False.

First of all, if you want to paly the "chicken-and-egg game," the Fit was out before the Aerio in Japan. (Fit/Jazz hit the Japanese/European market in 2001; the Aerio hit the market in 2002).

Second, as mentioned, there have been plenty of two-box designs for years in various countires. Hell, has anyone noticed the shape of a Jeep Cherokee lately? Pretty boxy. Does that mean the xB copied its bodystyle, which originally came out in 1984? Of course not.

The "tall wagon" is nothing new, even in the U.S. Remember the 1980s Dodge Colt Vista? How about the early 1990s Mitsubishi Expo LRV/Eagle Summit Wagon/Colt Vista? Remember the Nissan Axxess? These were all tall wagons. Were they as blatently boxy as the xB? No. However, in Japan, there have been unapologetically boxy cars for years. Anyone seen an old Honda Step Van?

The bottom line is, and I've seen it on just about every car forum out there, is car styling is often similar. There's only so much you can do with a five-door hatchback, and some cars are bound to have similar features. The bB, Suzuki Lapin, Nissan Cube, Honda That's and I'm sure many more have similar boxy styling. And I'm sure people in Japan probably say the bB was a ripoff of those other cars' designs.

 

bottom line is this: you can tell the difference between an xB and a cherokee from a mile away. an Aero and a Fit look identical. I'm not playing chicken and egg, I'm only commenting that they look the same. I don't care which was first, you can't tell the difference until you get close enough to see the badges.

 

See, I don't think they look all that similar. I've heard other people on other forums say the fit looks like the Aerio, but I really don't think they're that similar, especially if you put the two next to each other. Then again, I like the looks of the Aerio (I almost bought one).

 

I'm really a honda kinda guy. If I hadnt bought my box first then I would have gotten the Fit. But in all honestly I really like my box too. So I cant really decide which i like better

 

From the dealer stand point, The Fit is compareable to the Yaris. Keep in mind, both kept the names from Japan. Both come in 4 door. Both offer the same 1.5L I4 Engine. The Yaris is more of a sedan then a liftback, but they do offer the liftback just only in 2 doors. The yaris has more leg room, but the Fit has more cargo room.

 

The Fit is most similar to the xA.

 

Thank you for all those intelligent response, especially to those that have actually compared the xB to the Fit and not just complained about Honda or that it looks more like the xA or that xB came first.
I did get to check out the Fit and compared it to the xB
Fit is better on: Interior quality, dash layout, magic seats, cargo area, pricing, mpg, side airbags, low end torque, interior noise
xB wins on: Head room and overall interior room, seat height, rear seat room,
Though there are more things I like about the Fit, interior space is what i need the most, so xB wins my vote. Now the question is, do I get one now or wait for the new '07???
Thanks again.

 

Considering no one really knows what the 2007s will be, if you like the 2006, I'd buy that.

 

It's a nice looking little car, reminds me of the xA, Pontiac/Toyota whatchamacallit, and of the Chevy Aveo. That's their real competition, not the xB.

Part of the appeal of the xB is the tall roofline and the ease of egress offered- none of the price range competition comes close in that regard, and the FIT is no exception. Look at the pics of people standing next to the cars to get the full meaning of that...

The crisp boxy style of the xB is a statement all its own, too- a no-nonsense approach as to how a utility vehicle should look, an exercise in form following function... My wife immediately dubbed mine as the Dwarf Hummer, and in a way, she's right.

 

The Fit has been out in Japan for a million years. Why they didnt re style it for the US launch is beyond me. Personally I would get a Yaris Lift Back instead. Better looking car. I owned a 03 Si (ep3) and after that I thought Honda was way too proud of their name. Good car but not worth what I paid. The only reason why I got rid of it is becuase it would have been too hard to get the baby in and out of.

 

I would wait. New model year Scions have always been released during June/July. Expect announcement on the 2007 model Scions on ScionLife or http://pressroom.toyota.com. Now if we don't hear any news on a 2007 xB by August then something is being hidden from the media. Watch the newsworthy section on SL. Also keep in mind the price on '07s may go up likely due to added features. If the assumption is true then the move is consistent with the 2006 and 2006.5 xB pricing changes. 2005 xB price vs. 2004 went up with no additional standard add ons.

 

xB's are definitely better. They keep their value, are great cars and have unique style. When I went to Brazil, I saw one xB, but I saw a ton of Fits, FYI.

 

I have a nice sheet of paper at work that tells the release date and the available order date for all Toyota vehicles for employees for the model year 07. all models are listed with dates EXCEPT the xA and xB are listed as TBD.....