Okay folks, I need some input. I bought a '05 xA about a month ago, and I freakin' LOVE it. I've owned lots of other vehicles in my life (sports cars, luxury cars, jeeps, trucks and SUVs) and I can honestly say that the xA is my all-time favorite. There's just something about this cool little car! Anyhow, in about two years or less, we will be replacing my wife's car. I'd gladly buy another xA, but I'm afraid it wouldn't be practicle. We need at least one vehicle with a little more cargo room. That brings me to the xB. My wife and I both love the xB's "huge" interior room, and it's quirky looks have grown on both of us. She's actually gone from "Eeew...that's ugly" to "Ya know, I do kinda like it. Maybe I'll get one next". Based on my experience with my xA so far, I'd love to buy another Scion. The only hesitation I have about the xB, is it's highway performance. I've read other posts where xB owners have said they are so underpowered, that they might think about selling it. I'm not interested in doing 100 mph down the highway, but it should have enough power to pass and merge safely. Any input from xB owners on highway performance? -Thanks

xB is a little bouncy on the highway but not horrible, I have had mine since last august and would say all and all it is a pretty comfortable car.

xB is a little bouncy on the highway but not horrible, I have had mine since last august and would say all and all it is a pretty comfortable car.Yeah, I didn't really expect it to ride like a Lexus because of the short wheelbase and all. I'm more worried about it's power (or lack there of). Has that been an issue? Thanks

test drive one! only way to really see what you think about the xB

I dont think it bounces on the highway at all. We just drove 8 hours in two days and all four people in the car were comfortable. As for horsepower.. yes it would be nice but I keep up with Cleveland rush hour traffic jsut fine. I am able to cut people off with the rest of em'

xB is a little bouncy on the highway but not horrible, I have had mine since last august and would say all and all it is a pretty comfortable car.

A little bouncy???? Both my wife and daughter have complained that they can't even read a book while being a passenger on the freeway in our xB. Their eyes can't even stay on the same line. Yes it does depend on the freeway. But around here (Sacramento) at 65-70 the bouncy little car defeats reading. They read all the time in our full size van and full size truck with no problem. Luckily the xB stays mostly on the surface streets what it was intended for.

personally I don't think there really is a power issue. I do have a stick and I do find that I do have to downshift quicker in it than in our Matrix, but I can easily do 85-90 on the interstates(freeways). I've never felt like I couldn't keep up with traffic. We've taken it on multiple roadtrips and never had any problems, in fact my family would rather travel in it than in the Matrix, it is quieter. I'd say the ride is about the same as the xA, its a little firmer than the Echo we used to have. but like someone else said, the best way to find out if it will work for you is to go test drive one.

My wife and I went to Flagstaff (mountainous area) to play in the snow last weekend and we passed a whole lot of cars going uphill. Didn't seem to be a problem for us. We were able to keep the speedo around 65mph or so on a 6%incline, so that's good enough for me. (stock, 5-speed)

i personaly like it true it is bouncy but its fun to drive on the freeway. yes the car does have little horse power but for its light body it goes very good.

A little bouncy???? Both my wife and daughter have complained that they can't even read a book while being a passenger on the freeway in our xB.Just currious....is your xB lowered at all and what size wheels do you have?

mines totally stock

don't mind bilgewiper, all I've seen him post is complaints about the ride quality. if you really don't like it, trade it in. otherwise, stop complaining and try and fix it.
anyways, the power is fine, if you have a 5 spd. I have heard from other people on this board, that the auto is very laggy in power delivery, especially on the highway. I can't attest to if that's true or not, I drive a 5 spd.

