Editor's Rating: 
The Good: Smooth ride, roomy interior, cavernous cargo space
The Bad: Mediocre fuel economy, no all-wheel-drive option
The Bottom Line: Bigger, more powerful?and thirstier at the gas pump
Reader ReviewsIf you're into quirky vehicles, you'll lament the disappearance of Toyota's (TM) boxy little Scion xB, which hit the market in 2004 and looked like a miniature bread truck. For most buyers, though, the new, completely redesigned 2008 Scion xB will be an improvement over the previous model?with one glaring exception: Fuel efficiency is way down.
The '08 xB is a foot longer, three inches wider, pricier, and more powerful than the model it's replacing. That makes it more mainstream and more directly competitive with such rival models as the Chrysler PT Cruiser, the Chevrolet HHR, and the Honda (HMC) Element.
The front-wheel-drive xB's standard powerplant is now a 2.4-liter, 158-horsepower inline four-cylinder engine, compared with a 1.5-liter, 103-horsepower engine before. The '08 xB starts at $16,270 with a five-speed stick shift and $17,220 with a four-speed automatic, up 11.5% to 12% over the previous model.
The big downside of the new design is evident immediately. The '08 is more than 600 pounds heavier than the previous xB?and, largely as a result of this, is much thirstier at the gas pump. Whether with a manual transmission or an automatic, the '08 is rated to get 22 miles per gallon in the city and 28 on the highway?significantly lower than the 26 mpg in the city and 31 on the highway the old xB would have been rated at under the new system the government is using to calculate mileage as of the '08 model year. In 229 miles of mixed driving in an '08 test model with an automatic transmission, I got 23.4 mpg.
The old xB got significantly better mileage than its rivals. The new one is right in the middle of the pack, between the slightly more fuel-efficient HHR, and the Element and PT Cruiser, which don't do quite as well.
As before, the xB comes with tons of standard equipment, including stability and traction control, antilock brakes with brake force distribution, cruise control, a 160-watt Pioneer audio system, a tilting steering wheel with audio controls, a trip meter, tire pressure monitors, remote keyless entry, and power steering, windows, door locks, and outside mirrors. Front, side and side curtain airbags are standard, too.
If you're into gadgetry, this is the model for you. An iPod port is now standard. For an extra $1,599, you can get the xB with dual rear-seat DVD players with 7-inch screens that tilt out of the backs of the front seats for loading of disks. Each of the rear-seat DVD players comes with its own wireless headphones. The only design flaw I can see is that both players are controlled by the same remote, which might lead to squabbles among the kids.
Technically speaking, if you go with the optional DVD-based navigation system ($2,250), you can have as many as three movies playing at once when the xB is parked (just pop out the nav system disk and pop in a movie). The CD player, which is behind the tilting navigation system screen, plays MP3 and other nonstandard disk formats, as well as short movie clips.
As with other Scion models, you can customize the new xB in numerous ways. Inside the car, you can add sport pedals ($79), custom shifter knobs ($65-$79), under-dash and cupholder illumination ($299), illuminated doorsills ($249), a remote engine starter ($529), and an extra console storage box ($279). On the car's outside, you can change the look of the grille ($215) and taillights ($375), add LED taillights ($375) and a color-keyed rear spoiler ($423), and upgrade to 16-in. ($795) or 17-in. ($1,595) alloy wheels.
The xB's styling may be more conventional now, but it's still odd. To my eye, the front end looks like the front of a London double-decker bus. The sculpted headlights look like narrowed eyes. The interior door handles are shaped like miniature wine bottles.
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