2008 Scion xB

Most reviewers are still charmed by the 2008 Scion xB wagon. Its new engine packs more power and better performance, they say, and Scion has gentled the Scion xB's previously choppy ride. Lengthening and widening the Scion xB wagon has made for a big backseat and whopping 70 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seat folded down -- bigger not only than its close competitor wagons, the Chevrolet HHR and Chrysler PT Cruiser, but also bigger than many full-size wagons. The new Scion xB includes lots of standard safety features, including curtain airbags and electronic stability control. Experts consider the Scion xB a reliable car that is likely to hold its value well, and they say it's a bargain for the price. However, road-testers say the new Scion xB isn't the fuel-sipper its predecessor was, although at 24 mpg in mixed driving it still bests the Chrysler PT Cruiser (23 mpg) and is right behind the Chevrolet HHR (25 mpg). Some reviewers say the redesign destroyed the Scion xB's unique exterior look, while others say one feature the Scion xB retained, its thick roof pillars, make it hard to see where you're driving.

Few auto reviewers have missed the chance to critique the newly redesigned 2008 Scion xB wagon. Consumer Reports and ConsumerGuide.com list every new measurement and standard feature alongside their extensive road test reports, and they rank the new Scion xB among its peers. Various members of the "Car Family" reviewing team -- Mom, Dad, college-going son and young working daughter -- weigh in with their respective views of the 2008 Scion xB station wagon in a National Motorist Association review. Reviewers at MotorWeek and The Wall Street Journal address the question of whether the redesign -- which enlarged the Scion xB and slightly smoothed its funky, two-box shape -- erased all of its original charm.