2009 Honda Fit reported sales: 29,722. 2009 Scion xB reported sales: 11,566. 2009 Scion xD reported sales: 5,747.
Attention, Scion! Figure it out.
Michael Jordan, Executive Editor @ 8,670 miles
Categories: 2008 Scion xB,2009 Honda Fit Sport,Vehicles
We've ended our time with the 2008 Scion xB after racking up almost 33,000 miles.
Our broken-in xB was re-tested at the track and showed some improved numbers.
Read all the details of the 2008 Scion xB's service history, fuel economy stats and driving impressions on Inside Line.
And here's you chance to play editor. Tell us YOUR thoughts on the Scion xB in the comments section.
Donna DeRosa, Managing Editor
Categories: 2008 Scion xB
My sister and her kids decided to come to LA at the last minute to spend a couple of days at Disneyland. Just because I live in LA doesn't mean I know my way around Anaheim.
I readily grabbed the keys to the xB not only because it was the only car available, but it had a nav system to help me get around D-Land. I know how to get to the park, but how to get to my sister's hotel and places around it I have no clue.
Getting there was a snap. I had a lot of fun and I took a spin on the Tea Cups with my niece after she begged me for a really long time. I'm not a fan of the ride but I couldn't refuse her. After a few nauseating spins the torture was over and I had a great rest of the afternoon. Until I had to leave, that is.
I exited the park into an area I didn't know and I was supposed to meet my family at the Denny's next to their hotel. At that moment the nav system decided to go Tea Cups on me. It spund around and around even though I was driving straight. It had me driving through buildings and on roads that didn't exist. I had to navigate the old fashioned way: I stopped and asked for directions.
Technology is great until it breaks. Nothing can replace a good map in my opinion.
Scott Jacobs, Senior Photographer @ 32,451 miles
Categories: 2008 Scion xB
Our giant jogging stroller spent much of my holiday break in the back of the xB, partly because we needed it for various outings and partly because I was too lazy to take it out. I was impressed by how well the stroller fit in the 21.7 cubic feet of cargo space that's available with the rear seats up. Just had to take the front wheel off (which we have to do with most of the cars we put it in) and slide it into the nice, tall space. It tucked right in there with no groaning, angling or cursing necessary. As you can probably see, there wasn't a millimeter to spare, but the rear hatch didn't crunch it at all. And we were able to store plenty of additional cargo in the nooks and crannies in and around the stroller when necessary. Trips to the grocery store and carrying unexpected holiday gifts weren't a problem, as long as they weren't very large or long. Overall, a very convenient companion for our family of three.
Bryn MacKinnon, Senior Editor, Edmunds.com @ 31,833 miles
Categories: 2008 Scion xB
With the winter solstice nearly upon us, the short days create more darkness in which to approach the Scion xB, helping its nifty illuminated door sills stand out (a $249 option if you want to pay to help advertise the brand). Our xB has a number of luminous options, but the standard digital speedo turns out to be the one of the few welcome and functional items.
Continue reading...
Categories: 2008 Scion xB
Of all the cars in our lot, the Scion xB is one of the best in terms of easy ingress/egress. The door opening is huge -- big enough for a Yeti with a glandular problem, I'd say. The step-up is low, nearly at curb height, but therein lies the problem...
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Categories: 2008 Scion xB
Like having three knob/three button HVAC controls and...
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Categories: 2008 Scion xB
Something that isn't a big deal to most but that I'm not too keen on on our 2008 Scion xB: the doors sound tinny when slammed shut. You don't get that reassuring solid thunk but one that echos and seems to reverberate the car's frame. I have a Corolla and have been in other Toyotas and Scions before, but this is the first time I've noticed this characteristic. I can't chalk this up to the xB being an economy car as other econocars I've tried before don't sound/feel this cheap. In any case, it makes me wonder what exactly causes it to be like that.
But really, there's nothing like a good door-slamming car.
Caroline Pardilla, Deputy Managing Editor
Categories: 2008 Scion xB
Hop into a Scion (or Toyota, for that matter) and you'll typically find most controls easy to use. But our xB has one annoying misstep -- the trip computer button. Instead of being located on the easily-reached center stack (as in a Ford or GM product), it's next to the trip meter button within the instrument cluster, requiring you to awkwardly reach over the steering wheel to prod with your finger.
Not cool for something you might want to toggle through to see what the outside temp is, what your average mileage is or how many miles you've got left in the tank. Chalk one up for the American car makers here.
John DiPietro, Automotive Editor @ 29,290 miles
Categories: 2008 Scion xB,Vehicles
A couple nights ago I was busy being all mundane and I treated myself to a bottle of Clearly Canadian (I absolutely love this beverage). The previous driver of our 2008 Scion xB had evidently set the illuminated cupholders to blue, and when I set the bottle down, this is what I saw: Unspeakable beauty.
