2006 Scion xB Review

Specifications

Scion for Life

If you owned a plain Jane “econo-box” in 2001 it was total BS; that is “Before Scion”. Before Scion, Toyotas economy cars lacked performance and style and therefore were practically invisible to enthusiasts. Scion flipped the script and now the brand and its models have major “street-cred”. The Scion xB even earned a cameo in the latest Fast and Furious episode, Tokyo Drift.

With the exception of models like the Supra and Celica, both now deceased, Toyotas are generally not thought of as enthusiast cars. While the Japanese brands cars are well-built and reliable, with high re-sale values, theyre normally pretty BORING! Take, for instance, the top-selling Camry. Does anyone ever buy a Camry because of its striking style or overwhelming performance? PLEASE! We all know the answer to that. The Camry is the automotive equivalent to white wallpaper; it lacks character.

No doubt peoples conception of Toyota, due in part to the Camry and other function-over-form vehicles in its lineup, was the cause of skepticism when the Scion brand was first launched in 2003 and announced that Gen Y was their target demographic. After all, many in the Gen Y group are enthusiasts who grew up with the Fast and Furious film series and Import tuner scene. I too was skeptical concerning Toyotas plans to reach the sonic youth. However, my preconceived opinions of Scion flipped after only a few minutes behind the wheel of the xB… and then I drove it! Not unlike some other experiences, crow was my main dining course after the first day of testing.

If you look at the Scion xB and you only see ugly, you just dont get it. In the Scion clique, unlike most other brands, its as much about the Scion culture that Toyota has creatively orchestrated as it is about the models themselves.

“The Scion brand has a tremendous social element,” explains Scott Black Scion xB owner. “The web site Scionlife.com has almost 30,000 members for which I am a site moderator. And there are many Scion based car clubs throughout the U.S. As a Scion owner, I have had the privilege of meeting some quality people.  They have all helped and advised me in the modifying and tuning of my xB. The Scion culture is growing every day and looks to be a huge part of the Import Tuning scene for years to come.”

In 2005, Scion sold 154,485 units, which was 31,485 over their target of 125,000 units. In making a connection to the young, the hip and the “in” crowd, Scion is not looking to put an xA, xB or tC in every driveway. Similar to everything else that has a “cool” element, whether it be music, fashion, art or films, once the mass populous has caught on, “it” is no longer where its at.

As a general rule, with any movement that involves the four elements of cool (five, if you include language), there are a few constants. In general, those in the loop seek or start trends because they want something new, something different, something they can call their own, and something that few others have.

Toyota is in an ideal position concerning the Scion brand. As one of the most, if not the most profitable companies in the automotive industry, Toyota does not have to force the issue with Scion. Scion limits its sales reach to make sure that it does not over saturate the marketplace, which would take away its underground, cult-of-cool status. In time, this will bring younger buyers into the company fold by making them Toyota buyers and perhaps Lexus buyers down the road. Currently, the average age of Toyota buyers is around 40. Transversely, the average age of Scion buyers is an industry low at 31.

“You really have to come out to the meets to understand,” says May See Yang, aka xBeepbeep xB owner. “Lots of guys are there and Im usually the only girl, so I automatically feel special. Ha Ha! Even though I dont understand the car jargon, I always feel like I fit right in and we have a lot of fun.”

Once behind the wheel and on the road, the Scion xB pulls you in and instantly initiates you into the fraternity of cool. Similar to the exterior, the interior has a unique style of its own with its instruments and gauges off-set to the center of the dash. The only problem that I encountered with this setup came when I used the turn signals. When clicking on the left turn signal, the blinking signal indicator, which is located to the right, caught me off guard at times.

Its somewhat choppy ride wasnt unexpected in a $16,000 vehicle, but all in all it wasnt bad. In addition, as expected, its 103 horsepower 1.5-liter four-cylinder did not motivate the xB very well. This, in combination with its brick wall-like aerodynamics, made things interesting at highway speeds during windy conditions. In fact, during a couple of runs on the highway when headwinds were encountered, it felt like an anchor had been dropped.

Not only does the xB lack in power, but it leaves a lot to be desired concerning cornering ability. During slightly above-average speeds, it pushed like a lawnmower mid-curve. The brakes, however, werent too bad considering everything else.

Overall, the build quality of the xB, which includes everything from good fit and finish to solid shutting doors, was top-notch. However, I noticed an intermittent knocking sound that came from the floorboard just under the drivers foot well area. It seemed as if something was loose and knocking around near the front right wheel. This concern is corroborated by the most recent J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study (IQS) that places the brand surprisingly low considering its made by Toyota, at 26th out of 37 automakers - the brand is too new to be included in the most recent J.D. Power Vehicle Dependability Study (VDS), which surveys owners of three year old vehicles; expect it to be included in the 2006 VDS which will be available August 9th.

But like those who buy MINI Coopers and VW GTIs, built by brands that also dont rate that highly for reliability, Scion customers are a happy lot; noted by the same J.D. Powers APEAL study, which rates Scion above average (just). And true to the import-tuner scene, xB owners can often spend as much and even more in aftermarket accessories than they initially paid for their new vehicle. And selling accessories also makes Scion dealers happy.

“When Scion first hit the market here in the U.S., there was little aftermarket availability except for the dealer add-on items, explains Terry Sells, xB owner. “A customer was able to buy a bone stock unit or they accessorize it at the dealer with items such as a rear spoiler, decals, cold air intake, strut bar, colored steering wheels, pedals, and shift knobs–not to mention the interior lighting packages, security alarm, subwoofer, and even a speaker upgrade kit. Almost 3 years later, and the market has been flooded with U.S. aftermarket parts. To compete with this, Scion has announced the new Optimize program which allows customers to personalize their Scion to the extent they want. Now with the availability of all these parts, it is hard to find two Scions that are exactly alike. This is especially the case for those of us that proudly show our Scions at the local car shows every weekend.”

Immediately after my test of the Scion xB, Toyota set me up with the all-new RAV4. Instantly the RAV4, which is “a girls SUV,” was put at a disadvantage. While the RAV4 is well-built, refined, and has more power plus pampers its occupants to a much greater extent than the Scion xB, it was SOOOO boring. The RAV only made me long for the xB even more.

Maybe it is the insidious, albeit ingenious marketing that made the Scion xB one of the best rides Ive ever tested. More likely, however, it was because of its ugly but somehow cool styling, powerful stereo system with its programmable multi-colored face, and, of course, the Scion clique that made the week I had with it so much fun. In the end, this is what the Scion xB is all about–hipster fun… I absolutely loved it!

Word on the “street” is that Nissan will soon begin importing its Scion fighter, the Cube. And therefore the question should be asked, why hasnt, or why cant Chevy, Ford or Pontiac do something similar to reach the young, hip and “in” crowd? After all, Dodge and Chrysler have made their own impact on the cult-of-cool sect. If Toyota of all companies can, why cant they?