rdclark

http://www.consumerreports.org/cro/r...ion-xB_07.html

This is not the comparative test being discussed in another thread, but rather a stand-alone overview of the new xB (and quite complimentary, overall).

danos_XBox

Yaaaa! Someone finally addressed the stupid pushbutton, finger through multi stupid display, just to get to the time. They still harbor on 600lbs. heavier. and thick d-pillars that, while adding weight, also add strength to the roof and rear. Did I mention the new larger gas guzzler engine. Few nice plugs though!

toronado

I'm not sure the metal d-pillars add weight. What is heavier, a piece of metal that size or a piece of glass the same size?

danos_XBox

Sorry toronado

I meant if a rollover occured it may allow more weight against the body for crushing purposes than say more glass.

rdclark

You have to wonder how all these reviews would sound if there were no xB1 to compare to. Would it be hailed as an innovative, unique trendsetter, or as just another small station wagon with unusual styling?

I've yet to see an xB2 review that doesn't mention the xB1, or that compares it only to the current competition rather than to its predecessor.

That's why the CU review (in the magazine) is valuable. While they still succomb to the compulsion of comparing it to the xB1 in the text, their actual tests, ratings, and rankings consider it only in comparison to other current cars.

matt311

how come everyone keeps saying that the D-pillar leaves such a "huge" blind spot???? i think its all in the head at the angle from the drivers seat looking back... that D-piller is NOTHING in the way ... there are plenty of other cars that have WAY worse blind spots... i think people make that crap up and just stick with it b/c thats what they think before actually driving it in real world situations...

Matrixv01

Overall a pretty solid review.

ZOMGXB

That's sort of unavoidable. Nobody but us thinks of them as two distinct cars. To the rest of the non-Scion world they're just different trim models of the same vehicle.

Matrixv01

Exactly. Most people don't realize the only thing shared between the xB1 and xB2 is the name.

pufbox

Body of a 25 year old man.. voice of a 12 year old. Ya, you just know this guy sings folk music on the weekend.

Pojodan

I agree on the D-pillars, they're too far back to affect my vision at all from what I've experienced thus far and while the 'greenhouse' xB1 was a dream for seeing clearly, I haven't felt any more nervous than I usually do merging in my xB2 than I did the xB1.

The large center console is one of the selling points of the xB2 for me as it's perfectly sized for how I want my leg to be able to lean.. Unfortunately the shape of the door changed making it less comfortable for leg leaning than the xB1, but it's okay.

The placement of the gages doesn't concern me and my only gripe with the multifunction button is that I can't have temperature and clock shown at the same time.

I guess the higher gas budget is the only true bummer I can find about my xB2, and I'll take that along with cruise control, side curtain airbags, wheel stereo controls, leg rest, and the ability to actually accelerate any day.