Sweet, THANKS!!

Ohh no, there goes my xB money!

 

Thanks for the video link Yelosub...that definitely answered all my handling questions. I'm shocked that it did so well against the Mazda 3 and Civic (though I wonder if there wasn't some bias in the testing). Even if there was some bias, if it handles anywhere near the ballpark of the 3 or Civic, I'm getting one!

 

Now that I looked more specifically at the size details, you are right, I did not read it deep enough.

I still think a 17 would be better, but on a properly sized wheel. I definitely agree on the diameter importance. That is why I pointed out mine are very close in circumference and/ or diameter.

I think from the xB's stock 205/55-16 I would prefer a 205/50-17 on a 6.5" wheel.

If you add the TRD springs for a better wheel well fit, as Rich mentioned, I think it would cover all your concerns as well as look and handle better.

 

the validation video was great. but i don't think that the xb can outperform the civic or the mazda 3 on handling. the validation may be biased.

 

Roxor, I do not contend that a 225/50-16 would be better than any of the 17" or 18" sizes. You could get a similar treadwidth with a much shorter sidewall in those sizes, that was never my contention. I was wondering why you brought up the Mazda with the different wheel diameters.

All I was saying is that there is a very cheap +0 upgrade availible...I am considering selling the stock tires while they are brand new and buying a nice set of 225/50-16 all-seasons with better wear and better handling than the stockers.

I have a set of 16X7 5X100 rims left over from my Fiero (soon to be too small to fit the brakes...hehehe), so hopefully they are close enough in offset to fit, and hopefully have the same centerbore (57.1mm). I am just wondering how gloss black rims will look against the almost-black Scion.

 

the testers at these events are always independent (ie:amci) and are not affiliated with Scion or Toyota.

 

That surprises me considering the way the video was put together. Obviously, I would expect it to have more footage of the xB, but what about the shots that were purposely set up to fail the hondas, like the tire-innertube braking thing? I don't doubt that the drivers were independent, but it is surprising they would allow something like that which seems to favor the Scion.

 

It's good to know the testing wasn't biased.. but you can tell the video was definately put together by Scion. I wonder what tests they excluded from the video where the XB didn't do so well.

 

how would the braking test purposely set up for the hondas to fail?

1: it's a 60mph to 0 test for all the cars. its not like the 3 or B2 was from 40 to 0 and the rest were 60

2: the civic in question is an LX civic because of price with drum brakes in the back not disc all around like the mazda or the B2.

3: the element has disc all around but it also weighs 400lbs more.

4: they do this test not just once but multiple times. so, if the civic hit the tires in the 1st run it did on the last one as well.

5: if you look at the 3 vs B2 difference in the video the 9' difference shows the mazda stopping a lot further from the tires.

 

rishio: the test was perfomance evaluation and judging by the video it was pretty standard. any car magazine will conduct the same exact performance test for a new vehicle or comparison test with the competition.

the only thing i wish they had was 30-50mph and 50-70mph passing numbers and 1/4 mile times. looking at the video 1/4 mile would've been difficult based on where they were doing the test. the mid range passing i think would have still gone to either the 3 or B2 taking 1st or 2nd.

 

I was referring to the PLACEMENT of the tires. They obviously can measure the stopping distance with great accuracy, and I feel the numbers are about right for the situation, but those innertubes have no purpose other than dramatic effect. In the mazda stop, the tires are not visible, it could have been done somewhere else, or the tires may not have been in place. Or, they might have been. The cones shown in the mazda stop are in a configuration unlike the cones visible during the Scion stops. All the cones in the Scion stops are by themselves and upright, in the mazda stop, there is one lying on it's side next to 1 or 2 upright cones, all in a group.Or, they might have been.

All I am saying is that it seems convienient that the tires were placed such that the Scion stopped ~6" from them, since the innertubes have no significance in the test other than to look hilarious as the Hondas go bashing through them.

It is probably just a coincidence, the innertubes were probably placed at 150' to signify an obstacle, and the Scion just happened to stop at 149.5', but it still seems wierd.

 

its called editing. they probably didn't have the camera ready when the mazda did its run. we don't know, all we know is that the mazda stopped shorter than the other cars.

the whole idea behind the tires is for the "dramtic effect" as you put it but it also shows consumers what an extra 26" can do in an emergency situation. it goes from not hitting to possibily love tapping the car in front of you, to $4000+ in individual car damages. not counting any medical or litigation fees that could incur with the car in front.

 

:D
See and I was mostly saying that while yours was fine if you were looking for low cost with decent performance, I personally would prefer something like I posted the second time.

The only real confusion and disagreement was when I failed to realize the diameter discrepancy in the sizes Rich brought up. That was somewhat ironic since I too find keeping the speedometer and gearing working as designed important.

 

Speaking of wheels and tires, does anyone know if Scion will provide the dealers with alignment specs at the release of the new xB?