"Fresh Gear" had the chance to break loose on the streets of San
Francisco in one of these boxy-yet-hip mini-buses.
The Scion xB looks like a pseudo SUV but with smaller wheels and
rigidly rectangular shape. The first question that popped into our heads:
Is the Scion really all that or simply a souped-up minivan? Well, that
depends on who you ask and how old you are.
According to Scion's Vice President Jim Farley, the Toyota Scion xB is
the "it" car for so-called generation Y.
Funky look
Driving the scion xB around town certainly turned heads. One family
stopped us, got out of their car, and excitedly bombarded us with
questions. On the other hand, many others told us the xB was weird and
"not for them."
"Some people love it, some people hate it, and we love that," Farley told us. "We want that kind of emotion."
Made for cruising
It's going to take tickling young people's sense of style to sell the xB, because it certainly won't be power that draws them in. The xB sports a 1.5-liter, 4-cylinder engine with 108 horses, the same size engine you'll find in Toyota's sensible but un-sexy Echo.
The Scion isn't about power though, and Toyota concentrates effort into making sure kids cruise in style.
Trick it out
Customizing your Scion is encouraged from the get-go. To jumpstart those creative juices, buyers can choose from three different hubcap styles. Each car is made to order and there are over 40 factory-warranted accessories available including a colored steering wheel, neon lights under the seats, and thumbprint decals for the exterior.
Both Scion models start below $15,000. Features such as ABS, skid control, air conditioning, as well as power windows, locks, and mirrors come standard.
Boombox on wheels
Toyota opted to include a 160-watt, 6-speaker Pioneer CD system. Aiming -- as always -- to please those crazy kids, the Pioneer system also comes satellite radio-ready, reads MP3s, and allows you to change the display from a rainbow of rave-influenced colors with names such as acid, tangerine, and ice.
Not for grannies
Bad news thirty-somethings, this car probably won't appeal to you. But, we have to admit we felt a little younger riding in the xB.
Summary: For the college-bound or the urban party-goer, the Scion xB offers a ton of features for a sweet, low price.
Company: Toyota |
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