2006 Scion xB RS 4.0 1.5 litre from North America

Summary:

Everything you need, and nothing you don't

Faults:

A touch of clutch chatter after sitting in the rain for a couple weeks unused.

General Comments:

It's all the car anyone needs. Comfortable. It gets tons of use with kids and nothing is broken on the interior at all. I use it for hauling everything from Costco runs to full size arcade machines. Next best thing to having a small pickup truck.

It parks like a dream, and has a good turning radius.

Great visibility out of the mirrors and windows. I never miss a merge.

Fun to drive. It's no drag racer, but I don't live on a drag strip. It goes just as fast as my 400 HP GTO ever did in the real world. It's just more fun to drive. I can beat on it and actually have fun driving it, or drive it nice and smooth. The couple of friends I've let drive it comment on how darn easy it is to drive. Everything just works the way it should.

I tried to find a car to replace my wife's 2 door now that the kids are able to get in and out of the car on their own. Seemed like every other car was paying money for stuff that would just feed my vanity.

I've owned some 40+ cars from BMW 7 Series and Mercedes, to Jeeps and pickups, and this is the only car I've not gotten sick of in less than a year. This car has outlasted my favorite car by 2 years.

Wish it had cruise control; but I also live urban so it would be rare to use, and a kit to put it in is available and easy to install.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 10th March, 2009

2006 Scion xB from North America

Summary:

Best car ever!

Faults:

The side panels on the doors seem to be a little weak. The plastic covering the wheel mount in the trunk broke when I was loading a huge futon in the rear.

I totaled my Scion.

General Comments:

I loved my Scion. It was super reliable.

The traction control really helps when trying to make it up the hill by my house. It really improves handling in the rain and snow.

The interior space is AMAZING!!! I had considered buying an SUV until I drove the xB. I am 6'4" and have a good foot of head room. My friends never fight over who gets the front seat because there is practically the same leg room in the back.

Gas mileage was superbe. I averaged 35mpg.

Great car for small families and teens. My family has adopted twin boys and their safety seats fit perfectly in the back.

I totaled my xb Friday night in a front end collision at 45mph. My seat belts worked very well in restraining me, and I barely grazed the air bags. I left the wreck w/o a scratch and was hardly sore the next day.

I owe my life to Toyota for designing such a great little vehicle. The dealership was friendly and always helpful.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 19th January, 2008

19th Jan 2008, 15:32

I wouldn't say a car with 25,000 miles on the odometer was "super reliable"...it's gotta be driven a LOT further than that without problems to be deemed reliable.

21st Dec 2010, 17:45

Scion xB 2006. I have it and it's a great car. Mine has 100,000 km and just I changed the pad, and now it's giving me problems with the air conditioner, but it doesn't matter.

Really reliable, really nice.

The only problem is it's too slow accelerating, but it doesn't matter.

2006 Scion xB 4.0 1.5 from North America

Summary:

Great car you can get into for under 17k

Faults:

Nothing at all, not even am assembly fault from the factory. but its still very new. Just saying, most cars I find at least one thing wrong... a ding or piece broken from the factory.. misassembled or something.

Biggest problem has been classifying it. "kids, go get in the, car... van... truck... xB."

General Comments:

I bought the car to accommodate the growing boys from our previous 2 door cars.

It is very spacious. Easily seats 4 adults or 2 adults and 3 children (without a car seat). With the seats down, It has a great deal of cargo room, but with the seats up, its not terribly impressive. Having the split folding seat allows for 3 people and a larger object. Also, the front seats fold down flush with the rear to allow for long items.. about 8 feet (or a nap at lunch seated in the back layed out to the front)

I recently had to bring home a chest freezer. I undid the 5 bolts holding down the rear seat and created as much room as a small pickup. Probably overkill, but it fit with no problem. I also brought home a full size arcade machine in the car. I couldn't close the hatch, But it was in there.

I removed the spare tire and associated foam and plastic covers when I bought it, the extra room behind the seats is quite useful. I don't stray far from home with it and have towing insurance just in case I do get a flat. If I was going on an out of city trip, I'd pack the spare and jack.

The performance of the thing is quite admirable considering its power to weight ratio. It feels like it wants a sixth gear on the highway. I guess it wasn't really designed for highway use, considering its metro/city car style. It handles fine, it just pushes a few more RPMs than I'm used to.

The cornering and sport driving capabilities have been exaggerated by a few. The car is sportier than any full size or domestic (US) car/truck, but that's about it. its notchy 5 speed gear box makes for fun fantasy driving, but it corners poorly, I have trouble keeping up with the wife's mini on off ramps. I may be jaded, my other car has 4 times the horsepower, 3 times the tire width and power to weight ratio, and a track suited coilover suspension. I still enjoy tossing the xB around though. As low as its COG is, it still feels like it could tip, if pushed by a stupid person that shouldn't be on the road anyway.

The seats are comfortable and large, front and rear. One can find multiple seating positions to alleviate longer trip discomfort.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 3rd September, 2007

4th Jul 2012, 21:32

Still have it six years later. Still going strong. Replaced drive belt due to paranoia. Still on its first set of brakes. Feels like the handling is a bit loose compared to 70k miles ago, but it probably is. It's wearing, rubber shrinking. A set of urethane bushings would probably make it feel new.