Scion’s youthful xB good for grown-ups too

Inside, the xB’s low price mandates hard, cheap surfaces everywhere, but at least those cheap surfaces are textured and have a matte finish. The dashboard feigns continuity with the old car’s useless center-mounted instrument panel, which inconveniently positioned the gauges where they could be read by back-seat drivers, but no one else. The central instrument pod remains, but the large digital speedometer and analog tachometer are offset to the left, bringing them closer to the driver’s normal line of sight.

The larger xB has abundant leg room in both the front seats and the rear, where even with the front seats drawn back there’s still plenty of space. An extra 2.8 inches of width means that unlike the older model the new xB has a back seat that is wide enough for the car to be a true five-seater. The rear cargo hold has also grown, with ample space available behind the back seat. There is plenty of room for a couple child seats and space in back for a stroller.

On the road, the xB’s electric power steering exhibits some of the characteristic numbness and lack of feedback for which such systems are derided, but the expectations in this area aren’t high for an economy car.

The car’s handling is sure and the ride is a clear improvement over that of the old xB, which at times felt busy. The five-speed manual transmission slips slickly from one gear to the next, and the shifter’s location (sticking out from the dashboard — a bit like the Honda Element) puts it in easy reach. The clutch pedal is so light, though, that it’s hard to feel the friction point as the clutch begins to engage.

A bigger, stronger and thirstier 2.4-liter engine moves the xB with far more authority than the old car’s puny, 1.5-liter powerplant, but of course it demands more fuel to do so. It’s hard to compare the mileage of the two cars because the EPA’s tougher test for 2008 models yields lower numbers. In the xB’s case, the score with the new test is 22 MPG in the city and 28 MPG on the highway. That’s good, but not the sort of amazing numbers small car buyers expect.

The xB’s added size and weight have improved its safety. Toyota’s internal tests predict that the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety will rate the xB a “good” in front and side impacts, but Toyota made the same prediction for the new Tundra truck and fell short, so we’ll have to wait and see. The xB also features electronic stability control as standard equipment. It’s proven to dramatically reduce the incidence of crashes, so Scion deserves plaudits for including it.

In keeping with Scion’s aim to involve owners with their cars, there’s a full line of parts to help drivers soup up their xB, and even with lower-riding springs and bigger wheels installed, the xB’s ride and handling are still excellent. This isn’t typically the case for lowered cars. Similarly, an optional cold air intake system and a low-restriction exhaust each boost horsepower, but they don’t spoil the experience by making the car too noisy.

Young drivers who do buy an xB will find these optional extras strongly compelling, as long as they have the extra dough to pay for them. And by giving drivers what they asked for in a larger, more practical car, Toyota has delivered a Scion that’s fit for grown-ups too.

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