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2004 Scion xB
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| In Need Of Attention? |
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| Updated |
Jun 10, 2004 22:43:19 |
| Rating |
 1356 ( -164 -12.09% ) | | Author | Tara Baukus Mello |
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Description:
2004 Scion xB
2004 Scion xB
In Need Of Attention?
2004 Scion xB
2004 Scion xB
2004 Scion xB
2004 Scion xB
2004 Scion xB
2004 Scion xB
2004 Scion xB
2004 Scion xB
2004 Scion xB
2004 Scion xB
What do you do to get attention? Depending on your age (and some might say your maturity level) there are a number of things you could do to make everyone look at you. You might throw a temper-tantrum in public. You might dress in brightly-colored clothes or dye your hair some unnatural shade. But an easier way to get attention, assuming you are of driving age, would be to drive a Scion xB.
The boxy model from Toyota's new Scion (pronounced "sigh-on") brand is a serious head turner. With the look of an old Chevy Astro van (only smaller), the xB's exterior design is absolutely unique in the current U.S. market. It is so unusual that I actually felt uncomfortable behind the wheel during my weeklong test. Finger pointing, stares and exclamations of "what is that?" were all part of the regular driving experience. This not the car for those who want to travel unnoticed.
The attention was definitely divided into two camps-people either loved it or they hated it. "Cute," "funky," and "cool," were all adjectives that came up more than once as did negative references to '70s vans (think gold shag carpet) and clowns (think part of a circus act) and straightforward comments calling it simply, "ugly." Regardless of the opinion, the 2004 Scion xB caught the attention of a wide variety of people, of all ages and ethnicities and from many different walks of life. What surprised me most was the number of people who clearly liked this funky little box of a vehicle. From Scion's perspective the xB's popularity is a bit of a surprise too. The first two months of sales, which are only in California, show the xB outselling its xA sibling (a five-door subcompact) by a 2-to-1 margin, the exact opposite of what the company expected. Sales are so strong that Scion has ordered its factory to boost xB production in time for the vehicles to roll out to the rest of the United States in February 2004.
While the boxy styling characteristics of the Scion xB make it look radically different from anything else on the road, the design also makes good use of its space. Just 155.3 inches long, the subcompact has a large amount of its interior space available for passengers. Almost as tall (64.6 inches) as it is wide (66.5 inches), the xB offers its passengers plenty of headroom and, thanks to its upright seating position, a phenomenal amount of legroom, even in the rear. When compared to Toyota's Corolla and Echo, the Scion xB has about seven inches more headroom (in both the front and rear) and about four inches more legroom for front seat occupants and three inches more legroom for rear seat passengers, yet the xB is nearly 10 inches shorter than the Echo and 23 inches shorter than the Corolla.
The flat panels form 90-degree angles with each other, giving it its boxy look. The short nose is similar to a pug dog's nose-pushed in and flat. The box shape is further accented by a standard ground-effects kit, which surrounds the 15-inch wheels, available in a choice of three wheel-cover designs. And as if the xB's design weren't eye-catching enough, Scion offers a variety of accessories to customize the look of the exterior. My test Scion, which was Blue Onyx Pearl, came with a "thumbprint" body side graphic, which added to its funky style. Other exterior accessories include a rear spoiler, bumper appliqué, clear tail lamp lenses, alloy wheels, wheel locks and more.
The unusual styling is carried through into the Scion's interior. A tall windshield accents the upright seating position and center-mounted instrument cluster. Hard dark gray vinyl in a crosshatch pattern with metal tone trim accents gives the dashboard and center stack a modern look, while the charcoal gray fabric seats make the package quite monochromatic. Unlike many other entry-level cars, the quality of the interior materials is high and although simple, it does not look chintzy. For those who are more interested in carrying cargo than passengers, the 2004 Scion xB's second row seats are split 60/40 and fold flat. They can also be completely removed for a flat load floor if desired.
Power under the hood of the xB comes from a 1.5-liter, four-cylinder engine with Toyota's variable valve timing with intelligence (VVT-i), producing 108 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 105 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,200 rpm. While those numbers may seem like they are on the low side, the xB's low weight (about 2,400 pounds) means that this small engine provides enough oomph in most circumstances. I did find that my test Scion, which was equipped with the automatic transmission, struggled a bit on long, uphill climbs at highway speeds, but other than that was surprisingly pleased with its performance. The excellent fuel efficiency (30 city/34 highway for my test model) was also a big bonus.
While there's no hiding that the xB is not the most aerodynamic car, it handles for the most part like a much more svelte vehicle thanks to rack-and-pinion steering, independent suspension throughout and toe-correcting geometry in the rear. Only in a strong crosswind (the kind where high-profile vehicles are required to stop driving) was I reminded of the Scion xB's large, flat sides and less than aerodynamic figure. Standard equipment includes anti-lock brakes with Brake Assist and Electronic Brake-force Distribution to help with stopping, while Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) aids traction under slick conditions. The system is designed to detect wheel slide during cornering and controls it with torque throttle intervention and/or by braking an individual wheel.
What's perhaps most intriguing about the Scion xB is what you get for the price. It certainly is what piqued the curiosity of passers-by who stopped me to ask about the car. The standard follow-up question to "What kind of car is that?" was "How much is it?" For a base price of $13,680 for xBs equipped with a five-speed manual transmission and $14,480 for the automatic transmission models, there's definitely a lot of bang for the buck. Standard features include all the creature comforts I appreciate, such as air conditioning, power door locks, power outside mirrors, power windows with one touch down on the driver's window, remote keyless entry and a tilt steering wheel. Also standard are some handy gadgets, such as a rear window defogger, digital clock, tachometer and trip meter and a Pioneer sound system with CD player. The standard audio system features Scion Sound Processing, which offers three settings: Neutral, which keeps the music in the background, Hear which accentuates the highs and lows, and Feel, which pumps up the lows so you can almost feel the music. What I liked best about the Pioneer system is that it reads MP3 files, which allowed me to toss a single CD (with nearly 200 songs) in the CD player and have enough music for a week's worth of driving without hearing the same song twice.
Since Scion's emphasis is on the personalization of its vehicles, buyers order their vehicles exactly the way they'd like. In addition to the exterior accessories already mentioned, buyers get to choose from a long list of interior accessories as well. Sporty options such as a leather-wrapped steering wheel (in red or gray), a carbon fiber shift knob and sport pedals are available, as are fun options such as illuminated cup holders, an LED interior light kit and an instrument panel appliqué. For those practical thinkers, a cargo net, cargo cover and security system are also available as options. It's a long list for a little car to be sure--and plenty of options to get someone's attention. Now that's a lot better than throwing a temper tantrum, isn't it?
Writer's Notes
Test Car: 2004 Scion xB
Curb Appeal: You either love or you hate it and, based on sales at least, it seems people love the xB's wacky, box-on-wheels design.
Asphalt Rating: A mere 108 horsepower comes out of this 1.5-liter four-cylinder, but for all but the longest, steepest hills, the power is acceptable. The sport-minded, however, are likely to be searching the aftermarket for a turbo kit or chip to boost the power.
Real World: If you want attention from everyone, this is the car to drive.
Handling: Surprisingly svelte for its shape, but expect to get pushed around in high winds.
Comfort: Lots of comfort features for the low price including power windows, locks and exterior mirrors, remote with keyless entry, air conditioning and a cool Pioneer sound system that is MP3 ready.
---Story by Tara Baukus Mello
---Photos courtesy of Scion
© 2003, Tara Baukus Mello, All Rights Reserved. |
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