Scion was meant to bring in fuel efficient, stylish JDM vehicles, not build another bloated, boring vehicle with more power for fat Americans, imo.

 

Well i don't know about stylish but fuel efficiency was a goal to achieve and they did it well. Its just sad to see the fuel efficient "scion" label will long be lost now. Maybe its just my opinion but when you associate the word scion and cars fuel efficiency is a given staple thought. Scion has and will loose that title from here on.

I'm just glad to be the owner of what scion originally marketed. In my honest opinion i believe Scion sold out and now they're catering to a different market. Which mid 20's year old wants to buy a new Xb over the last gen Xb? Besides more room there's not much to sell me the new Xb and thats all.

 

JDM?

 

JDM = Japan Domestic Model, basically any vehicle primarily designed and sold in Japan.

 

can someone please lock this thread. these threads are pointless... its a new xB. its a Scion. the people wanted a bigger engine, and Toyo gave it to them. if you dont like it, then find a xB classic or buy the new xD which is more along the lines of the xB classic in MPG. they didnt kill the formula, they just shifted it around.

 

No, the Scion formula is to have distinctive vehicles that appeal to a younger generation. Thus generating sales (170k in FY06) and bringing younger buyers into the Toyota family.

The reason why the first cars were JDM is because they were pretty much test vehicles. They didn't want to spend money designing a new car that won't sell. Turns out, the 1st gen xA and xB were popular.

FYI - Toyota isn't out to make you happy, they are out to make money.

 

I like the new xB much better than a friggin' box. That thing has always looked quite bland.

As for fuel efficiency, when is Toyota going to start promoting the real mpg on their cars? I've never had an american car that didn't get what was promoted.

 

Thanks, Strader. This hasn't been brought up before. You're so new and fresh.

 

uh, bland? Umm okay. I actually like my friggin box. How bout the rest of you guys? IF Toyota was smart, they would've given the xB2s the Camry's gearing. They both have the same engine and I'm sure the xB2 is lighter than the Camry. So who messed up here?

 

Scion never promised JDM vehicles. They actually stated very early on that the next gen Scions would be built just for America. What I didn't expect was a new breed of "Americanized" cars.

They started the Scion brand to entice young people into the Toyota family, hoping they would grow up with the brand and eventually move up to a Lexus. Where they went wrong was, Toyota kept its own identity of making small fuel efficient cars (like the Yaris) and Scion suddenly realized that "small and efficient" wouldn't separate them from Toyota, and "small and efficient" aren't necessarily what all young people want. How many kids lust after EVOs and STIs? How many young people want to fake rich with bling'd out trucks and SUVs on 22"s?

The young market is hard to pin down. What seemed to work was the original xB. A slap in the face to all other cars that "try too hard" to be cool, or fast. It didn't ask people what they want in a car, it force fed them what they need at a decent price.

Then came the tC. Not great on fuel. Not huge on cargo space and utility. Not blazing fast either. But the buyers got even younger, and more excited about Scion.

So what the hell do young people want? Efficiency and cargo room? Sporty, 2 door Civic-like vehicles? Expensive cars, or cheap ones?

Scion thought long and hard... And viola! A new car was born. The new xB is the result of Scion asking "everyone" what they want in a car. What you see is a mutant of Civic Sedan/Scion tC with xB Wagon utility/xA Hatchback curves/SUV styling/Import tune-ability and Camry safety features. Add to that EVERY option they could think of, regardless of price. All the way up to $2k Nav systems and DVD entertainment. "Let them decide how much they're willing to spend, not us."

Some might see this as the perfect car, while others might see it as a soul-less contraption with no real identity of its own. (besides the badge, which harkens back to a completely different breed of vehicle)

It's up to you to decide if you like the new xB or not. In my opinion, the ever elusive youth market has slipped out of Toyota's hands once again.

-THE DON

 

I'd far from say the xB1 was a bland box. It was a groundbreaking car stateside. Sure, in it's original market, there are a lot of boxes and it may have looked bland there.

As far as the gearing. I'd much rather have the tried and true 4spd auto over a new 5spd. Also, I'm sure there was a decent cost difference regarding each. The 5Spd may have made the new xB's price be out of range for most buyers.

In essence though, I still love my xB2 and I am more than glad I waited for this to come out. The only downside I see over the old xB is fuel economy, but the tradeoff is power, and I'd much rather have that.

Everyone needs to quit they're whining. If you don't like change, go back to 2004.

 

QFT...

 

THIS THREAD IS REALLY ENHANCING MY INTERNET EXPERIENCE

No, really, this thread reminds me Hour 34 of the Zomg Family Disneyland Road Trip From Hell. That was the part where mom tried to strangle dad with the pullcord from her Officially Licensed Disneyland $40 Rain Poncho With Hood.

I know! I'll defuse the tension with a joke!

Q: How many Gen 1 owners does it take to screw in a lightbulb?
A: SHUT UP I HATE THESE NEW LIGHT BULBS I'M KEEPING MY OLD ONE FOREVER

 

also, my apologies to 56K users, but i've been waiting years to use this image...

 

hahaha that's classic.

this is a moot point.
bB and xB are different cars.
Scion has adapted to where the current market is heading. I think they got it right from a corporate perspective.
From a personal owner and tuner perspective, i think the xB2 is not for me. Too "big" for my tastes.

that is all.

 

My favorite line of this thread
Toyota sold out......


Um, what else are they supposed to do??? I think that is their goal. Sell out to what people want so they buy your product

 

What "people"? I want fuel economy.

This is the same line of thinking that has put 300 crap reality shows on TV.

I'd rather have had the bB come over. But that's why they make more than one of them.

 

I agree with you which is why I drive an 06.5 xB and decided on nto waiting for the xB2... but people as in American public, which Toyo surveyed, said they wanted more power, bigger etc. Toyo just gave them what they wanted.

 

Most of the whining could be taken over to the gen 1 forum.... Try to cope the best you can.... it's going to be a bumpy road for some of you.

 

^ I totally agree w/ you on that one. In my post, I was complaining about the MPG, I was just suggesting what Toyota could've done for those who wanted Scion MPG. Oh yeah, xB Hybrid anyone??