Thinking outside the box with Scion's new xB

Click to Enlarge Browse Aspen Times Photos Special to the Daily Basking in the summer sun at the Las Vegas area Red Rock Canyon national conservation area, the new Scion xB offers individualists a completely customizable ride that's fun and fuel-efficient.

BY ANDY STONEHOUSE
special to the daily
July 6, 2007

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LAS VEGAS - In a culture devoted to individuality and personal expression, it's odd how many of us opt for vehicles that are ... well, to put it nicely, completely lacking in personality.

Forest green 2001 Subaru Outbacks are wonderfully practical and weather-efficient, but when there's 30 of them in the City Market parking lot and you can't even figure out which one is yours, maybe it's time to think about a car just a bit more distinctive.

That's much of the reason that Scion exists. Toyota's personality-driven offshoot has been producing one-of-a-kind vehicles since 2004 and recently overhauled its offerings with two completely redesigned cars, the boxy 2008 xB and the more sedately sedan-styled xD.

I headed off to Sin City a few weeks back for the launch of both of the new little cars and was impressed by the goods ... not only under the hood of both efficient and affordable Scions, but at the Ditch Fridays event at the pool at the Palms Resort and Casino, which hosted the launch party.

With LiLo in rehab and Paris in jail, the Palms was a little quiet, but the well-tanned, largely Southern California poolside demographic seemed about right for Scion's new offerings. The company emphasizes individualization and customization for all of its cars, and both can be equipped at the dealer with some 40 different accessory packages, ranging from TRD 19-inch alloy racing wheels, performance clutches and sport mufflers with chromed exhaust ports. Or you can paint the whole car lime green or hot pink, whatever your twisted little heart desires.

Scion's people say that more than 50 percent of their owners customize their cars, usually spending more than $1,000 in the process. Since their debut, the company has sold more than a half-million of the admittedly funny little cars; the new duo (plus the already successful and much more Toyota-like tC model) might find some freethinking Coloradans as new owners.

The new xB is the most curious of the trio. Whereas original model xBs used to look like bread boxes on wheels, the 2008 edition features slightly cartoon character-inspired softened angles, a higher beltline and a broader platform (at 167 inches, nearly a foot longer than the old car) to give you a bit more room inside.

It's no Ford Excursion but the xB - priced at $15,650 for the manual transmission and $16,600 for the automatic - does provide 40 inches of leg and headroom and almost 70 cubic feet of cargo volume with the second row seats folded down.

An upgraded 2.4 liter 24-valve four-cylinder engine produces 158 horsepower, emphasizing that the Scions are built more for frugal cruising than high-speed antics (although it is a 55 horsepower increase from the previous model, good enough for burnouts at traffic lights). The tradeoff is that the efficient little powerplant does turn in mileage figures in the 22 city/28 highway range.

We did manage to rev up the xB pretty good while testing the car in Vegas' Red Rock Canyon national conservation area - ours was outfitted with the bigger wheels and TRD Quickshifter and was a lot of fun. Handling and braking were great and the boxy little beast drew plenty of attention wherever we went - which I guess is part of the idea.

Inside, the xB features loads of unique details, including a center-mounted instrument panel with four meters including a digital speedometer, plus tachometer, fuel gauge and coolant temperature information. Air conditioning is standard - great for our time in Vegas sun - and the controls were easy to operate.

A 160-watt Pioneer audio system is standard (complete with customizable "skins" and colored graphics) but upgrades are warmly encouraged, including built-in headrest DVD screens and the like. An iPod adapter is, of course, part of the regular package.

In the automatic incarnation, an upright shift column, spinning out of the center stack, offers smooth, gated shifts and a four-speed sequential system that can be shifted manually while on the fly.

The xD is a little more sedate but still a fun car, itself fully redesigned (and even slightly renamed - the previous model was called the xA) and now featuring a 128 horsepower 1.8 liter four-cylinder, producing 27 city and 33 highway. The five-door hatchback feels a bit closer to its Toyota Yaris cousin but it's still keen and completely customizable.

One of its most peculiar design affectations is a combined speedometer and tachometer that's a bit disorienting; things are otherwise clean and easy-going. Pricing had not been released during my experience in the car.

Wondering why you haven't heard much about either of these automobiles? Scion's gone for a guerrilla marketing campaign from the beginning, with no TV or print ads, preferring instead to build customers through lifestyle events such as the Denver Westword Music Showcase or, more interestingly, websites such as www.Want2BSquare.com, which doesn't even explicitly describe the vehicles.

And yes, with five inches of clearance and limited horsepower, they're not designed with High Country winters in mind, although front-wheel drive and standard vehicle stability and traction control systems make them no worse than any other non-4WD import on the roads - so maybe this will be the season we finally see a mountain presence for these cool little cars.