda cursor pads are intuitive. The scion's interior stylists missed the boat on the dash-mounted vents. Eyeball shaped, these could have been allowed to rotate in all planes, like those on the toyota tercel. Instead, the xb's pivot only vertically. as severe as the xb's outside is, it delivers on its promise of a roomy inside. Next to the two cars toyota expects the scion to go head to head with, the honda civic and the vw golf, the xb leads in virtually every passenger compartment measurement, and generally not by small amounts. Amazingly, the xb boasts nearly 3 inches more front-seat headroom and 7 inches more rear-seat headroom than the element, despite the element being 6 inches taller. The element tops the xb, however, offering 74. 6 cubic feet of cargo space versus the xb's 43. 4 cubic feet. And be forewarned, ordering the subwoofer speaker requires forfeiting about 2 square feet of the cargo area's floor space. cubby space is about normal for the class. There are the usual map pockets in the doors, cupholders front and rear and so on. There's a nook in the lower half of the dash to the left of the steering column, a cranny to the right of the column and a visually symmetrical, but taller and wider, shelf-like opening above the glove box. driving impressionthe scion is a small toyota. With that comes quality design and assembly, which translates into minimal wind noise; no odd vibrations, buzzes, squeaks or rattles; and no harshness, really, at least nothing beyond what might be expected in a relatively lightweight, short-wheelbase car. but as far as the xb's driving and handling dynamics are concerned, steering assist is about right and response to inputs is directional. Some torque steer was evident, and there's a bit of kick back over uneven trolley tracks but nothing untoward on either account. Clutch take-up is smooth, although the gear changes could have been crisper. Torque peaks at rather high engine speeds, so revving it up in lower gears is advisable for merging onto freeways. Scion xb gets 31/35 mpg on the epa city/highway test. body lean in corners is minimal, notwithstanding the tallish glass house. It's difficult to envision the xb in a situation requiring a steadying hand from the vehicle stability control system, but it's standing by in the event it's needed. summarylooks matter, in cars more than in most material things. Thus, perhaps the most remarkable impression from driving the xb was the lack of turning heads drawn by the stand-out body style. Even so, there may be something to be said for being the first on the block to have one. The federal government calls the scion xb a small wagon. In any case, the scion xb is a toyota, indicating the potential of many years of trouble-free, squeak-free ownership. It's also aggressively priced. model lineupxb 13,680). options as testedsport package 353) includes pedal covers, shift knob and front strut tower brace; exterior package 758) includes body side graphic, rear spoiler and b-pillar and fuel filler door appliques; light package 879) includes led interior light kit, cup holder illumination, and fog lamps; carpet floor and cargo mats 120); alloy wheels 665); scion security 429); sound package 774) includes am/fm/6-disc cd changer and subwoofer. model testedscion xb 13,680). Power Windows✔ Anti-lock Brakes✔ Tachometer✔ AM/FM✔ CD Changer✔ Sound Package✔ Air Conditioning✔ Alloy Wheels
3,995 Orlando, FLOrlando, FL at autoshopper.com