I bought the manual just for that very reason, the auto is a little laggy

I have an 05 Automatic and I drive up to 3 hours a day on freeway and have no power problems and part of my drive daily is up and down a mountain. I love the car and I don't think that it is really bouncy. The 05 stock springs are much better than the 04 so it stays pretty smooth. I have the Tein H-tech springs on it now just for the small drop but it handles really well in the rain ( which has been tested completely the last few weeks ). I don't think your wife would have any problems driving it. I pass cars all the time on the mountain inclines (Cajon Pass) and average between 70-80 mph the whole drive.

don't mind bilgewiper, all I've seen him post is complaints about the ride quality. if you really don't like it, trade it in. otherwise, stop complaining and try and fix it.

Yea, I am old! I'd love to put some old school 13"-14"' Torque Thruster II's with BFG T/A's that might help the ride and still keep the overall height profile the same but I doubt they will clear the rotors. I still havent gtten used to the "Hot Wheel's" look of 20" inchers yet. Little tiny sidewalls equate to a hasher ride. Trust me you will be "old" someday also and still want to drive a cute car!

I have an 05 Automatic and I drive up to 3 hours a day on freeway and have no power problems and part of my drive daily is up and down a mountain. I love the car and I don't think that it is really bouncy. The 05 stock springs are much better than the 04 so it stays pretty smooth. I have the Tein H-tech springs on it now just for the small drop but it handles really well in the rain ( which has been tested completely the last few weeks ). I don't think your wife would have any problems driving it. I pass cars all the time on the mountain inclines (Cajon Pass) and average between 70-80 mph the whole drive.Thanks. Actually, 95% of my wife's driving is all in-town. Her commute to work is all of 4 miles. The reason I asked about highway performance, is because the xB would probably be the vehicle we would take on long road trips (more room for luggage and such).

don't mind bilgewiper, all I've seen him post is complaints about the ride quality. if you really don't like it, trade it in. otherwise, stop complaining and try and fix it.

Yea, I am old! I'd love to put some old school 13"-14"' Torque Thruster II's with BFG T/A's that might help the ride and still keep the overall height profile the same but I doubt they will clear the rotors. I still havent gtten used to the "Hot Wheel's" look of 20" inchers yet. Little tiny sidewalls equate to a hasher ride. Trust me you will be "old" someday also and still want to drive a cute car!

I don't know how old you are, but I am 29 and the xb's ride IS a little bouncy(and I have always owned small cars/trucks, none of which were known for having a smooth ride). I've thought about switching out the springs to some teins, but don't have the cash laying around.

Stock Daily driven XB - Automatic here.

I don't have any issues with the ride on the highway (longest drives were from Southern California to San Francisco and SoCal to Vegas). I don't find it bouncy at all - not as comfy as your usual sedan, but somewhere in between.
As for performance, it's a box...I don't and didn't expect performance from it. That's what my other car is for LOL.

I had the same concerns before we got the 05 xB.

At stock, auto trans, with 4 people in the car, it does feel slightly underpowered.
With only 1 or 2 people, and no luggage, it rides fine.

However, after I installed the AEM CAI, and it seems to help out a lot (plus it helps improve fuel mileage some). I doubt its a placebo effect since i've noticed that it takes less rpms to maintain the same highway speeds. I recommend getting some sort of aftermarket intake, just don't get it from the dealer (you'll save money that way).

I dont feel that it is a rougher ride then anyother car. It bounces around alot less than my F150. It doesnt have massive power but as a daily commuter I think it is fine and my last car was a camaro SS. The only thing I dont really like is the amount of interior road noise. But it can be fixed easily with some dynamat and pulling off a few panels.

I have an '04 xB and use it to commute in. I drive 160 miles round trip everyday I work, and then some. I've been known to drive to SoCal and back w/ a moments notice in my xB also.

We have an 05 XB. I drive it back and forth from Orlando to West Palm (3 hour drive) on a regular basis. It rides pretty smooth. My Grandfather has been with us and even he loves it. I used to drive a Camry XLE and Mustang GT so as for power a 6 to a 4 was a little getting used to but it moves. I wouldnt own it if it didnt. I will say areodynamic it is not. But hey its a BOX :wink: !!!!!

