Tuesday, August 08, 2006
boxy but good
In hopes of appeasing those looking for car updates, here is my Yahoo! Autos review of the Scion xB. Enjoy...
I have been driving a white toaster for 2 months now and I absolutely love it. My Scion xB has "style," but only in a sense that it has no style. I get more than my fair share of odd looks from people, even though the color and shape of the car were stolen from a 1953 Black & Decker. It's a strange phenomenon in the car business: car companies have tried so hard to create things of beauty that beauty has become common, and only by eliminating beauty has Toyota been able to create a unique shape. Beautiful car shapes have become so commonplace that even Hyundais can set the heart fluttering. It is the utter lack of style makes this car stand out. That means if you do buy this car, be warned: strangers will look at you everywhere you go. This means no more nose-picking while you drive. It's the price you pay.
The car has more than enough power for anything but drag racing, which is to say that it will get you where you need to go without anyone having to get out and push. I installed an Injen ram air intake all by myself (I'm quite proud of this), and it gives the car a little bit more "go" and a more aggressive sound, but the xB is still no Corvette. Don't believe anybody who tells you a filter will add more than 7 or 8 horsepower, it ain't gonna happen. Other people have criticized the ride, but the ride is surprisingly sporty if you ask me. Not what you'd expect from a box. It's a bit harsh, but in a good way. Turns are sharp, body roll is limited, and there is no floating or swaying. You might expect it to be top-heavy, but it's not. It drives almost like the Acura Integra I used to own, only with about half the power. The seating room in this car is amazing. The xB has supplanted our Honda Odyssey as the daily family driver, and my wife and 2 kids have more than enough room for heads, legs, etc. I'm 6' 3" and I have a good 4 inches of room above my head. Shaquille O'Neal could probably drive this car. Heck, he could probably sit in the back seat!
With that said, don't expect too much out of this car. It's still an econobox at heart. Its engine note won't compare favorably with a Ferrari F430. The pedals, including dead pedal, were not designed for my size 13s, and given the low gearing and low power, you end up shifting a lot. The width of the pedals is fine, but I prefer to press the pedals with the ball of my foot, not my toes, and there is just not enough room down there to do that. The car doesn't really have enough storage either: the owner's manual takes up most of the glove box, and there is only one other enclosed compartment, which is big enough for 3 or 4 CDs. It only has 2 cupholders unless you opt for the armrest, which adds one for the backseat. The car's light weight and slab sides make the car fidgety in wind. It's also lacking on the typical list of "amenities." Useful things like power windows and locks, are standard, but leather, sunroof, etc. are not even an option. But then, who ever decided that we need to sit on cowhide while we drive? I actually prefer fabric, it helps keep my butt in place. Besides, fabric works for my couch at home, why do I need leather in my car? And why in the world do I need to have a hole in my roof? Really, that's what this car is all about: questioning everything. When it comes down to it, if you consider the really important things - safety, efficiency, interior volume, depreciation, value, reliability - this car has it all, and who cares what it looks like? If you're interested in what strangers might think of you or what will impress your neighbors, well, you might just need to shell out the extra $40,000 for that BMW. ¶ monger187 wrote this on 8/08/2006
I have been driving a white toaster for 2 months now and I absolutely love it. My Scion xB has "style," but only in a sense that it has no style. I get more than my fair share of odd looks from people, even though the color and shape of the car were stolen from a 1953 Black & Decker. It's a strange phenomenon in the car business: car companies have tried so hard to create things of beauty that beauty has become common, and only by eliminating beauty has Toyota been able to create a unique shape. Beautiful car shapes have become so commonplace that even Hyundais can set the heart fluttering. It is the utter lack of style makes this car stand out. That means if you do buy this car, be warned: strangers will look at you everywhere you go. This means no more nose-picking while you drive. It's the price you pay.
The car has more than enough power for anything but drag racing, which is to say that it will get you where you need to go without anyone having to get out and push. I installed an Injen ram air intake all by myself (I'm quite proud of this), and it gives the car a little bit more "go" and a more aggressive sound, but the xB is still no Corvette. Don't believe anybody who tells you a filter will add more than 7 or 8 horsepower, it ain't gonna happen. Other people have criticized the ride, but the ride is surprisingly sporty if you ask me. Not what you'd expect from a box. It's a bit harsh, but in a good way. Turns are sharp, body roll is limited, and there is no floating or swaying. You might expect it to be top-heavy, but it's not. It drives almost like the Acura Integra I used to own, only with about half the power. The seating room in this car is amazing. The xB has supplanted our Honda Odyssey as the daily family driver, and my wife and 2 kids have more than enough room for heads, legs, etc. I'm 6' 3" and I have a good 4 inches of room above my head. Shaquille O'Neal could probably drive this car. Heck, he could probably sit in the back seat!
With that said, don't expect too much out of this car. It's still an econobox at heart. Its engine note won't compare favorably with a Ferrari F430. The pedals, including dead pedal, were not designed for my size 13s, and given the low gearing and low power, you end up shifting a lot. The width of the pedals is fine, but I prefer to press the pedals with the ball of my foot, not my toes, and there is just not enough room down there to do that. The car doesn't really have enough storage either: the owner's manual takes up most of the glove box, and there is only one other enclosed compartment, which is big enough for 3 or 4 CDs. It only has 2 cupholders unless you opt for the armrest, which adds one for the backseat. The car's light weight and slab sides make the car fidgety in wind. It's also lacking on the typical list of "amenities." Useful things like power windows and locks, are standard, but leather, sunroof, etc. are not even an option. But then, who ever decided that we need to sit on cowhide while we drive? I actually prefer fabric, it helps keep my butt in place. Besides, fabric works for my couch at home, why do I need leather in my car? And why in the world do I need to have a hole in my roof? Really, that's what this car is all about: questioning everything. When it comes down to it, if you consider the really important things - safety, efficiency, interior volume, depreciation, value, reliability - this car has it all, and who cares what it looks like? If you're interested in what strangers might think of you or what will impress your neighbors, well, you might just need to shell out the extra $40,000 for that BMW. ¶ monger187 wrote this on 8/08/2006
