THE_DON

The the pictures are out. We've seen 'em in person. The price was leaked. Some of us have even had the fortune to test drive one.

What's the final verdict. Still hate it? Still think Scion made a mistake?

-THE DON

THE_DON

I personally still like the old box better. The new one looks funny, it's not the JDM tuner car it used to be, and I stand by my original opinion that Scion set out to build a 4-door tC after the success they had with it.

Do I hate the new xB? Nah. Did it ruin Scion's image? Nope. Will it sell? I've always said yes. Will I buy one? Not really, (can't get over the bodystyle) but it is right there with other cars I would consider.

I think the new xB is kinda like the new Beetle. (stay with me here) Same car, same name, just better in every way. Looks are subjective, but it's definitely a whole new car for a whole new crowd. Did the new Beetle ruin the original Beetle's reputation? No. Did VW loose all credibilty for destroying a classic? Not realy. Are there still old guys fixing up classic Bugs? Sure.

So, I forgive Scion for not changing the name. It's cool. Still love my gen 1, and will not hate on the new xB anymore....

That is, until some young chump rolls up in one and revs on me, talkin' about, "I got tha tC engine yo, I'll smoke yo azz, son" Then I will be annoyed!

-THE DON

shorberg

WORD. I might buy one . . . we'll see.

stankubrick

I still think it's hideous. (That rear fender flare looks like a chicken drumstick from certain angles...lol)

But damn, you sure do get a lot for the money. (only about $1,200 more than xB1?!)

So yeah, that about sums it up: Kinda ugly, but an outstanding deal. (I guess that's sorta the essence of Scion)

OldYeller

I will test drive it tonight and let you know........

shorberg

$1,770 more. got to include destination charges

stankubrick

IF I happened to be in the market for a larger family car right now, my practical side would force me to seriously consider the xB2 despite my distaste for its exterior looks. I am still amazed at what you get for the money! On the other hand, my superficial side would never forgive me if I ever got a car that looked so overtly attempting to be trendy and hip (whereas the xB1 was hip without really trying). Alas, considering the alternatives, there still is nothing else that can really stack up to the xB2's value and utility, so I think the practical side will end up winning for A LOT of people. Looks like Scion's got another winner here.

BuddhasTC

personally i think the new xB looks like a new gen xA. The xD is closer to an xB. I like the new xB that was released in Japan...that one is nice

superboxcarxb

if the price is right, i'm ready to trade in and buy it. I didn't like it at first, and i talked smack about it when it first came out. But now, i like it. I can see the possibilities in it now. There are a lot of things you can do with it. I will for sure buy one if the price is right.

Gsnorgathon

It's a great deal, I have a hard time imagining it won't sell like crazy, if it were called an xE I'd just go "eh," but the fact that it's called an xB makes me kinda angry. Dunno why.

I agree with BuddhasTC - the first time I saw the pics of the xB2 and the xD, I couldn't tell they were two different cars. I like the xA and xB a lot better.

DriverXa

It looks good, I like the welcome in power, but for a starting price of $17,000 I'll pass.

OldYeller

There are some nice features on the new xB--two dome lights (one actully within reach of the driver), temperature guage, extra air bags, electronic power steering, etc. While it is bigger, it was hard to "feel" any extra room in the cabin. definitely more trunk though. The one I drove was an auto--and it was a good ride. I will stick with the original---but the new one is a trerrific value if someone needs a new car........

xBster

Gen1 is still the one for me. I just can't get the SUV image out of my head with the new one and it is slowly creeping out of my range with the price and I'm sure we will have pages of complaints with the gas mileage. I like the new safety features though

ajayaitch

I gotta disagree with you here. VW absolutely lost all credibility with the air-cooled crowd, and that was even before the NB was released. It started with them going after shops with VW, Volkswagen, Bug (which was never an official VW name), Beetle or the VW logo in their name. It got to the point where shops couldn't have magazine advertisements featuring a VW Bus if it still had the factory emblem on the front.
VW to this day treats the cars, and their owners that literally created the company like they're bastard stepchildren. There is no support for them at the dealer, which shouldn't really come as too much of a surprise, given their age. However if you look at the domestic side, GM for example, has a FACTORY program to supply vintage resto parts.
A lot of people in the AC crowd understand that VW has to protect their marks. However most feel that they went about it in the completely wrong way, and the animosity towards the company may never be fully cleansed. Some feel that VW doesn't even care, and takes the opportunity to kick the AC crowd in the head while we're lieing in the gutter, every time they walk by.
Yea, that was a little dramatic, sorry.

