"The all-new 2008 Scion xB features a little less funk and a lot more spunk." That certainly sounds like the type of cheesy Grade-A marketing line that an automaker might throw out to describe a vehicle that is more grown-up in size, power and attitude, but we assure you that it it's our cheesy line, not Scion's. After all, this is a brand that's so cool, it even has its own hip-hop music label.
Behind the Scion xB's dare-to-be-square hipness is, of course, the comfortable backing of parent company Toyota. Hatched at a time when Toyota realized it was in danger of losing younger buyers, the spin-off Scion brand first launched with what were essentially rebadged Japanese-market Toyotas. The original xA and xB were well-equipped and affordable small hatchback wagons that could be crammed with dealer-installed customizing features for the Pimp My Ride generation. Looking like a 3/4-scale Chevy Astro, it was the xB and its "love it or hate it" box styling that attracted enough of the former category to become the embodiment of Scion and a success.
The 2008 Scion xB is exactly 1 foot longer than the last box, 3 inches wider and actually 2 inches shorter in height. This creates a more substantial, less toylike appearance, and a more useful overall vehicle. Under the hood, a 2.4-liter inline-4 engine (it's also used in the Scion tC and Toyota Camry) gives the xB 158 horsepower -- 56 hp more than the previous xB. All of this makes the xB a little more grown up, but there's still enough funk present to make George Clinton proud.
To conventional eyes, the xB is not an attractive car -- perhaps less so than the outgoing box ¯ but there are quirky little design details everywhere to ingratiate the xB upon those who dig that sort of thing. Inside, there are more funky details, but the larger vehicle dimensions equate to greater space for passengers and cargo. Materials have also improved along with ergonomics, although that does come with an asterisk. The center-mounted gauges are, in fact, better than the last xB's, but they're still too small, too far away from the driver's line of sight and focus more on form than function.
Beyond oddball styling, Scion's other M.O. is its lengthy list of dealer-installed extras -- especially the audio options. While other carmakers have made MP3 player auxiliary jacks standard equipment, Scion has gone one step further with a regular aux jack and a dedicated iPod port that provides power and stereo head unit control. We haven't had a chance to test the regular head unit, but the upgraded stereo provides a user-friendly interface and large screen to toggle through playlists, performers and songs. With the available navigation system, audio control becomes even simpler (and safer) by utilizing the touchscreen to create crystal-clear functions that mirror those on the iPod itself.
The term "love it or hate it" gets thrown about a lot, especially regarding radically different automotive styling like that on the 2008 Scion xB. There are always a few people who love the distinctive and the odd, and for them the xB is the obvious choice over more traditional small hatchbacks or wagons like the Chrysler PT Cruiser or Dodge Caliber. Only time will tell if the all-new xB is embraced like its funky forbear was, but this more substantial and more powerful box certainly has more spunk (and space) to complement all that funk.
