Next Bigger Scion xB to Be Exclusive for North America
Date Posted 11-29-2005

TOKYO — To build up the Scion youth brand, Toyota plans to make the next xB wagon bigger and U.S. exclusive, says a report in Tokyo.

Launching in 2006, the next Scion xB will be based off the new-generation Corolla platform and will seriously bulk up in size, according to the Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun industry newspaper.

The current xB (known as the bB, or Black Box, in Japan) is spun off the smaller Yaris platform. Confounding the critics who said it was too compact and quirky for the U.S. market, the xB has proved to be a smash hit. In 2005, U.S. Scion sales are expected to surpass 150,000 units for the first time.

Scion displayed the well-received t2B concept at the 2005 New York Auto Show, as a pointer, perhaps, to the next xB. Designed by Toyota's CALTY studio in Newport Beach, California, the t2B (Tall Two-Box) uses the same 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engine as the tC coupe and stands a full 10 inches longer and 4 inches wider than today's 1.5-liter xB.

Before the end of this year, Toyota will launch a new bB in Japan but that's a purely domestic 1.5-liter model.

What this means to you: Scion needs to be careful it doesn't lose its mojo by making the next xB wagon bigger all around. Others may argue that bigger is definitely the way forward for the youth-oriented subbrand.

 

hmmm...

 

If it's true it sounds like they are trying to ****** defeat out of the jaws of victory!

 

Thanks for the article. I also think that going bigger with the xB is not the way to go. Its "small on the outside, big on the inside" architecture is one of the major elements that drew me to the car initially. Hopefully the design team has realized this and the fact that the US market is over the SUV craze.

Time will tell...

-Alex

 

Wow. This just makes me even happier that I bought an xB and didn't wait any longer.

 

If I'd wanted a Corolla-based wagon I'd have bought a Matrix. If this story is true, I wonder if Nisson will rethink their decision not to import their Cube. There is a market for this form-factor.

RichC

 

The 2.4L tC engine will be a nice improvement for the box. I agree that the exterior size should not change. Most people are pleasantly surprised how spacious the box is in the inside, and looks compact on the outside.

 

Uggh...I was hoping the SUV craze was over. Glad I bought when I did.

 

definitely. I think that if the box gets bigger it'll definitely lose its appeal. That's what got me hooked on it too. Small on the outside and big on the inside

 

nice, I managed to sit in the xb at the dealer last week and was amazed at how big it is inside, so a bigger one would be interesting

 

xB - good size
Element - too big

as much as I'd LOVE to see the 2.4 from the tC in a box, the tC is already kinda portly and front heavy. would hate to see what would happen if they dropped the 2.4 into an xB sized vehicle... (or it *could* be cool if they get the thing light enough and balanced front to back)

 

Exactly.

I thought they decided not to import the Cube, and instead, we get the new Versa? Anyone know for sure?

 

as others have said above... glad i bought an xB b4 they ruin it

 

Doesn't the corolla platform run a 1.8l? I'm picturing a Matrix thats taller and squarer in the back.

Also, being on that platform might open it up to XRS type options. I don't see it being anything close to an SUV, but a little more storage space with the seats up and the power that everyone keeps wishing it had doesn't sound that bad to me. As a replacement for our minivan of course. I've got no intentions of parting with my Box anytime soon...

 

We're getting the Versa, and the Cube. You can build a Versa on Nissan.com

 

rant on

Concidering what we have been though with gas prices in the last few months, I think this is a BIG mistake. However, now that the gas companies have us fooled into thinkging that $2.00 per gallon is cheap we will never see prices drop to pre-war levels and we will just continue to consume higer quantites at higher prices. Fools, I say fools we are! Why don't the American buyers realize that most of the non US marketed cars have small footprints and small engines for a reason. Then of couse, we have a company that has a hit on their hands and have to screw it up "for the American market", and we let them buy buying it.

rant off

 

Are you familiar with the Corolla line??? it is a small car that's rated as good as ours if not better:

Mileage Estimates (mpg city/highway)
Manual 32/41
Automatic 30/38

and the XRS at 26/34

 

first off making it bigger is a mistake 2nd using the larger engine is also a huge mistake. the camry was tuned well for fuel economy they put in the tc it sucks on gas so much compared to the camry and solara. other factor is i doubt toyota would actually spend the time balancing the cars weight to be distributed like mazda does sorry toyota is selling cars off from reliability not performance still.

the corolla is an excellent platform but does have the matrix wagon already. the xrs is tuned as one of the few performance orintated cars left. fuel economy is a big deal still right now. the whole gas being above around $2 a gallon is still bs last i heard prices should be $1.50 a gallon. the way production is. one reason why the xb and xa do well is economy. business will buy the xb for for the economy and the fact that is a bill board for them.

 

I agree with the Scionic Man, I wouldn't mind a few more inches behind the back seats, and a few more in width...Right now I can carry 0 gear with 4 people. it doesn't have to be huge.

Matrices are kind of ugly. that's why i didn't get one.

 

NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Sure, stretch it a little bit, but don't turn it into another Matrix! The xB is cool as is.

It needs:
1. More optional power (or at least TRD or aftermarket support, a la tC)
2. Interior redesign (modernize, asap)
3. Maybe a little bit more trunk space (or they could do a sliding rear seat, a la Toyota Wish or Opel/Chevy Zafira.