2005 Scion xB from North America

Summary:

A bad car, or just my bad luck

Faults:

Water leaked inside of the car when it rained.

Many exterior parts were made of cheap plastic, which broke.

The back bumper corners came off bumping into a pile of snow.

The front bumper lip cracked, and a chunk broke off hitting a chunk of snow that was laying in the road.

The worst handling car in snow I have ever owned.

General Comments:

Good gas mileage for such a boxy car.

A reliable car if you are traveling on well kept flat roads, where you don't have to worry about mother nature's natural elements.

I would never buy another vehicle from Scion after owning my old XB.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? No

Review Date: 19th July, 2014

21st Jul 2014, 02:41

I also made the mistake of buying a xB from Scion. Also a big mistake... wanted a CR-V or a Element, but the resale value on those is so high, it is not practical to buy one, at least at the cost they are going at. So it fell to the xB or a Korean car.

I picked the xB, and it's a crude car at best. Basic transportation, and I mean basic, but I must admit it might be a great car for a kid starting out in this world... and I would only get it new... not used like I did.

The ride is harsh. The materials are durable but very cheaply made... rattles and squeaks galore. The gas pedal is jumpy. Just an overall cheaply built car... so do yourself a favor and pass on one of these.

I also don't know much about the xD, the xA, or the tC or their new little sports car. So I can't pass judgement on Scion as a whole, but the xB should only be looked at if you have no other options... and need a very, very basic car.

9th Feb 2016, 01:20

Well, after this year they'll be wearing Toyota nameplates, when they pull the plug on this brand.

Sayonara, Scion.

9th Jun 2017, 21:37

Well, the tC and xB are dead, but the iA, iM, and FR-S will live on at least.

The xB excelled at space efficiency and value. It definitely was lacking in insulation, being as cheap as it was, and that lead to a lot of road noise and an overall tinny quality. I think that it imparted a nostalgic charm to the car, though I can completely understand others feeling differently.

17th Mar 2018, 02:57

It seems like most of your problems could have been avoided if you quit driving into objects.

5th Apr 2023, 14:21

Agreed.

5th Apr 2023, 21:01

The reviewer said it handled terribly in the snow, so those things might be connected.

2005 Scion xB 1.5L I4 from North America

Summary:

A reliable, roomy, and economical box!

Faults:

- Wheel bearing.

General Comments:

I've only owned the vehicle for 9,000 miles. I don't consider this enough miles to do a thorough review. However, I have had no problems with this vehicle. When purchased, I was averaging 32 MPG, which is better than the EPA's estimated MPG. After I changed the transmission fluid to fully synthetic Royal Purple and the engine to fully synthetic oil, I now average between 34 and 37 MPG.

The bad: it is very slow when getting up to freeway speeds. The seats can be very uncomfortable on a long drive. The gearbox can be a bit stiff when shifting into first and reverse. The "Check Engine" light would stay on for about 30 seconds, but it was attributed to the fact that the oil life tracking must be reset during every oil change.

I have done regular maintenance such as oil changes, front brake pads, etc. It is due for a wheel bearing and tires.

There is a massive amount of headroom that a professional basketball player would love. There are absolutely no blind spots like most new cars have. This vehicle is very comfortable to steer, and the steering is tight.

I went shopping and bought a 60-gallon air compressor, groceries, and tools, and a child in a car seat still managed to fit with everything in there with one of the rear seats down. I even have a trailer hitch on mine to pull a small trailer.

This is probably the most practical vehicle out there. Before I purchased it, I did plenty of research, and at the time I saw forum posts with users that have obtained well over 200,000 miles, and some over 300,000 miles.

I'm hoping to get at least half a million miles out of it. I would recommend purchasing one as they are going for a cheaper price now days ($4,000 - $8,000).

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 9th November, 2013

13th Jan 2014, 16:44

Update to this review: The car is still running strong. One very cold -25F morning, the trunk lid handle snapped off. Looking at purchasing a metal one.

14th Oct 2014, 20:08

Update #2: I ordered the metal hatch handle. Great replacement for that cheap plastic thing.

The bad news is that I sold the vehicle because I felt that it was too slow to safely get up to freeway speeds.

The good news is that I bought a Trans Am, which safely exceeds getting up to freeway speeds.

15th Oct 2014, 17:22

Not sure why someone would sell a 2005 xB. Those were pretty well made cars, got good gas mileage, and are better built than the 2007 and up newly designed one that Toyota/Scion made.

And since it's not worth a lot of money, it's a great car to keep and use as a back up for the parking lot wars of the supermarkets, the malls, and the hardware stores, where people point and shoot shopping carts at their holding stalls.

Also as gas heads to 5.00 a gallon, and it might come sooner than later, because the feds and states love to tax that stuff, it might come in handy in the future.

31st Oct 2014, 10:12

Ordered a 2006 xB and picked it up at the dealer, and it has been a very reliable car. 396 thousand and still driving it. Plugs every 30k (takes 12 minutes and one 10mm socket to change), brakes and rotors only 3 times, tires, one belt change, one battery, oil changes right on time and that's it!!!

Good in the snow with snow tires and still gets 30 miles to a gallon.