Outside the box
The Scion xB is in a category all its own
“What is THAT?” was a friend’s reaction when I pulled up in the Scion xB. It’s a good question. It’s not a crossover, it’s not a sedan, and you can’t really call it a wagon. Is it a hatchback, then?
The xB was one of the most visible products of the auto industry’s cubist phase. Like the Nissan Cube, Honda Element, and Kia Soul, it was a playful attempt to appeal to a younger generation through quirky styling, while shaking up the boundaries that defined their respective companies’ images.
“Scion” seems such an odd name for the youth-oriented branch of a company known for its practical consumer vehicles. Old money and tradition are what come to mind, not fun and funky.
First introduced in 2004, the xB was a head-turning anomaly, a trendsetter that spawned a host of imitators, all wanting a part of this hip new, boxy urban segment. The car hasn’t received much love lately, other than a paradoxical softening of those same corners that first grabbed the public’s attention.
While Scion’s been focusing on the FR-S coupe and the purported arrival of a future hot hatch, the xB has languished in neglect. Its only update in the past couple of years has been the addition of a rear-view camera as standard equipment.
Styling is a subjective thing, and the xB’s beauty is definitely in the eye of the beholder. It’s not an ugly vehicle, but it has a polarizing design that is bound to divide opinion. Personally, the only way I’d own this car is if I was about 30 years younger and a whole lot sweeter. I’m willing to bet that the majority of xB owners refer to their cars by name.
The cabin is an odd mixture of quirky and dour utilitarian. I haven’t seen this much hard grey plastic since the Budget rent-a-van I used to bring home my new couch. Settling behind the steering wheel, it’s disconcerting to see nothing ahead but a blank swath of plastic, because the gauge pod is in the middle of the dashboard above the centre stack. Vents and switchgear are round and funky, but most of the hard, flat surfaces are as upright and squared-off as any military-style off-roader.
Like the rest of the Scion lineup, there’s only one trim level for the xB, with a long list of features that can be added as options. A fivespeed manual base model starts at $18,310. You want leather upholstery and heated seats? You can add $2,155 to the price tag. How about a rear spoiler ($577)? Or a set of TRD Lowering Springs ($978) and a TRD Quickshifter ($275)? My tester’s only options are an automatic transmission ($1,020) and the audio display with navigation ($1,025).
The centre stack is as simple as it gets, with only three large knobs for the climate control and a fairly straightforward infotainment interface. The sound system is rather unremarkable, but xB buyers are more than likely to install their own customized setup. Bluetooth is standard and there’s a USB port with iPod connectivity.
The seats are covered with cloth upholstery and are pretty comfortable, if a bit on the firm side. Or perhaps my backside could use a bit more padding.
Of course, that tall roofline provides excellent headroom. For once, back-seat passengers aren’t shortchanged, there’s plenty of head and leg room for even your tallest friends. There’s more than enough room for four adults, or you could have three in the back if you want to get really cosy.
One of the attractions of a box-on-wheels design is the interior volume. The xB’s enormous back seat leaves only 328 litres of rear cargo space. But fold the seats down, and it expands to an impressive 1,980 litres. Plus, there’s a handy storage tray under the rear seat.
On the road, the xB is well-mannered and pleasant, if not exciting. Front struts and a torsion-beam rear suspension provide stable handling, but it is a bit firm over bumpy pavement. Electric power-assisted steering is accurate and well-weighted but doesn’t provide much feedback, perfectly acceptable for this segment.
The same 158-horsepower four-cylinder engine found in the Camry moves the xB along smartly, despite the fact that it weighs almost 1,400 kilograms. The 2.4-L engine is mated to either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission.
The transmission is probably the xB’s biggest downfall. I actually didn’t mind its performance, although with only four speeds, it’s outdated when competitors boast five or six. Having fewer gears generally translates into lower efficiency and higher fuel consumption. Official ratings for the xB are 10.9 L/100 km city and 8.5 highway; I averaged 9.1 during a week of mixed driving.
Scion is set to undergo a huge overhaul, in an effort to rekindle interest in the brand among the young and hip. Unfortunately, the xB seems headed for the chopping block, to be replaced by a new hatchback based on the European Auris.
Too bad. Despite its flaws, it’s hard to really dislike the xB, and with an updated interior and transmission, I might even grow to like it.