Edmunds dealer partner, Bayway Leasing, is now offering transparent lease deals via these forums. Click here to see the latest vehicles!

Scion xA

1235714

Comments

  • fdannafdanna Member Posts: 263
    The "official" launch is June, even though the cars are available now. They'll officially launch the cars, including the new tC.

    At least that's what I how I understood it from the website.
  • montazhmontazh Member Posts: 8
    attn. to "micweb" in particular, but pls answer if you have any feedback. what's up with the aircon unit? is it still weak, did the car repair shop improve anything for you?
  • micwebmicweb Member Posts: 1,617
    They're in denial. I will push harder when summer comes. They say Toyota's test routine only allows testing when the ambient temperature is above a certain level. Meanwhile there are bubbles in the sight glass, and they tell me that's normal too. Ugh.

    Otherwise I am liking the car more and more. The suspension is breaking in and not so harsh anymore, the shifting (manual) is less notchy, this car takes a long time to break in!

    Sometimes no boom at 75mph, other times boom from the exhaust. I think it has to do with the valve in the exhaust that is supposed to open and close for performance. Generally if I have been driving sedately, and then cruise, it is quiet, but if I have been driving sporty, then cruise, it booms.
  • montazhmontazh Member Posts: 8
    does anyone have a fair opinion on whether it's better to purchase the scion xa in stick or auto? equal opportunity transmission please - don't say stick if all you ever drive is stick. i'm considering purchasing stick due to its cheaper price and better pick-up...however i usually drive automatic and don't know if the transition to drive stick will be extra difficult if it's "notchy" or hard to handle. i DO know how to drive stick, but am no expert sports car driver by any means.
  • carlisimocarlisimo Member Posts: 1,280
    I've driven stick and automatic Tercels - which had the same place in Toyota's lineup as far as powertrain goes - and with such small engines stick is much easier to live with.

    I don't recommend stick if your driveway is steeply inclined... where you might simply not move in an automatic you'll roll backwards a bit with a stick. Of course then you have the problem of not moving, in which case you wouldn't be considering the Scions...

    Stick also sucks in 2mph traffic, though automatic is worse in stop and go where the stops are long (squeezing the brake in the AT vs feet off the pedals in the MT).

    I'm not consistent about shifting smoothly, and it's embarrassing to see my passengers' heads bobble all the time. I don't think I can blame the lack of a tachometer or the soft suspension for most of that.

    But, the automatic tercel felt dangerously slow when it was time to get on the freeway if I was carrying passengers or cargo, or the onramp was long. Just not responsive at all. I find myself at pretty high rpm's often now (in the stick tercel) and it makes driving much more enjoyable. It's even fun, whereas the automatic was anything but.
  • mariacheriemariacherie Member Posts: 19
    Hi, I'm new to the board and I am looking into buying the new Scion xA and would like some input. For anyone who currently owns it or just knows a lot about cars especially the xA, what is your opinion of the handling, driving on highways, vibration, quality and power and what can I do to get more power if needed? I will be adding some 17" rims and tires shortly after so will that help with any of the noise. Does the automatic have enough power when driving longer than 10 miles on highways to keep up?

    Let me give you details and please tell me if you think this is a suitable car for me.

    I'm an at-home wife (starting a family within a year). I live in Atlanta Metro area where traffic gets rough but I live in the burbs so I don't have to face the traffic really depending on time of day I get out. I prefer the automatic as I barely know how to drive a stick. I just want a car that is good to run errands and get out of the house but safe and reliable, inexpensive as I will be paying cash and would like to keep it for at least 7-10 years.

    I really don't have to drive because my husband drives mostly but I want a car. I will probably drive anywhere from 3-4 days a week locally for shopping, hanging out, basic errands. I'm not looking to speed on the road but want enough power to feel safe on the highway without the trailors and SUVs running me over lol. Driving distance will be between 1-7 miles when I do drive. If you think it lacks sufficient power and handling, what basic less costly things can I do to improve these things. Also, I'm short so good visibility is a big concern for me which the xA does provide. I'm not a fan of Ford's unless someone can convince me otherwise but I figure Scion is toyota-built so I am looking in that direction. Do you think the Automatic xA is right for me or should I consider something else in the same price range? I started off looking at the Civic LX, Corolla, Mazda3,Mazda Protege and Hyundai Elantra but since I won't be driving on a regular I scratched the thought of paying 15-17K for a car in cash. Also, what are the chances of haggling a Scion dealership if I pay cash?
  • cartagramcartagram Member Posts: 115
    Maria...how about a used Civic? They can be purchased at about the same price as a new Xa, or cheaper, and will be as reliable, larger, and likely safer than the Xa.

    A Honda dealer can sell a certified used car, which means it will have a much longer powertrain warranty and a bumper-to-bumper 1 year warranty.

