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I really prefer a hatch, and like the trac/stability, but I do a lot of long distance high speed driving (75 mph limit in SD, and nothing is close) and I feared the boxy shape would be noisy and use a lot of gas - especially with TC gearing.
I certainly gave up some versatility, but I do have a Sienna if I ever need the extra space.
Boy would I love a Camry wagon with a stick - never gonna happen though.
I'm not in a huge hurry and would consider the XD as well as the XB, assuming I can get cruise control, traction control, 4 wheel ABS (preferably 4 wheel disk ABS), and all those air bags.
So the choice is, buy an end-of-cycle Matrix or a beginning-of-cycle Scion? And while cost is a factor, 20k for a Matrix or 17-18K for a Scion isn't the major consideration.
I hope they appear on schedule as I'm getting antsy to to take them out for a test drive. I now have an '05 XB auto and it's been a great commuter car but I need more power with comparable fuel economy.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
How serious are those suspension problems on the Matrix? Should a person be wary of purchasing one because of it?
Right now I'm undecided in purchasing the Matrix or waiting for the new Scions.
TOLDJA' the price was going to go up a lot!
:sick:
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Here's the real pricing:
http://pressroom.toyota.com/Releases/View?id=TYT2007040318137
$15,650 is the starting price.
As you were.
DrFill
The number at the bottom of the sticker, the actual asking price, goes up $1620 for the stick and over $1700 for the automatic.
That, and the edgy looks and good fuel economy of the old model go away.
The xB's sales are going to drop, not rise, I think.
The new xD will be a better deal, I think. It gets a better equipment list than the xA, more power from the Corolla 1.8 plus high fuel economy like it had before, and I will bet its price doesn't rise as much as the new xB's.
If Toyota wanted to go head to head with the Element, they accomplished their aim by undercutting it in price, but the xB doesn't offer AWD like Element, and I am not convinced there will be a lot of cross-shopping between the two.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
If it gets Camry mpg, then that is another story. 33-34 mpg on the highway with all that space and flexibility would be all alone in this country - until the jetta diesel wagon comes out in a year (less space, but way more efficiency.
I predict the new xB will be a huge hit. Toyota did an excellent job of taking a cool car with limited appeal and increasing its market. Element and PT Cruiser and Matrix shoppers are going to gobble this thing up. As well as many who might have bought a small SUV/crossover.
~alpha
alpha: sure, it's not like the adjustment in price was outrageous given all the changes, it is just that it is now in the center of the price range of all the little people movers (especially since Scions sell at no-haggle sticker price, unlike models from other automakers). With the high-20s combined fuel economy I expect it to have, you could just as easily get PT Cruiser, HHR, Caliber, Compass, and others for the same money. And I bet you could get a Honda dealer down to within $1000 of the xB's new price on a FWD Element.
Ditto other rather useful and/or quirky vehicles like Rondo and Mazda5, and let's not forget you could get a Matrix for the same money and you wouldn't be that far off the base price of a FWD 4-cyl RAV4, which has weekend ads all the time now selling at $20K without options.
It used to be in a class of one, and now it will not stand out as much, that's all. Now it's in a class of many.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
It does have the Camry engine, but, what type of transmission will it be mated to. For me, it would either the 2008 xB or the new Matrix.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
1. Driver's Legroom
2. Driver's Headroom
Previous research shows Xb had them all beat.
How about the 2008?
Regarding driver's head and legroom - the vehicle has grown, I think it stands to reason that there should definitely not be any reductions in these areas.
~alpha
~alpha
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Share your vehicle reviews
I have 4 cars I'm thinking about to replace my old crap excuse for a car 93 Mercury Sable.
1. 07 Mazda 3S Touring
2. 07 Subaru Impreza 2.5i
3. 07 Toyota Tacoma Access Cab 4Cyl
4. 08 Scion XB
I like all of them. My grandparents (in their mid 80's) just bought an 06 XB with 8K miles and couldn't be happier. They bought it for $15K out the door.
Come early may I'll test drive all 4 cars, and decide... although... it'll probably end up with the 3s and the XB head to head....
Rafster
All the others will be fast fun drives, and the xB will have by far the largest amount of interior room. :-)
If you can wait until fall, the new Impreza will be out too, which has some significant suspension changes to improve handling.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
Better than the Banshee that is the Civic Si, or Scion tC. Was impressed by the Camry drivetrain in the tC as well. Should do very nicely in the x!
xB sounds like an awesome value. need to check the specs again on interior cargo room. I'm kinda in the market too!
DrFill
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
I own an '05 xB and I purchased it for interior room, fuel economy, toyota reliability, price, and unique styling. I love driving my xB and do not regret purchasing it at all.
'02-07 xB, Front Headroom: 46.1", Front Legroom: 45.3"
Rear Headroom: 45.7", Rear Legroom: 38"
'08 xB, Front Headroom: 40.1", Front Legroom: 40.7"
Rear Headroom: 41.2", Rear Legroom: 38"
DrFill
The new xD should do much better - it uses the Corolla powertrain instead, and it also has a lower profile, so less wind resistance. I bet the xD does about the same as the Matrix does now: 29/34 auto, 30/36 manual.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
What I cannot tell yet is if the xD's engine is the first USA debut of Toyota's new family of 4s....
The edmunds.com article makes me think this may indeed be the case...
"it features a rambunctious four-cylinder engine that Toyota has never before offered in North America."
EPA comparisons are going to become very confusing. I'd be surprised if the xB actually loses 5 MPG in overall driving. I would expect it'd be more like 3-4.
(FWIW, the slightly heavier but more aero tC gets 26 MPG with the 5M as per Consumer Reports, which, IME, is generally fairly accurate with it Overall MPG estimates, if not a bit low.)
~alpha
xB mileage will probably depend on gearing more than weight or aerodynamics. Regardless, there seems to be a lot of content/relability value here.
If this is a new 1.8L I hope it smoothed out the previous roughness at high rpm. How new (revolutionary) is this technology? Has it been used elsewhere? For how long? Personally I being the first kid on the block and putting 25-30K miles on per year it puts me closer to the bleeding edge. BTW I blew the tranny out of my 1997 Camry (first year product). Up until then I didn't worry about first year Honda/Toyota products. Now I'm wary of all first year products (and all domestic cars period).
Still don't know why they didn't fill the gap between 1.8L and 2.4L. Marketing wise it would have looked good versus Civic and removed the perception of being behind other 2.0L or 2.0L+ competitors.
Where the next generation Corolla is concerned, if a 1.8L engine can move the car smartly (as does the engine in Honda's Civic) while still providing top notch efficiency (as does the engine in Honda's Civic), I guess I just don't see the advantage or necessity of a 2.0 or 2.0+ engine. [Now, if we're talking a sporting edition Corolla, thats a different story.]
Regarding marketing, my feeling is that a majority buyers of compact cars could care less that the Sentra uses a 2.0L engine while the Civic uses a 1.8L, for example. It's a moot point. 0-60, and MPG figures much more so... seem to resonate with this crowd.
Toyota has employed Dual-VVTi beginning with its GR series of V6 engines, I believe, so this is not the first application of that technology.
~alpha
I'm glad they are using the new 1.8.