Matt..
Like others said, test drive one.. in my opinion, the stick version uses the full 108hp while the auto is sluggish at times.
Yes, going uphill can be a pain in the xB if you're packed with things and want to cruise 80 MPH.. but when filling your tank afterward is only a $20 bill, you'll be happy.

Lower it... yea sounds funny... using a progressive rate lowering spring set helps out the bouncyness ALOT..

Last week I bought an 05 xB with a manual with factory suspension and alloy wheels. The drive home (90 miles) was fine and there was sufficient power to climb the mammoth mountains on 17 in AZ. (Anyone who has driven on Rt. 17 from Phoenix to Prescott knows what I'm talking about) :)
There was even a little HP left over to actually accelerate uphill! (keeping RPMs at or below 3500 for the break-in period)

We do a lot of highway driving, and the xB's highway performance is perfectly acceptable in power and ride smoothness. Just a tad rougher than the Hyundai Sonata (we traded in for the xB), and actually a little softer than our Mini Cooper.

The manual transmission makes a dramatic difference in performance.... at least that is what I observed when I test drove both transmissions before purchasing.

Having said that, actual performance will depend upon the individual. If a person simply just smashes the accelerator to the floor, then he/she may not find any difference, but an experienced and intelligent driver will certainly know how to get signficantly better performance with the manual.

Having made the drive from Wilmington, DE to Atlanta, GA and Boston, MA multiple times each.... I can confidently say that this is a great road trip / highway car.

That being said, with four people and stuff the pick-up isn't too impressive but otherwise it has plenty of pep and space to get comfortable.

- Jugglah

don't mind bilgewiper, all I've seen him post is complaints about the ride quality. if you really don't like it, trade it in. otherwise, stop complaining and try and fix it.

Yea, I am old! I'd love to put some old school 13"-14"' Torque Thruster II's with BFG T/A's that might help the ride and still keep the overall height profile the same but I doubt they will clear the rotors. I still havent gtten used to the "Hot Wheel's" look of 20" inchers yet. Little tiny sidewalls equate to a hasher ride. Trust me you will be "old" someday also and still want to drive a cute car!

I don't know how old you are, but I am 29 and the xb's ride IS a little bouncy(and I have always owned small cars/trucks, none of which were known for having a smooth ride). I've thought about switching out the springs to some teins, but don't have the cash laying around.
I'm almost 17. bounciness in a car, turbulence in a plane, etc don't really bother me. I apoligize for the attack bilgewiper, I was in CAD class and cranky in the morning. :P

No problem, apologie accepted. The older I get (I'm 46...I think) the more I start sounding like my dad which I thought would never happen. When I took my 1st drivers test I had to do it in my dads 66' Lincoln Continental. That big old beast was embarressing to drive, couldn't figure out why he wanted that after selling a 67' Camaro RS convertible which I never got to drive cause I was too young. Oh well. I actually let my dad drive the xB for the first time about 4 hours ago. He is now 73 years old and he couldn't wait to get the keys from me, go figure.

Okay folks, I need some input. I bought a '05 xA about a month ago, and I freakin' LOVE it. I've owned lots of other vehicles in my life (sports cars, luxury cars, jeeps, trucks and SUVs) and I can honestly say that the xA is my all-time favorite. There's just something about this cool little car! Anyhow, in about two years or less, we will be replacing my wife's car. I'd gladly buy another xA, but I'm afraid it wouldn't be practicle. We need at least one vehicle with a little more cargo room. That brings me to the xB. My wife and I both love the xB's "huge" interior room, and it's quirky looks have grown on both of us. She's actually gone from "Eeew...that's ugly" to "Ya know, I do kinda like it. Maybe I'll get one next". Based on my experience with my xA so far, I'd love to buy another Scion. The only hesitation I have about the xB, is it's highway performance. I've read other posts where xB owners have said they are so underpowered, that they might think about selling it. I'm not interested in doing 100 mph down the highway, but it should have enough power to pass and merge safely. Any input from xB owners on highway performance? -Thanks

We drive FAST here in AZ with 75 mph speed zones everywhere and traffic moving at 80 mph+. There are lots of long grueling hills and mountains too and I've never had any trouble passing or maintaining speed on a hill. I rarely even have to downshift if I can keep momentum (i.e. some douchebag doesn't move into the fast lane in front of me going 45 on an uphill haul)

No complaints here. More power would be great, but I rarely feel it is falling short of what is needed.

