Don't Consider the Element Until You've Seen the Scion xB...
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The Vanishing Boy
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- Quezon City, Philippines & Las Vegas, NV
- GTP_VanishingBoy
- Vanishing Boy
Still, my top pick is the Element as of now, but this coming weekend, I'll be at the LA Auto Show. Them I'll judge the Scion if its a worthy consideration than the Element.
- 2,611
- DRIFTGOD187
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- 5,677
I'd rather walk or ride my bike than drive a scion.
- 4,805
- 35
I don't see why so many men, who are in their thirties and above, are so critical when they talk about the Scion xB. My stepfather says it's a go-kart for black people (because he previewed a soundtrack to the Scion xB and it was mostly rap), my uncle says it's a rolling box with a weak engine, and the insults to them are pouring in but I say otherwise. I think that Toyota has taken a huge step when they created the Scion brand, and they are now coming out with a coupe called the tC, and believe me, the tC is awesome! But what I'm really trying to say is that the Scion isn't just a run-of-the-mill car brand, it's an automotive statement. It will make a huge impression when it reaches the east coast, and believe me, if I had $15,000, I'd get my hands on an xB ASAP!
- 2,336
- Los Angeles, CA
- WRBWRXMAX
- Max Archer
The thing about the XB is that paper specifications can not sum up why the car is good. There are certain elements that make it quite attractive.
One example is the driver's seat. The seat itself, the position, the positions of the pedals and wheels, all are exceptional. The design of the instruments is another good point. They manage to be cool and small while still remaining easy to see for the driver. In fact, they are very similar to the gauges in GT3's external view.
Also, while it lacks power, the handling is quite good. The suspension is tuned quite well, and is stiff enough to satisfy those who like to hit the curves. Also keep in mind that it's quite light.
And, there's no denying that the car has a lot of style. You either like it or you hate it. To the average person, a Camry, a Malibu, an Accord, a Taurus, etc, all look the same. The XB is instantly recognizable to even the most car inept people.
One example is the driver's seat. The seat itself, the position, the positions of the pedals and wheels, all are exceptional. The design of the instruments is another good point. They manage to be cool and small while still remaining easy to see for the driver. In fact, they are very similar to the gauges in GT3's external view.
Also, while it lacks power, the handling is quite good. The suspension is tuned quite well, and is stiff enough to satisfy those who like to hit the curves. Also keep in mind that it's quite light.
And, there's no denying that the car has a lot of style. You either like it or you hate it. To the average person, a Camry, a Malibu, an Accord, a Taurus, etc, all look the same. The XB is instantly recognizable to even the most car inept people.
- 12,993
- USA! USA!
Don't consider suicide until you've seen the Scion xB.
I don't know, Doug. The first thing I look for in a new car is a good driver's seat. Then I look at the rear window, then the wiper blades. The mufflwer tip is the final thing I look at before I decide if I am going to buy a car.
All this engine stuff is meaningless.
I don't know, Doug. The first thing I look for in a new car is a good driver's seat. Then I look at the rear window, then the wiper blades. The mufflwer tip is the final thing I look at before I decide if I am going to buy a car.
All this engine stuff is meaningless.
- 12,993
- USA! USA!
I know, it's almost as if this is an opinion board.
I should've known otherwise.
I should've known otherwise.
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- Los Angeles, CA
- WRBWRXMAX
- Max Archer
You guys may sneer, but in a city like LA, where it's quite common to spend an hour or more in traffic each way, every weekday, a good driver's seat can be very important. My old car had an absolutely horrible one. Every day, after coming home, my back hurt so bad I could hardly walk around, and my legs compounded the problem, due to bad pedal placement.
As for issues like Style, handling, and the like not being part of the decision-making process, that's where you're wrong. The car is not at all designed to appeal to the normal car buyer. It's designed to appeal to the normal car buyer's son or daughter, or to a buyer at the very yound end of the normal spectrum. To someone like that, style is a very important part of choosing a car. Someone who would buy an xB is someone who would refuse to even consider a Hyundai or a Kia, or even one of the more mundane cars from the major Japanese manufacturers.
Toyota's goal was to make an affordable car that was desireable. The average young person doesn't want a Corolla or a Civic, but they'll get one, because it's economically practical. But the same person may well actually want an xB in the same way that they might want a Lancer Evolution, an Impreza WRX STi, or a 350Z, the difference being that they can actually afford the xB. They've succeeded admirably in creating the car, and have done quite well bringing the car to the US under the Scion name.
So, if the car doesn't have the necessary attributes to attract buyers, why has Toyota had to increase production to overtime to keep up with the demand for the car?
As for issues like Style, handling, and the like not being part of the decision-making process, that's where you're wrong. The car is not at all designed to appeal to the normal car buyer. It's designed to appeal to the normal car buyer's son or daughter, or to a buyer at the very yound end of the normal spectrum. To someone like that, style is a very important part of choosing a car. Someone who would buy an xB is someone who would refuse to even consider a Hyundai or a Kia, or even one of the more mundane cars from the major Japanese manufacturers.
Toyota's goal was to make an affordable car that was desireable. The average young person doesn't want a Corolla or a Civic, but they'll get one, because it's economically practical. But the same person may well actually want an xB in the same way that they might want a Lancer Evolution, an Impreza WRX STi, or a 350Z, the difference being that they can actually afford the xB. They've succeeded admirably in creating the car, and have done quite well bringing the car to the US under the Scion name.
So, if the car doesn't have the necessary attributes to attract buyers, why has Toyota had to increase production to overtime to keep up with the demand for the car?
- 35
Just to reassure the xB nay-sayers out there, some of the drawbacks to the xB are temporary. For example, the engine can be taken to a Scion dealership and be tuned up to provide more power. Also, about the space inside, if you have read Consumer Report's SUV issue, the Scion xB was commented as having "... the most interior space in a car in this price range..." and also said that "... the rear passengers are treated to limo-like roominess..." And if you think that this space isn't enough for your needs, think again. You can fold the rear seats flat to increase cargo volume.
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- Max Archer
I know because I was following the Scion community since the car's announcement. It was specifically stated that Toyota had to add a third shift to their factory to keep up with higher-than-expected demand from the US market.
