2004 Scion xB 1.5

Summary:

Dependable, gutless, sporty toaster of awesomeness

Faults:

Nothing has gone wrong. I just bought it from people who obviously didn't take care of it and left it in the sun. The paint clearcoat was bubbled and peeling is all I can really say.

Passenger side front disc brake had a warped rotor that made the brakes surge and the rear drum pads wear to almost toast.

Every single electronic door lock actuator needed replacing. eBay had all of them for under 9 dollars each and the labor was simple enough; I could do all the work with a short 3 inch long phillips screwdriver.

I replaced all the brakes and rotors, and gave it all new fluids; the original transmission fluid was really dirty (it was almost black), but that's not the car's fault.

General Comments:

This car/van/SUV/toaster is very unique looking and gets attention. The windows all around it give really good visibility; I didn't know it could be so great. Looking out the front windshield is like being on top of the road; you can see every pothole before you hit it. The interior materials and how they were put together seem very well thought out and sturdy. Everything is right and tight and crisp!

I didn't get a key fob when I purchased it, but buying one on eBay for 10 dollars and programming, it was pretty simple; a novice could easily accomplish it. This vehicle was really thought out well for every day people.

The radio doesn't have Bluetooth or an aux port, so that was really lame, but I guess 2004 is a old? The speakers are nice and the stereo is satellite radio ready.

Trunk space is small, but you have plenty of vertical room to stack things and the back seats fold down nicely, so you could get something pretty huge in this little vehicle. The footprint of this vehicle is only slightly larger than a Mini Cooper, but the height of it makes it seem larger. It has 4 doors and plenty of leg room in the back. Comfort is 7 out of 10.

The car handles kinda funny. The steering is really tight. The turning radius is insanely good. It's low to the ground so the suspension feels kinda sporty, but the engine is gutless with 1.5 liters of power so it doesn't quite match the suspension or look of the car.

I like driving fast and getting up to speed quickly, so this vehicle is cool, but not my cup of tea in the power department, but what do you expect with 1.5 liters? At 75 MPH you are at 3500 RPM; I wish they would have geared the trans to be at 2600 RPM for that speed; it would be more efficient in my opinion. If you don't mind taking your time to get up to speed without literally stomping on the gas, you should be fine. The fuel consumption is poor in my opinion, because a 1.5 liter should get 30 MPG, but this thing gets more like 22. They should have just made it with a V6 or at least a 2.2 liter or something; it would have been awesome!!! But I take what I can get and perhaps this will stop me from speeding, because there's no way you can accidentally speed in this thing, you've really got to step on it.

This car is a great vehicle for your every day grocery getter, that looks cool and drives slow. It's not for speeding around. I would get one again because I like the style and reliability.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 8th May, 2018

8th May 2018, 12:56

What are "drum pads"?

10th May 2018, 11:41

2600 RPM at 75 MPH would not be practical for a 1.5 litre engine.

If it had gearing like that, it would take forever to get up to speed. You think the car is slow now?? LOL. It's geared the way it is for a reason. It's because it's a tiny engine that needs billions of RPM to reach its peak torque.

You want something with lower RPM on the highway? Get any GM with a 3800 V6 in it. Those cars were beasts, and had surprisingly good gas mileage for its size - and the reason was the engine could produce peak torque at a relatively low RPM. This is the key.

2004 Scion xB 2.5L

Summary:

I love this car, will drive it until it dies, and will probably buy another after that

Faults:

The only problems I have had with this car are the rear wiper fluid motor went out, and I had an issue with the CD player not giving back my CDs. Both were covered under warranty.

The front grill also has two side pieces that have fallen off repeatedly; again covered under warranty until it ran out.

General Comments:

Great gas mileage. 35mpg highway.

Incredibly roomy inside, back seat included.

Drives very smoothly for such a small engine.

I have had no serious problems with this car, and it's approaching 150,000 miles.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 8th April, 2010

2004 Scion xB 1.5L

Summary:

You can not go wrong with this car!

Faults:

Literally no problems at all.

General Comments:

For the size this car is the most comfortable car ever... especially in the back seat. It is extremely roomy.

Considering that it has virtually no aerodynamics it gets incredible gas mileage. With the standard transmission I get generally around 39 miles per gallon. I've gotten as high as 45 miles per gallon!

It has a tiny little motor but it does not lag at all!

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 26th June, 2005

2004 Scion xB Series 1.0 'Hot Lava' 1.5 AEM

Summary:

Great value and very fun to drive

Faults:

We have not had any problems with this car at all. One small item that may turn into a problem is the AEM intake system that is installed on the car is hard to service.

General Comments:

This car gets all the looks. I bought my Scion XB 'Hot Lava' orange box last year. It still gets all the looks and questions that it did in the first weeks of ownership. The best part about the 'Hot Lava' is the resale value. Only 2100 cars were made in orange and the demand is very high.

In the city I get 31 mpg, highway I get 35+ mpg.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 24th April, 2005