Oh well. I actually let my dad drive the xB for the first time about 4 hours ago. He is now 73 years old and he couldn't wait to get the keys from me, go figure.


My Grandfather is 76 and he has always had police cars and my Grandmother always had Lincolns or Caddys. He Loves MY LIL BOX. He thinks it drives nice and is comfy especially in the back seat. He was even looking into one for himself but he said hes just gonna stick to my Grandmothers Town Car he had just bought her before she died. I know for a fact he has been to the local dealer several times looking though. I think its cute. [/i]

It rides fine. I have found, that the perfomrance mods help with the HP and pick up on the highway. I have the AEM Cold Air Intake; and a Borla Exhaust system.

But even before them, the Box kept up with traffic fine in the MIAMI area.

People, you got to know how to drive and make the most of an AUTO. I live in L.A. and when I bought my `04 xB, it was traffic time and I did not even get the chance to test it on a FWY. But driving it around town I knew I would have NO problems Anywhere.
I have kept up with traffic and MOST of the time, Im passing it. I live off the 210/134 fwy, its an Uphill climb from Pasadena towards N. Hollywood. I have felt ALWAYS that 108 is where its at. I even drive out to SB County. And if you ever drove on the 1st FWY, the 110fwy, you know its POLE POSITION all the way, and I have never Smashed my foot to the metal to get where Im going.
Also , it might be a little more bouncy than some cars, but its NOT really a car / truck or van. Its ALL 3!! Even when I and my friend sat in the back and another drove, we were amazed that it wasnt that bouncy even though we were basically sitting on the rear axle. My back sucks, yet its better, ALL AROUND for me ,than my `03 Civic EX I traded for the xB. So its not TOO bumpy. Being that that wheel base is close together seems to be less jarring than the 2 distinct bumps from longer wheelbases.
The xB is my first car to not be low. And I am enjoying VERY much just HOW MUCH I CAN SEE. I love it!

I took my XB from Charlotte to Charleston round trip recently and set the cruise to 80mph which it stayed at no problems. I was able to stay at that pace even in the rain! It had no adverse handling characteristics at any time, speed, or condition. I have a 5spd bone stock. :D

I have a manual XB and a 140 mile round trip to work and part of that is on the interstate. I have no problems with power. Half the time when I'm going up the onramp I'm running all over people. If there's no one in the way I'm up to 75 before I have to merge.

I do have the Injen CAI and Borla axle-back which gives me a little more power in the upper RPMs which I think helps for high speed travelling.

The xA and xB both ride stiff because they have "sport suspensions"
and a short wheelbase (with the xB's being 5" longer)
However it's nothing a good set of tires can't help.
:idea:
My only performance mods are: better (winter) tires,
a TRD free-flow air filter (a big improvement)
and I run synthetic oil (smoother starts and better gas millage)

My xB is an automatic and yet, it still gets up scoots!
I never have a problem getting up to speed on the express way.
8)

I have a tC and an xB, and I would much rather drive my Xb on the freeway. It handle's great, and it has enough power to handle the 5 Freeway in L.A. If it can handle the 5, it can handle any freeway

I have a tC and an xB, and I would much rather drive my Xb on the freeway. It handle's great, and it has enough power to handle the 5 Freeway in L.A. If it can handle the 5, it can handle any freeway

Ok, I can understand that the xB is acceptable, but you *prefer* it to the tC?? What's wrong with the tC?

i'd rock a tc , i still don't like it's looks but i'd definately rock it.

