2008 Scion xB Review

What the reviewers like:
The best thing about the redesigned 2008 Scion xB wagon, critics say, is its roomy new passenger and cargo space. The still-compact Scion xB retains its bargain price tag, even though it comes loaded with standard safety features. Experts say the Scion xB is reliable and should hold its value well.

What the reviewers don't like:
More power and heft hurt the 2008 Scion xB wagon's fuel economy, which is now 24 mpg mixed in government tests. Testers find the Scion xB wagon's thick roof pillars impair visibility. Some wish Scion hadn't blunted the edginess of the Scion xB's original, radical design.

EPA fuel economy estimate: 22 mpg city, 28 mpg highway

2008 Scion xB review highlights

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.

Also see full report: Station Wagons

*In order of credibility (see our Ratings Criteria).

1. Consumer Reports
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2008 Scion xB Review
Editors of Consumer Reports

Consumer Reports tests the newly redesigned 2008 Scion xB and ranks it alongside other wagons and hatchbacks. The review includes detailed specifications and measurements, pricing information, a thorough road-test report and Consumer Reports' reliability prediction and owner satisfaction survey results, but you must be a subscriber to read this report.

2. Consumer Guide.com
2008 Scion xB Full Review
Editors of ConsumerGuide.com
Jan. 23, 2008

ConsumerGuide.com ranks the 2008 Scion xB as a "Best Buy" in the compact car class. The redesigned Scion xB station wagon is still a practical-but-edgy alternative to other small cars and SUVs, the review concludes.

3. National Motorists Association/The Car Family
Scions xD and xB: Bigger and Bolder
The Car Family
Aug. 2007

Various members of the "Car Family" reviewing team – Mom, Dad, college-going son and young working daughter – weigh in on the redesigned 2008 Scion xB station wagon. They all like different things about the Scion xB, but all recommend it as a versatile, well-priced wagon. However, the review notes that fuel economy is not exceptional.

4. Motor Week
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2008 Scion xB Review
Editors of MotorWeek

PBS's MotorWeek evaluates the redesign of the 2008 Scion xB: Has too much mainstreaming killed the car's quirky charm? Probably not, the review concludes. Although some diehard fans might be put off by its slightly rounder exterior lines and less radical interior, most drivers will prefer the smoother ride, safer performance and huge jumps in power and roominess, the review predicts.

5. The Wall Street Journal
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A Hit Makeover – and a Miss
Jeff Sabatini
13-Jul-07

The 2008 redesign of the Scion xB station wagon didn't improve it much, Sabatini concludes in this review. In fact, he says, it killed things – the low price, the super-boxy design – that earned it its cult following in the first place.

Also see full report: Station Wagons