    Something to consider.
  • mariacheriemariacherie Member Posts: 19
    I first checked out the new civics and also certified civics and last I checked they wanted 15,900 for a certified 2003 Civic. I'm hoping to pay a little less than that. But if I get lower trim levels I won't get ABS brakes. So I'll keep checking to see if I can find a certified one at a pretty good price. The only downside is that the civic doens't provide great visibility for me in the back but it is better than the Corolla's front end visibility. Thanks again I will check into some others. If anyone else has any other suggestions please let me know :)
  • muffin_manmuffin_man Member Posts: 865
    17" rims are likely to make the ride harsher, and unless you buy really lightweight wheels, adversely affect your acceleration.

    If you like this general shape of car (I do too), you can also look at the Suzuki Aerio. Comes with a much more powerful engine, and can be haggled down quite a bit.
  • npaladin2000npaladin2000 Member Posts: 593
    You can also check out the Chevrolet Aveo hatch. The Aerio on hatch form might be more than you want to pay. Also, there's the Suzuki Forenza sedan. It MIGHT be possible to get a Mazda 3 sedan in the "i" trim level for $15k, but it's not terribly likely. More likely is an Elantra in non GT trim, which you can probably get pretty cheap (Even the GTs go for fairly cheap, just not AS cheap). But if you want a really good, versatile errand-runner, stick with the hatchbacks (Aveo, xA, Elantra).

    Oh, I know you're not a big fan of Ford, but a Focus ZX3 (Comfort trim) or ZX5 (Base trim) might be worth a look; they have $3k worth of rebates until June, which puts them square in the middle of your apparent price range.
  • stragerstrager Member Posts: 308
    The Scion xB might be an ideal car for your situation. You say that you're starting a family, and with the xB it's so easy to get kids in/out of that car, not to mention its excellent visibility.

    For $14965 (xB auto before taxes), nothing comes even close. The xB also has standard ABS, stability and traction control as you probably know. For me it was a no-brainer.
  • muffin_manmuffin_man Member Posts: 865
    I would definitely pick the Aveo out of the group. Aveos are going dirt cheap in Los Angeles right now. But if she's looking for a car to drive 10 years, I don't know if that is going to be the right car or not.

    strager - have you ever had the stability or traction control come on in your xB? Maybe I'll post this question in the xB forums.
  • npaladin2000npaladin2000 Member Posts: 593
    $10-$12k is the "disposable car" end of the spectrum. You want something that's going to last forever you have to pay more for a Honda, Toyota, or Mazda. ;)
  • stragerstrager Member Posts: 308
    I'm in Northern Ca and haven't had the stability control or traction control come on yet. Maybe if I take it up to Tahoe...
  • micwebmicweb Member Posts: 1,617
    And it is a great car. Solid, quiet, quick. Good handling. I am happy with the stock wheels and tires and urge you to put 5-10,000 miles on the car before going for tires designed for looks, not ride or performance. Plus a set up like you describe is easily $1200 if you do it yourself or $2,000 from the dealer.
  • mariacheriemariacherie Member Posts: 19
    I found out that it only has 103 horsepower...whoa that's even worse than the Scion. I'd hate for a bicyclist to speed by me on the road...does anyone think that the quality of the Chevy cars has improved any over the years. We've always owned Honda's currently own a Chevy Avalanche truck. I also had a 1984 Labaron that gave me nothing but trouble.

    I've been researching for over a month so I'm definitely trying to be thorogh and give everything a fair amount of consideration.

    I'll look into the Ford and the Aerio. I wouldn't mind an Amerian made car, but just not sure of how reliable they are. Insight anyone? Even if I had it 7 years that would be good. It doesn't have to last forever.

    Most of the hatchbacks I checked out seem to have good visibility. As I stated, I won't be driving but a few times a week and everything that I need is pretty much 15 minutes away. I'm just trying to stay away from the higher price range because I would hate to waste a lot of money on a car that I'm not driving regularly during the week. The advice is very helpful, please keep it coming. It seems that not many of you are big fans of the xA huh? lol
  • mariacheriemariacherie Member Posts: 19
    Do you have a manual or Auto xA? And in your opinion if I ended up getting the xA Automatic would I need to add anything for extra power and handling? Lastly, would you consider the car fairly safe? I can't seem to find any Crash test reviews on the xA yet to see how it scores.

    If anyone has any info on the most recent Crash test scores for economy cars can you please post it.
  • muffin_manmuffin_man Member Posts: 865
    I don't think you need to worry about 3 less horsepower if you like the rest of the Aveo package. I'm sure it's got as much scoot as the Scions.