Well for one thing, ALL 3 models are Different than ANYTHING out there. So that makes Any of the 3 NEW and FUN to drive and be seen in.
Why I love my xB/bB is like what one person said, " It has Sport Tuning " and you add that with Majorly FUN, Ridin HIGH and looking different than any car out there. You will notice that I said CAR. Because it does look a little like a UPS truck, Ice Cream truck, Mail truck, Milk Truck, SNAP-ON tools, and Im sure im missing a lot of Other Trucks out there.
Plus the xB is the one of the Few cars out that really WANT to be MOD!

yeah , too bad theyre slow , if i knew theyd be so slow i might not have bought it , when i got it i was in a different mind set , all about reliability and an awesome look , now that i've been drivin slow for awhile i miss my olf supra and just fast cars in general , oh well.

The xA and xB both ride stiff because they have "sport suspensions"
and a short wheelbase (with the xB's being 5" longer)
However it's nothing a good set of tires can't help.
:idea:


Actually the xA has the same spring rates as an Echo.

Only the US market xB gets the stiffer "sport" springs. JDM BB's and the Ist and xA get the regular spongey Echo/Yaris springs.

i've been told otherwise. but oh well , i was told xa/xb get same springs all the others get softer springs. oh well , who knows.

I actually like the occasional bouncing that I get on the freeway. Its all good!

You know, I haven't had any problem w/ the power -- at all. I've never owned a sports car, just Saturns and the like, so my comparison is limited. However, I usually drive about 73 mph, sometimes over 80 mph. Not a problem at all. This will lower your mpg, of course, and I should say I'm driving by myself w/ no added weight.

I've found it is pretty punchy when needed. I guess my driving expectations and experience differ than some b/c I honestly have no complaints about the get-up power of the car.

Driving on bad roads is another thing, however. It is bouncy. I don't know how much different than the xA though. I test drove both and didn't notice a difference there, but then again, a test drive is very limited.

I love, love the xB. Go for it.

You know, I haven't had any problem w/ the power -- at all. I've never owned a sports car, just Saturns and the like, so my comparison is limited. However, I usually drive about 73 mph, sometimes over 80 mph. Not a problem at all. This will lower your mpg, of course, and I should say I'm driving by myself w/ no added weight.

I've found it is pretty punchy when needed. I guess my driving expectations and experience differ than some b/c I honestly have no complaints about the get-up power of the car.

Driving on bad roads is another thing, however. It is bouncy. I don't know how much different than the xA though. I test drove both and didn't notice a difference there, but then again, a test drive is very limited.

I love, love the xB. Go for it.
i'm kinda the opposite , i've come from a few fast cars so my xb is wayyyyy too slow

:rofl: i just flor it and go and it passes every realy easly even the cops.... :rofl:

I have the TRD shocks and springs in mine and have no real bounciness issues. I mean maybe the car sways a little in some strong gusts of wind, but thats what u get for driving a box.

And if youre really worried about the power (which I have noticed has become a problem on the larger inclines on a highway/freeway) wait til the supercharged/turbocharged version comes out.

its better than a civic :P

Those Goodyear Eagle LS tires are known for bad ride qualities. Just check out the TireRack ratings. Quite interesting. Thats why my first mod is some Michelin Harmony tires since I cannot upgrade to some better shocks and springs yet.

wait til the supercharged/turbocharged version comes out.
wishful thinker are ya? unless theyre keeping it super secret theres no way it's happening before they kill the xb.

dude just buy the xB and get a supercharger. done deal.

xB is a little bouncy on the highway but not horrible, I have had mine since last august and would say all and all it is a pretty comfortable car.Yeah, I didn't really expect it to ride like a Lexus because of the short wheelbase and all. I'm more worried about it's power (or lack there of). Has that been an issue? Thanks
if you have an xa expect the same performance , only difference is yers weighs 50 pounds less . not a big difference at all. we are all just wanting more.