This is an interesting article about the direction of the Scion brand.
I think many of us 1st gen xbers would agree with the conclusions.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/30/au...ef=automobiles

 

The old xB was like a newly arrived Japanese exchange student who dresses like Max Headroom and pulls live sea urchins out of his lunch bag, blissfully naïve about his lack of assimilation.

The new xB is like the same kid six months later, still unquestionably the product of a different culture, but now self-conscious of that fact and beginning to temper his perceived eccentricities with trips to the Hollister store and the occasional McRib sandwich for lunch.

He’s tailoring his persona, but to what end? Is it better to have a smaller group of fiercely loyal friends, or a wide swath of indifferent acquaintances? Is it worse to be polemic or forgettable? That’s what Scion has to figure out.

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best article evar.

 

Good find. I agree, the conclusions of that are spot on, and repeat what we know already: wacky Japanese stuff = good, "wacky" American stuff = substantially less good.

 

I like the NY times now

 

xB 1 > xB 2

 

Excellent article.. Hello scion are you hearing this?? I want a diahatsu copen please lol
scion copen please!

 

Great article!!

 

my feelings exactly

 

This article pretty much sums it up!...

 

Here comes the Hako ....

 

Totally agree. My XB ____es off rednecks and other dullards and that's what I want and expect. The new XB is trying to make excuses for being different. I don't agree with the article suggesting that the only people that buy these cars are old grumpy people and tatoo/piercing freaks. I may be weird but i'm educated and have a good engineering job but then again I have long hair and don't care what people think.

Scion was on the right track but these days the reason for their cars may be a blurry gleam in Toyota's eyes.

 

What's funny as hell to me, is I had to shave my mohawk for work recently. And I'm 21. Anyways, this article nails it! You don't change what's working. I would have liked the new xB if they made it longer and with a bigger engine but kept the boxiness to it. That's what makes it unique.

 

I agree with the idea, but the writer is kind of a douchebox. Not everybody who drives an xB is a raver and is covered head to toe in tattoos or an elderly person. I have one small tattoo on my arm. I make over 25k a year. I didn't buy the xB because it was all that I could afford. I bought it because it didn't look like every other car in the parking lot. And I also type my text messages in proper English Mr. Dyer. Maybe you should take a look at Scion drivers outside of New York before you make brash, widespread generalizations.

 

that one got me. really good article though.

 

i am over 30 and the xb is my commuter car, i also have a 06 lexus and each has its own pros and cons.

i enjoy the MPG and zipping around during the week

on the weekends or for roadtrips the lexus is second to none

i do know one thing though, i will always look to toyota first since the reliability of these cars is awesome!!!

funny how i am a toyota fanatic and i drive a scion and a lexus lol