I guess my point is, after going back and reading it again, is that, to those that we're never "in the scene", sure, VW hasn't lost any cred. They never really had it to begin with. I would guess that more people bought the NB for its shape, than its heritage. Those that have been around for awhile though, know better.

Threadjack complete.

XbbbbBox

New XB has a list if impressive features. Would like to know M.P.G. ratings.
For me the XB is not a looker UNLESS- you add a body kit and big rims - which where I live big rims are a disaster due to road conditions.
The rear light on the left side of the rear bumper is ugly, not to mention the black grill up front - makes it look like every Toyota - I know it can be changed out.
Also no AWD - not even an option.
Definately has me looking at other vehicles when I trade end of the summer. . .

THE_DON

I feel you on all that... And I agree. But I also said about the new bug:
Just like VW, Toyota doesn't care who started the trend, they don't care about the loyal following that spawned a love for their brand.... They just want more sales. Scion is definitely capitalizing on the "xB crowd" to sell what's basically a tC wagon.

Scion never really cared about the bB/JDM loving crowd anyway. In fact, they didn't know it even existed. Remember, they assumed the xA would out sell the xB 2 to 1 because it was more "normal" looking.

That's why I've decided to just let it go. I've loved the bB since before it came here. I had one of the first '04 xBs on the street in So Cal. But life goes on. If they ruin the bodystyle, or change the entire class of the vehicle, what can I do? I still have mine.

I've said it before... Despite Scion's "cool" marketing scheme of being a "trendy, underground" car company, the truth is they sell Toyotas. And their goal is to sell as many as possible to a large group of people. So they don't really care about small, cult followings. Even if it's those people who really boosted their brand, and not their stupid "urban" marketing.

-THE DON

shorberg

Don, we care about you. At least I do! ;)

The truth is that Scion is about marketing to a younger audience that cannot be sold to. By capturing this audience, several others followed suit. Now that we have those folks attention, we'll change it up and go after someone else. Alot of you will come along, and some won't. That's how we'll grow.

Remember, Scion is an experiment from Toyota to see how to sell cars to this generation. In the end, it's about money, but hey, if this is how I am bought, I am cool with that. Scion has treated me very well over the past few years. That is how they have built my loyalty. I didn't even LIKE cars when I started selling them. Scion has given me a hobby, friends, career, and a future. It has afforded me a family and home. Take all of that and put it with a Scion nameplate, hell I think of you all as family now.

I am sorry to hear you don't like the new body style on the B. Scion didn't do it to make you mad, they did it because it was time for a change. I hope you'll keep your box and we'll still see pics of you at shows!

scionofPCFL

Gotta disagree here. They have openly and publicly sated on numerous oaccasions that they would like to cap production at about 150k for all three models combined, wishing to expand production if and only if demand is causing extreme wait times for customers to buy them.

seattledave

in the end they do though. I think it's just like the original xbox marketing plan.

Get the name out there, build brand awareness as a cool gotta have car, don't make much if any on the cars now, just worry about building the brand and not losing too much doing it. Once they feel they're properly saturated and the brand is just right, then we'll have more scions here in the US than are sold.

bB2NER

I absolutely love everything written here so far. It almost brought a tear to my eye.
My one worry is... How are we supposed to treat these new xB and xD owners at meets. They won't love the same stuff we do now that they have a completely different genre of vehicle. It's kinda like the way the tC owners think they are better than the classic xB owners. It a strange time right now in Scion land and I hope it all works out for the best.