AutoblogGreen Short Take: 2008 Scion xB - packing on the pounds
Click the xB for a high-res gallery
Toyota has been taking plenty of hits from environmental groups of late for playing up a green image while working behind the scenes to neuter new fuel economy standards. The big Tundra pickup has gotten most of the attention as a gas hog, but another more diminutive model has taken a big mileage hit for 2008 and not because of the EPA's new test procedures. After the mileage of the original Scion xB was adjusted downward based on the new tests, the mileage of the automatic transmission model was rated at 26/31/28 city/highway/combined. The new 2008 model is rated at 22/28/24 mpg.
After driving the xB for a week I averaged 23.4 mpg in my usual mixed driving cycle. Why the big drop? The 2008 xB is over 630 lbs heavier than the previous iteration and a foot longer. The original xB was based on the platform of the previous generation Toyota Yaris/Vitz and was sold in Japan as the Toyota bB. The new US market xB is based on the larger heavier Corolla platform. In Japan a new redesigned bB is still available based on the smaller architecture.
Why isn't our xB based on the new bB? Toyota probably felt that Americans would prefer a larger more powerful car and buy them in larger numbers. Were they right? It's probably too early tell as there was a gap in availability between the old and new models. So far the new one is selling at a slower monthly rate than the original. We'll watch this but for now if you want to know what Dan Roth and I thought of the new xB head over to Autoblog for a full review. It will also be interesting to see if the anti-Toyota crowd starts picking on the xB as well.
[Source: Autoblog]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Kevin 7:37PM (3/23/2008)
eww its ugly . Drop a couple pounds and put in a hybrid power train that gets over 30 miles to the gallon they maybe i would consider it.
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Tim 10:59AM (10/23/2007)
I didn't think it was possible for a car to get any uglier. Apparently I was wrong.
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Rick 11:32AM (10/23/2007)
Ah, because the new model is FRIGGIN' HIDEOUS!!
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why not the LS2/LS7? 12:02PM (10/23/2007)
Smooth one Toyota. In this era of rising fuel costs, what young Americans are really looking for is a car that costs more and costs more to run. They're just buying Fits and Yarises by accident.
Also: fugly. Makes the Element look good.
And once you notice the awful reverse light, you'll never be able to look at the rear of the car without thinking "WTF?" again.
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hodad66 12:21PM (10/23/2007)
I had an xA and loved it. The new generation of xB & xD are ugly and pigs when it comes to MPG's. What a way to go backwards from a good start!
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Neil Young 3:36PM (10/23/2007)
Glad I got a 1st-gen one. I save money on gas and can park in more situations. They must think American carbuyers are idiots, and treat them as such.
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Tyguy 3:44PM (10/23/2007)
I'm a very happy owner of an original xB. In fact, I got one of the last ones sold new. I love just about everything about the xB from its fuel mileage, visibility, head room,to the layout of the instrument display, and price. The new xB ruined everything I liked about the original. They ruined the gas mileage, they made it ugly (I like the original's look), they introduced 2 nasty blind spots, screwed the dashboard up, lowered the roof. And I must agree, wtf is up with that reverse light????
I hope Toyota fails hard on this one. They went and betrayed everything that makes the xB an xB and introduced this thing that looks like an xB mated with a PT Cruiser.
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why not the LS2/LS7? 6:07PM (10/23/2007)
Wow. Great catch. The PT Cruiser comment is spot on.
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kballs 12:50AM (10/24/2007)
The RAV-4 also grew by 1ft and 600lbs since the last generation... I don't recall if the fuel efficiency took much of a dive... either way, WTF? Not every family is growing. Some are shrinking. Either way you have to introduce all new models to fill the new hole you left in the light/compact segment... and eventually the segments all grow so you also need to introduce new segment names such as compact, sub-compact, mini-sub-compact, micro-sub-compact. Anyone notice that a sub-compact car of today is bigger than a compact car of 10 years ago (in the North American market at least)?
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ChucktownbB 10:11AM (10/24/2007)
I have the Gen1 and love it. I would have not changed a thing. If, toyota had responded for the calls for more power to the power greedy, the 1.8 would have been big enough. It fits in the gen 1. there was no need to increase the size, weight of the car. I will not be buying a Gen2. as it has nothing that drew me to the original.
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big L 12:43PM (10/24/2007)
It's a parallel model to the xB. Japan makers have done that "twin model development" for years. then when it is time to bring out the new updated model, they just bring over the twin and use the US name. so it always looks like they are ahead of the model cycle.
Also they prob want to sell this Corolla Rumion/new xB over in Europe where they have new pedestrian protection rules and roll-over rules. Imo, the old xB was a pancake waiting to happen, and the new one has a much wider C pillar to save lives in a roll-over. Also the Toy thought they could slip in the twin w/o spending the dough on development of a real new model xB
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MikeW 2:54PM (10/24/2007)
The RAV4 didn't gain 600lbs. It only put on 300lbs for 4x2, and 250lbs for 4x4 from the last generation. Now that 600lbs may be the gain from two generations ago.
and it got bigger, hopefully safer, and they traditional X % increase in bending/torsional strength.
Toyota should have put the dual range 4 speed auto from the Camry in the 2.4 I4 RAV4.
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