Personally I would like to see Scion make a car with gas mileage the primary goal. Without using an expensive hybrid drive train I think Toyota could build a car about the size and power of a XB but still get 50 MPG.

For one thing I think the Cd must be improved greatly.



This car from Mercedese looks funny but it has low drag and it gets about 70 MPG with only a diesel engine, not hybrid. At a steady 56 MPH it gets 80MPG!

Toyota is a progressive car company and I think they can find ways of mass producing composite body parts. The cars weight is what uses the most fuel in getting the car to move. Reduce the weight and you greatly reduce the gas consumption.

Even with just the areodynamics i think the new Scion would get a combined 50MPG because the Scion is pretty light. I think a car like this could be sold for 16K. I think Toyota would have to take a chance on a new type of car like this. If they advertised it's virtues i think people would get behind it and Toyota would have a new type of car, all to them selves, an efficient car that doesn't cost a lot. Maybe this would canabalize it's Prius sales so maybe it 's a no go.

 

It looks like a honda insight.

 

It gets Honda Insight mileage with back seats and a cheaper price.

 

That car may get great gas mileage, but how do you think it would fare trying to get on a freeway during rush hour? The Geo Metro gets awesome mileage, but has no power.

 

Actually, not too ugly. I'm not that concerned about fuel consumption... I am happy with 35mpg... If anything I would like to continue to get 35mpg in my xb with about 40+ more hp.

 

What's crazy about that mercedes is that you could turn it into a grease car and probably get over 200 mpgs.

 

 

What about this, looks better hugh?

 

 

First 4-door car I've ever liked the look of.

 

definately hott.

 

looks like a 4 door poor mans Lamborgini

 

Looks like the concept for a dodge stratus to me. But I second the more horsepower over more gas mileage. Even the xB can be scarey in rush hour sometimes.

 

I very, very highly doubt that by improving the xB's aerodynamics while keeping the same drivetrain will result in 50 mpg. Look at the xA... much more streamlined with very marginally better MPG ratings. If we are talking about a new drivetrain (ahem diesel) then yeah, it's possible, but given our powerplant as-is it is not going to happen. I know weight is a very big factor, but I believe that a four door vehicle with any type of room will not accomplish this feat. Now if you were to make the panels and structural components out of CF or similar... I still seriously question the 50 mpg rating, besides... who would pay $50,000 for an xB which gets near 50 mpg. Not worth it.

Toyota's interests are in selling cars. If they can make a magical car that gets insane mileage, still can get up and move out of its own way, and be price-competitive... they're going to do it. If they have not done it yet, then I tend to think that it cannot be done with current technology.

 

Well if the Mercedes can get 80 MPG on the HWY then I can see the Toyota averaging 50 MPG.

 

Honestly,

people hate the xB, I get so much ____ for it, but I'm like dude, I get 35mpg, and your big ___ truck gets what, 9? 11? 15? Maybe a little higher if its a new more effecient car.

Great we're coming out with cars that are good on gas...

But how about coming up with a solution to cars that don't use gasoline? The short term solution to the problem is slow down fuel consumption.

But what about the next few generations? We'll spend too much money pumping out the rest of the oil out of the earth. I don't have enough facts to make a strong point, but what about more soy crops, more corn, I dont know the ratio and how you convert it, but I'll invest my money, and buy some of the first cars that do not use gasoline and get GREAT gas mileage.

 

200mpg??? how? I'm working with bio diesel right now, and there are fewer BTUs in the bio diesel than in petrolium diesel... Can you please provide a link to what you're talking about.

 

I assume 50 mpg is for the highway. I did 250 miles on the Interstate at a steady 60 mph and got 43 mpg in my manual xB on premium gas. I think that if I had an automatic xA on the same trip, it would have gotten 48 mpg. That's almost 50 mpg, in an existing Scion.

But I didn't want an xA or an automatic transmission.

 

Well congrats, that's pretty high, but we are talking about a car that consistently gets 50 mpg, or is rated at it, not on one trip going slow.

 

That car won't be an xB.