2009 Scion xD Review
Am I missing something? 
By: Nathan D. Adlen
I’m not that hip. I’m not connected to cutting edge style and I am definitely not a dedicated follower of fashion (though I love the song from the Kinks). I do understand automotive trends and can usually figure out an automaker’s target market.
There is a reason that Toyota is on top of the heap for selling cars. They have an uncanny ability to discern what consumers are looking for. As far as I’m concerned, only Honda competes with Toyota in terms of filling a consumer niche. It’s funny to me that both automakers make some boring and ugly cars. Yes, I dare say “boring” and “ugly” in reference to both. Toyota and Honda have designed vehicles that are only slightly more amusing than vanilla ice cream.
With that said, I cannot deny the quality, reliability, value and integrity behind Toyota’s machines (even if I find many of them as unexciting as filing taxes). There are a few exciting Toyotas to be sure. Toyota trucks, Scion Tc, Lexus ISF and Toyota Matrix are okay in the excitement department.
But you see, Scion was to be Toyota’s excitement brand.
That’s what the commercials told us. Scion was made for the youth market – and at first it was! Yup, the original xA and xB were very popular with tuners and the under 30 crowd. Toyota scored a direct hit; they could rely on Scion to bring young consumers into Toyota. In time, wean them off toys and into Toyotas. Later, as their families and fortunes moved north, they could get into Lexus. What a plan!
Then, something unexpected happened. Older people began crushing on the Scions. Yup, I even helped a few over 50 types into a xA, xB and even the new xD. They love the practicality, ease of egress (and ingress) loading space, economy and overall value. No, grandma doesn’t need to blow her wad on lowering springs and rims to make her ride any better – just as long as she has no drama – which is what a Toyota products are usually all about.
That brings me to the (fairly new) Scion xD. This is a great car – for your mom. I would even hazard the statement that AARP magazine should have a feature on affordable, dependable, safe cars for silver-hairs. For the hip-hop, sagging-pants, sideways baseball cap, car lowering crowd – this car is a big faker. The ads in which Scion is desperately appealing to the younger folk are almost embarrassing. A majority of their original youth buyers are disenfranchised with Scion’s new batch (many have voiced their utter contempt for the Scion website – and I agree).
The Scion xD is a comfortable, practical car – period. Driving it can be marginally entertaining. The 1.8-liter four cylinder engine produces a decent 128 horsepower (125 pound feet of torque) and is paired to either a smooth shifting 5 speed manual or a less exciting 4 speed automatic. Mileage is rather good. In either transmission guise you can average in the mid to high 20’s mpg for combined driving. I averaged nearly 28 mpg with my 5 speed manual.
That’s real good for a 5 passenger car.
The xB uses the silly center pod for gauges which is completely counterintuitive and disruptive for regular drivers. I like the simple gauge set up (in front of the driver) of the Scion xD and find the controls are easier to use. Seat comfort is good with a nice amount of head room. I found that (at 6’2”) legroom was only okay. Another two inches would have made all the difference. In any of the Scions, I find my right leg is bumping into or rubbing against something bothersome.
I should mention that my previous profession had me field testing Scions, both new and old models. Thus, my discomfort came from many miles of testing. With that said, I can attest to the overall comfort of most other drivers, be they young or old. In fact, one former coworker insisted that the Scion xD would make an ideal vehicle for a young family. I couldn’t agree more.
A youthful family could add a few goodies to their Scion xD to personalize it (which is what Scion is all about – personalization). Even if they opt for the bare bones package, they will get a decent stereo with a standard MP3 jack and a dedicated iPod jack which is an awesome touch. If you are into music quality, check out Scion’s options list – there are some great sound systems available for a reasonable price and they are covered by the Scion/Toyota warranty.
Driving the Scion xD is (to me) not quite as fun as driving its older, less powerful sibling the Scion xA. I can’t quite put my finger on the reason. It does have a shorter wheelbase and tighter dimensions than the xA. Still, the Scion xD is an easy car to drive and a cinch to park. Performance driving is not its strongest suit and I had some under-steer issues where the weight of the vehicle (2668 lbs) seemed to sit over the skinny front wheels when turning raucously. Updating the wheel package with wider options from Scion would help.
The torsion bar rear suspension may be to blame as well. It works brilliantly for regular driving, but seems to allow for too much lift rearward when the going gets shamelessly fast. I admit to pushing the Scion xD beyond logical boundaries – like most of the cars I test drive, but I felt that driving like an idiotic teenager was in order. So, if this is the case and your teen gets one of these Scion xDs, I recommend wider wheel/tires (the 16” run $795) and the $650 VSC (vehicle stability control) which can help keep the Scion xD under control while warning of poor driving conditions.
Sitting in the back is comfortable for two adults or three medium to small folk. I like the three integrated headrest’s design. The rear seats even recline and the 60/40 folding backrests make for very useable space. Still, the Scion xD is no minivan and you need to be frugal with what you store behind the rear seats.
Pricing is good at just under $15,000 for a base model. If you have extra bucks and like the TRD (Toyota Racing Design) style goodies – you can easily blow another 5 to 10 grand on gizmos and upgrades. Before going too far with additions, you should look at a Toyota Matrix, Mini Cooper or VW Rabbit and see if they indentify with your performance/goodie wants and needs.
It may sound like I don’t care for the Scion xD very much and that simply is not true. I like it as a logical conveyance. It is another solid machine produced by Toyota. What I don’t get is Toyota’s physical expansion and design language of a car that is supposed to be made for the youth. I’m missing out on what Toyota is trying to sell me.
What the Scion xD seems to be is a youth marketed machine for the old.