And at that moment, this scene made me like our xB just a little bit more. If we were all in Europe and could drive around in Renault Kangoos and Fiat Multiplas, the Scion xB would probably be pretty unremarkable. But in the U.S., it's a pretty neat package -- huge space and a reasonably cool shape for not much money. Indeed, the interior is plasticky and the driving experience rather dull, but if you think of it like a utility van, this matters a bit less.
Erin Riches, Inside Line Senior Editor at 28,886 miles
Categories: 2008 Scion xB
This is not the latest in xB wheel customization. This is the spare tire that came with our long-term Scion xB. It is yellow and reminds us of the Denver boot, but in kind of a good way. The xB is rockin' the donut because we recently flatted while on the mean streets of west Los Angeles. Those tire pressure warning lights really work. Before I could feel the bumpity-bump of the flat, the little helpful light caught my eye as I rolled down Venice Boulevard and gave me enough time to turn into a nearby service station before things got too dicey. Wish I had a shot of the flat when I did finally see it. Looked like a vintage cartoon flat, the kind that appears to have melted onto the asphalt.
We took the xB to Stokes Tire Pros in Santa Monica to get a replacement the next day. Our bill came to $154.50 for one 205/55/R16 Bridgestone Turanza EL400-02, installed after one night's stay, since Stokes didn't have the tire in stock and had to order it.
Bryn MacKinnon, Senior Editor, Edmunds.com @ 28,677 miles
Categories: 2008 Scion xB
I was thinking the other day (always a dangerous proposition, I know) and wondering how all the current (or really, really recently departed) Edmunds/Inside Line long-term vehicles stack up against each other in fuel economy, at least the fuel economy we've been recording during their time with us. So I made a list. For you and for me. In case we were both wondering.
The only current vehicles missing from my list are the Audi R8 and the Dodge Grand Caravan, and that's because no one has entered any fuel data into the tracking spreadsheet for those vehicles yet. The very top and the very bottom of the list aren't going to surprise anybody (I don't think), but the middle is kinda interesting. Seeing the Rondo and the WRX so close to each other made me raise my eyebrows. Ditto the Ford GT's spot above the Veracruz. Ready to check it all out? Follow the jump with me.
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Categories: 2002 BMW M3,2004 Toyota Prius,2005 Ford GT,2005 Volkswagen Jetta GLS TDI,2006 Lexus RX 400h,2007 Chevrolet Silverado LT,2007 Ford Edge SEL,2007 Honda Civic GX,2007 Honda Fit Sport,2007 Kia Rondo,2007 Saturn Aura XR,2007 Toyota Tundra SR5 Double Cab,2008 BMW 135i,2008 BMW X5 4.8i,2008 Buick Enclave CX,2008 Cadillac CTS V6 DI,2008 Ford Focus SES Coupe,2008 Honda Accord EX-L V6,2008 Hyundai Veracruz SE AWD,2008 Mazda CX-9,2008 Mercedes-Benz C300 Sport,2008 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X MR,2008 Pontiac G8 GT,2008 Scion xB,2008 Smart Fortwo Passion Coupe,2008 Subaru Impreza WRX STI,2009 Ford Flex Limited,2009 Nissan GT-R
I'm two-for-two today. First the BMW X5 service went off without a hitch and now the Scion is back from its appointment at Scion of Santa Monica good as new.
The appointment was made last night for an 8am drop. The maintenance light was on and the left brake was squealing a bit. We also had that bothersome issue with the caps on the wheels.
Two hours after we dropped it off I got the call that the Xb was ready. The service called for a tire rotation, oil change, fluid top-offs, and general inspection. The charge for that was $94.95. Slightly more than Edmunds Maintenance calulator estimates.
When I got the call I had a confession to make, I'd forgotten to mention the peeling plastic parts over the lug nuts. Turns out my advisor had noticed the bad plastic and had replaced them without being asked to. Nice!
All things considered it was a great experience.
Mike Magrath, Vehicle Testing Assistant @ 20,706 miles.
Categories: 2008 Scion xB
The Scion xB is kind of like the automotive equivalent of the
Rorschach inkblot test
. Different people see different things when they look at it. This became clear to me after a conversation I had with my neighbor this weekend.
We'd crossed paths in my apartment building's carport. He'd asked about the xB, and I was telling him how roomy its interior is. He described the xB as a "really cool SUV." That threw me. I mean, sure, it makes sense that people would cross-shop the xB against compact SUVs, because it's of a similar size and offers similar amounts of cargo room -- we even published a
blog post
that offered some relevant specs for those interested in running comparisons. But I didn't think that people looking at the boxy little Scion would ever actually mistake it for a sport utility vehicle.
