2012 Scion xB Review and Prices

Styling: The 2012 Scion xB will likely get some new colors and perhaps a specialty trim package or two to mark the conclusion of this odd little wagon’s second design generation. The 2012 xB won’t, however, look substantively different from the double box that debuted for model-year 2008 and got mildly updated details for model-year 2011. It’ll retain a front end given kooky form by an under-bite chin and beetle-brow hood. From there back, the xB is pretty much a brick with a roof and windows. The 2012 will remain an anti-fashion statement with appeal to artsy urbanites and canny shoppers who see the utilitarian beauty of the shape.

The 2012 xB will continue with the same wheelbase – the distance between the front and rear axles – as the Toyota Corolla compact sedan. The xB, however, takes up far less room on the road than any compact sedan. Its body length is 11.4 inches shorter than the Corolla’s, for example, but its roof is a full 7 inches taller. The result is chair-like seating for five adults with headroom to spare. That sort of upright comfort is common to the xB’s main rivals, though neither Cube nor Soul matches the Scion for overall passenger volume or cargo room. Indeed, the 2012 xB will return with 21.7 cubic feet of luggage space behind its rear seat and 69.9 cubic feet with the rear seatbacks folded. That’s more than in many midsize SUVs.

Toyota’s Scion strategy calls for simple small cars that are blank canvasses upon which young buyers may express their individuality. The plan’s supported by a long list of factory-designed appearance, performance, and audio options, most sold as accessories through Scion dealers. Thus, expect the 2012 Scion xB to return in a single basic trim level with a factory-customized specialty version or two to save shoppers the trouble of checking the options list. In model-year 2011, for example, Scion offered the xB RS 8.0 (Release Series No. 8) with aero-fashion body add-ons, unique interior trim, and exclusive Voodoo Blue paint; it also sported a power sunroof not available on regular xBs.

Mechanical: As nonconformist as the 2012 Scion xB will remain on the outside, it’ll stay wholly conventional beneath the skin. It’ll repeat with a suspension common to budget compact cars – independent front and torsion beam at the rear – and boast no really advanced technology aside from electric power steering. Similarly, the powertrain will stay predictable with a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine driving the front wheels through a five-speed manual transmission or a humble four-speed automatic. Expect output to remain 158 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque.

From these unassuming specifications, however, the xB’s engineers have created a surprisingly entertaining driving experience. That shouldn’t change for model-year 2012. The xB should continue to ride with uncommon comfort and control, handle with a balance that belies its high-hat stance, and get up to speed quite nicely. Credit for the perfectly acceptable acceleration goes to the 162 pound-feet of torque. Torque is acceleration’s true elixir, and despite weighing at least 200 pounds more than either the Soul or Cube, the xB’s 2.4-liter four produces far more torque than its rivals’ smaller engines. Realistically, the 2012 xB won’t behave like a sports sedan, and the automatic transmission will sap throttle response. But it won’t disappoint a driver who recognizes a vehicle that’s nicely dialed-in.       

Expect the 2012 Scion xB to return with modestly sized 205/55R16 all-season tires on steel wheels, though 16-inch alloys and a 17-inch wheel/tire package are among the factory-developed accessories. The 2012 xB also is likely to retain an edge over the Cube and many other vehicles in its price range by featuring standard four-wheel disc brakes instead of a front-disc/rear-drum setup. Also returning as standard will be antilock and antiskid technology for better control in emergency stops and in fast turns, respectively.

Features: For a bare canvass, the 2012 Scion xB ought to again come fairly comprehensively equipped. Rear privacy glass, outside mirrors with integrated turn-signal indicators, and a chrome exhaust tip will again be standard. So will air conditioning, cruise control, power mirrors, and power windows with driver’s-side one-touch down. The driver’s seat will again be height-adjustable and include a fold-down center armrest. The steering wheel will include audio controls and will tilt, though it won’t telescope; a leather-wrapped wheel will again be an accessory.

The 2012 xB’s rear seat will have a storage tray beneath and 60/40 split seatbacks that’ll fold to enhance cargo space. Various storage pockets and nets, even an overhead console, will again grace the accessories list. So will a multi-color cabin illumination kit that also lights the cup holders.

Scion’s got a clue when it comes to sound systems, and the 2012 xB is likely to retain a standard Pioneer CD audio setup with six speakers, a subwoofer RCA output, a color-customizable electroluminescent display screen, and both an auxiliary port and a USB iPod interface. An Alpine audio unit with an integrated GPS navigation system will likely return as an accessory.