People shouldn't worry too much about the gas mileage being down. The EPA is changing the way that mileage is tested for the 2008 year. The estimates for 2008 are going to be more like the way real people drive. How many bought an 1st gen XB thinking they would actually get 34 mpg on the highway (mine is more like 30 to 31 on a good day). Fact is, all 2008 cars are going to be down. Even the models that haven't changed for 2008. Wait till next year when a 2007 civic and a 2008 are sitting on the same lot side by side. They will be exactly the same car, yet the 2008 will list 37 mpg while the 2007 will list 40 mpg. If the 2008 XB were rated with the previous standard, the mileage listed would be higher.

 

For what it's worth, the old and new EPA combined fuel economy, in mpg:
xB1 old EPA 31 new EPA 28
xB2 old EPA 27 new EPA 24

 

Ummmm.....exactly.
Just so everyone is clear, you are referring to the "combined" mileage.

 

like stated before any car without side airbags will score badly.

and this is the worst type of accident possible....

 

It may be “bigger” in some dimensions than the original, but the first thing I did was whack my head getting in…

 

I myself am a young buyer and find the new xB to be very affordable. I bought my '06 PW back in October of 2005 and have beat the hell out of it ever since. It was a great car for me, but there were definitely some things that I didn't like.

Lately I have been thinking about getting the second gen. I read all the reviews and read all the bashing on the boards and wasn't too excited about it after that. But the other day I was driving by a dealership, where one of our club members is the Scion manager, and decided to stop by and take a look at one.

After looking at it, beating the crap out of it, and weighing the cost difference, I felt like I would be stupid to not upgrade. It has everything that I wanted out of the first gen. It's a little bigger, faster, better built, and not as "simple" looking. Believe it or not, I even like that stupid, funky back up light. The crash test ratings are the best you can get as well.

As far as the gas mileage goes, it's really not much worse than the first gen. I remember when I first bought my first gen, I was disappointed in the gas mileage I was getting. My first couple of tanks I was only getting around 25 MPG. It wasn't until I put a few thousand miles on it, that I started getting up into the 30's. If you do some research and check the boards, you'll see that there are a few guys on here that are getting 28 and 29 MPG in their second gen's. It's only going to get better.

So no more bashing the second gen xB, just because you can't afford the extra $800 for a sick motor and more goodies. I'm a "young buyer" as well, so please don't speak for me.

And by the way, my very sick and nasty looking 2008 Black Sand Pearl Scion xB, should be pulling into port on the 2nd of July and should be here for my birthday on the 13th of July.