When the members of the Edmunds.com data team look at the xB, they see a compact wagon -- that's how this Scion is categorized on the Edmunds site. I mentioned this to my neighbor, and his jaw dropped; clearly, the xB doesn't fit his definition of a wagon. Our data team defines a wagon as "a car with a roof line that extends past the rear doors in addition to having four doors and rear quarter windows." To make the SUV cut, a vehicle needs to have higher ground clearance -- a minimum of 5.7 inches. The xB comes in at 5.1 inches.
Others consider the Scion xB a hatchback. What do
you
see when you look at the xB?
Warren Clarke, Automotive Content Editor @ 20,545 miles  Â
Categories: 2008 Scion xB
Seriously, can you think of weirder dashboard than the one found in our second-generation Scion xB? This isn't what the inside of a car is supposed to look like. The huge monolithic slab of plastic that stretches from door to door. The center console that juts out like a urinal. The gauges that look like the Audi emblem that are placed toward the center for no particular reason. The touchscreen and its tiny icons. The jumbo airvents placed asymetrically all over the place. The faraway upright windshield. The steering wheel that almost looks out of place. Come to think of it, with that green mood lighting, I sorta feel like I'm piloting a Borg cube rather than a car.
This is truly weird. Is there anything weirder?
James Riswick, Automotive Editor @ 20,459 miles
Categories: 2008 Scion xB
Just about a month ago, James Riswick made it known that the Scion Xb's giant nearly vertical windshield had cracked. It was a dime-sized chip with some spider-webbing that was most likely caused by an errant rock...that or a jealous ex-girlfriend with a ball-peen hammer and limited arm strength.
Recently the Mini Cooper S, which is a loaner from the manufacturer, had its window replaced by the dealer at the fantastic cost of 1,231.67 USD. We own the Xb so we ditched the dealer (who quoted us $1,300) and called Glass Doctor. Not only did they come to us, something the Mini dealer surely did not, but they were done quicker and only charged $443.73.
Mike Magrath, Vehicle Testing Assistant @ 20,000 miles
Categories: 2008 Scion xB
As I pulled into my parking garage last night, I was struck by this image on the nav screen. The Toyota/Scion/Lexus system features truly amazing map detail, displaying the outlines of large buildings that Google Maps only recently began doing. Some are more accurate than others, though. That building outline is exactly what my apartment complex looks like, although curiously, the 30-story building located directly south on Wilshire is M.I.A. Also, that blue spot isn't some random rectangular urban lake, it's an apartment -- not sure why they get a special color.
I was also struck by how ridiculously accurate GPS is -- that is exactly where my car was located inside the building (and with four floors above me). Having said that, though, please don't rob me. If you plan on burgling someone, try that long rectangular building north of mine -- Magrath lives there. He drives home much nicer cars and keeps large stashes of gold bouillon in his closet.
James Riswick, Automotive Editor @ 20,444 miles
Categories: 2008 Scion xB
I know it's barely been a month since the last fuel economy update for our long-term 2008 Scion xB -- but with California gas prices having increased by about 34 cents during June alone, MPGs were on my mind as I puttered around in the xB this weekend. While our lifetime average is holding steady at about 23.5 mpg, I recorded a meager 20.75 mpg when I filled up this morning. Remarkably, aside from one rogue 32 mpg tank way back in October, we've never gotten over 30 mpg in the xB. And it's not like we haven't tried -- Director of Vehicle Testing Dan Edmunds racked up 261 miles at an average speed of 70 mph en route to Arizona, and he only saw an even 28 mpg (which is exactly what the EPA predicts).
Granted, the xB can haul a lot of stuff -- those 69.9 cubic feet of cargo volume make our 23.5 mpg average easier to swallow. But it's still a little disappointing that this four-cylinder econowagon can't do better on gas. The primary culprit is Toyota's torquey 2.4-liter four; I bet a lot of xB owners would gladly sacrifice some of that underhood punch for a few extra MPGs. Alternatively, Toyota could produce its own version of Mini's turbocharged 1.6-liter four-banger for best-of-both-worlds performance, though that probably wouldn't come cheap.
Josh Sadlier, Associate Editor, Edmunds.com @ 20,425 miles
Categories: 2008 Scion xB
One of the things I've come to really appreciate about our 2008 Scion xB is its low step-in height. I just step in over the short door sill and the xB floor is just right there. Consequently, there's no having to jump down from a high seat or having to scramble out of a low seat. Just so easy that I'd even go so far as to say it should be included on this top 10 list of vehicles for shorter drivers...
And it would probably also be useful for those with weak ankles, bad backs or acrophobia. I know I'm especially grateful for it when I'm wearing skirts and/or skyscraper-tall heels. Yikes.
Caroline Pardilla, Deputy Managing Editor @ 19,906 miles
Categories: 2008 Scion xB
