also, just have to say that engine bay is freaking TINY. that's like the new civic's engine bay... so ridiculously tight.

 

Wow...I don't want to bash the xD because I know a lot of you guys have been waiting anxiously for them to arrive. But we just bought my wife a new '07 Nissan Versa SL hatchback (loaded) for $16,300. It's MUCH roomier inside and the interior quality looks like a Rolls-Royce compared to the xD. That's a shame. Scion could have done so much with this one.

 

I just can't warm up to the Versa. I've seen many of them in the skin, and about the only angle it looks good from is......... well none now that I look at it on the Nissan site.

Plus, it's made in Mexico, and it's basically a Renault Megane.
http://www.renault.com/renault_com/e...ion/index.aspx

 

Since we're comparing the xD to the Honda Fit....

How much would the xD cost if you added a factory lip kit, spoiler, alloy wheels and foglights? $18-19k? The Fit Sport comes with all of those things. Not to mention you can get it in Milano Red, and Royal Blue. You don't have to wait for an "RS" edition to get a bright color. It also comes stock with paddle shifters mated to a 5-speed auto. You won't get that on an xD no matter how hard you try.

Sorry, but my high hopes for the xD have pretty much faded away. The looks aren't THAT amazing, it's not packed with features you can't get on any other car in it's class, and the price can be called "competitive" at best... Sure the new 1.8L motor is nice, but it'll be in the new Corolla (and possibly Matrix) as well. Heck, it might even be in the next Yaris. Toyota loves to use the same engine over and over again. Just ask the Camry!

I've seen the new xB.... I've seen the new xD.... I'm still waiting for something exciting from Scion.

-THE DON

 

Yes, but they got the Versa cause his wife didn't like tha hassle of owning an RS2.0. Now they can blend in with the rest of the other boring looking vehicles. It was more of a utility thing than a style thing.

 

3 years should go by quickly. The last 3 have for me.

 

OMG i LOve the Xd more then i did previously after seeing the interior

call me weird...but then again i hate the new Xb...i love the boxy box!

 

That's how much you'll pay for a new Fit Sport with the extra $1000 - $2000 the dealers tack on. If you're fortunate, you'll find a Fit Sport on a lot AND they'll only charge you MSRP. Plus, the alloy wheels are only 15", the Fit Sport doesn't come with active head restraints, and they have no option to get vehicle stability control (optional on the xD) which has been described as the best auto safety invention since the seat belt. Also, the Fit is a dated design since it came out in Japan in 2001. Yes, they are redesigning it for 2008 in the Japanese market, and possibly the NA market, but no details have been confirmed for the NA market as to what the next gen Fit will have.

The color choices on the Fit are better, but that's on the bottom of my list. I test drove a Fit Sport 5AT, played with the paddle shifters, but honestly would rarely use them.

The Fit is very feminine looking with the sloping hood, and the small wheel wells. The xD is much more muscular looking, and you can make an xD look far btter than you'll ever make the Fit look (short of taking a sawzall to it and re-skinning it).


I was a huge Fit fan for abot a year, then when they started to hit the dealers, and the dealers started tacking on additonal stickers I started to lose interest. Recently the local dealer where I live was asking $20,000 for a used SSM Fit Sport 5AT with 16,000 miles and a ding in the door.

I agree with you, the xD is not the end all B-segment sub-compact, but even Edmunds Inside Line liked the xD better than the Fit.

 

The fact that the assembly plant is in Mexico doesn't mean a thing. It's a Nissan and believe me, the quality is there. The fit and finish on that car is excellent. The Versa is the Tiida in Japan just like the xA was the ist and the xb is the Bb.
Anyhow, the style isn't going to appeal to everyone (just like Scion). My point was that at $16,000 there are many other choices out there and some are appointed nicer than the xD.

 

Here's the iSt for the JDM. it's the xD. so toyota did decide to use it in the homeland.

http://toyota.jp/ist/

looks like they have 8 different colors and 1.5L and 1.8L motor choices. the low end starts under $14K, and the top end goes to just above $16K.

looks like there's a ton of accessories and options and dress up parts for the JDM.

i can actually see the xD become the new "xB" in terms of JDM dress up and modeling.

 

Holy SuperDuper mega ground clearance Batman! This thing is ready for Monster Jam on SPEED channel! I didn't notice this much ground clearance on the one I looked at on Friday in Sacramento... probably because it was sandwiched between two other cars. Believe it or not, I walked right past it and I didn't even notice it on the lot until later. It blends in with the crowd of Yaris's (or Yari).

 

So confused :-/ I dunno what cars y'all drive but the xD is leaps and bounds over my '93 Nissan Sentra E. And I'm even more excited to go test drive one after seeing these photos. Thanks for sharing!

 

Of the two new Scions, the xD is definitly more to my liking. I just think since it's "pure priced" it should be cheaper than the competition. Not the same. It makes you almost want to try to negotiate on the others. It's worth a try.

At least this Scion has JDM appeal, and good gas milage from the engine most Gen 1 owners wanted all along.

That snub nose grille takes some getting used to, and the interior is pure Yaris. But overall it's an OK ride.

Bottom line: From a tuner perspective, I'd go with an xD, over that soccer mom van next to it on the lot. You know who I'm talking about!

-THE DON

 

I'd like to know what Toyota North America genius ok'd the xD nose design over the new ist. The more I look at it, the more I'm sold on the idea of the new Yaris S hatch, and unless the JDM bumper cover can be adapted, I may have to pass. (Possibly the ist bumper as an RS version body in Amethyst or Copper)
Maybe Toyota doesn't get the idea that the appeal of Scion was the direct JDM connection.

 

went to the Honda dealer today and boy those Fits are expensive. The dealer i went to was Irvine Honda. My god they tacked on a 2000 dollar dealer fee. 600 for window tint which every fit had. 150 for door edge clear bra. They were charging for what looked like anything and everything. The fit Sports added up to 19???. I'll stick with the xD i like the interior.
bennyboy

 

"pure price" to me means that we dont want to deal, take it or leave it, no discounts...

 

Exactly right! It's been working for 4 years. It works good when you sell vehicles that people actually want! You also don't have to deal with markups on newly released models. Look how much of a priemium some new, highly desireable cars recieve. Fits alone had a very high markup when first released. If you could even find one.

 

I have seen that one dealer in the other thead sell for less than MSRP which is nice Especially since the Xd is a bit overpriced if it is trying to compete..If it had the VSC standard then it would have been perfectly priced.

Anyone who paid more than MSRP for a car is a retard, i looked at an EVO once and they wanted like 4K markup and i literally laughed in the guys face and walked out.

It should be illegal for a dealer to sell a car above MSRP, except for addon of course, and I have seen them add lots of crap on to jack up the price.

 

I agree with some of that. Like 800 dollars for "paint protection". Yeah right.

 

Well I was looking at the xD, but after the pricing was released I purchased a fit sport AT. I got the car for MSRP. I did not pay for the door guards, wheel locks, or floor mats that were on it already so I got them for free. I cant believe that some of the dealers out west are still getting people to pay markup's on these. The dealers around here get in a few each week and they go out within a few days. I visited 3 dealers and each one was willing to do MSRP on the car. The scary part is people willing to pay a premium ($1,000 or more) to the dealer on these kinds of cars.

I like it more than the xA I had, and it has ton more room inside. The different seat configurations come in handy too. So far its getting better MPG than the xA did. I love the remote entry, alarm, cruise control and other options i missed in the xA.

The xD was prices to challenge the Fit Sport.

xD
Manual ($15,170)
Automatic ($15,970)

Fit sport
Manual Transmission ($15,170)
Automatic Transmission ($15,970)

When comparing the standard features that you get between the two I had to go with the Fit.