    The price is definitely right, but I don't know if it's a 10 year type of car.
  • npaladin2000npaladin2000 Member Posts: 593
    "I found out that it only has 103 horsepower...whoa that's even worse than the Scion. I'd hate for a bicyclist to speed by me on the road...does anyone think that the quality of the Chevy cars has improved any over the years. We've always owned Honda's currently own a Chevy Avalanche truck. I also had a 1984 Labaron that gave me nothing but trouble. "

    Since you'd be driving it locally mostly, the number you want to worry about is torque...the Aveo has a bit more than the xA (American cars usually are a bit torque-heavy compared to Japanese cars...but sometimes they give up the top end horsepower in exchange).

    Now, here's the trick: the Aveo isn't technically speaking an American car...it's a re-badged Daewoo, a Korean car, built in Korea. ;)
  • micwebmicweb Member Posts: 1,617
    The Scion xA should crash test similarly to the Echo, they are the same body structure; the Echo tested well; ironically, comparable to the BMW Mini, which has way more airbags. Google "crash test results" for the actual crash test results.

    I have an Echo as well, that with an auto, and it is very responsive, so I presume the Scion would be responsive. My xA is the stick shift.

    Don't even think about an Aveo. The local dealer has them stickered at $14,000, that's no anti lock brakes which are stock on the xA, it is a brand new car, from a formerly defunct second tier Korean manufacturer. Why bother when Toyota is "giving away" Scions.

    You said:

    Do you have a manual or Auto xA? And in your opinion if I ended up getting the xA Automatic would I need to add anything for extra power and handling? Lastly, would you consider the car fairly safe? I can't seem to find any Crash test reviews on the xA yet to see how it scores.

    If anyone has any info on the most recent Crash test scores for economy cars can you please post it.
  • mariacheriemariacherie Member Posts: 19
    Yeah it seems that the xA is hard to beat with their standard equipment. One thing that manufacturers have to catch on to is the fact that safety features should be standard. Why should we have to pay extra to save our lives in a potential crash. It's crazy.

    Thanks a lot for the info everyone.
  • mariacheriemariacherie Member Posts: 19
    Just in case someone else is interested in knowing, I just found the NHTSA test scores on the xA and it does rate well for safety. It received 4 stars in the Frontal Star Rating and the Side Star rating nothing so far on the Rollover Resistance rating.
  • micwebmicweb Member Posts: 1,617
    After bad-mouthing the Aveo (new car, from GM via the defunct Daewoo operations), I was surprised to see them with 5 star front crash results (when I was looking up the xA results).

    The xA has 4 star side impact results, front and rear, a one star improvement over the Echo, but remains at 4 stars on the front crash.

    Congrats GM! (But I'll still take the Scion.)
  • muffin_manmuffin_man Member Posts: 865
    The Aveo looks like a great car so far, and is available in LA for about $5000 less than the xA. That said, I wouldn't buy it with the intention of keeping it 10 years. I'd leave that to the Scion.
  • montazhmontazh Member Posts: 8
    my father and i are having a huge battle of standard vs. auto transmission on the xA. he thinks auto trans is better, claims the dealer in pittsburgh told him sticks lose their resale value a lot in comparison to auto. also he test drove it and said the clutch is a pain in the butt to engage. another argument: increased maintainence on a stick vs. a car with auto transmission. i have to refresh my stick driving skills and haven't test driven the xA yet, but am attracted to driving manual and know that i should have no probs remembering how to maneuver a stick around philly. also, test drove the auto trans and found it to be a little on the weak side when i tried to gun it down the street. any opinions on the clutch/stick in re. to a beginner stick driver?
  • micwebmicweb Member Posts: 1,617
    I drive almost exclusively stick shifts, and have had quite a few compact cars so equipped the past 5 years. The Scion xA is one of the easiest to drive.

    Manuals require less maintenance and last longer than autos.

    Autos hold resale value better.
  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 32,889
    I agree... but with one disclaimer. Manuals can last longer IN THE RIGHT HANDS. I've seen drivers without the proper education waste manual trannies in no time at all.

    '11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S

  • carlisimocarlisimo Member Posts: 1,280
    I already gave my view in post #231, but when it comes to resale value don't forget that you paid more in the first place for an automatic, and the difference in resale value might not match that.

    More importantly, you might one day decide you like one form of transmission much more than the other. To the point that you'd be willing to pay a decent price difference without a second thought. Do test drive it, or any of your friends' manual cars with an equivalently powered engine (to have a little more freedom, for example to run it higher in the rev range).
  • qbrozenqbrozen Member Posts: 32,889
    Most times, depending on how you look at it, I've seen an automatic hold its value better, actually. For instance, on my 626, the entire car depreciated by about 60% by the time I traded it in. The automatic, however, was a $1K option when I purchased it and added $800 to the trade value at trade time. So that only depreciated 20%. But, yes, of course you could say that it still means I lost $200 more dollars during my ownership of the car. I've used that reasoning myself.

    But, more importantly, the number of automatic buyers in this country outweighs the manual buyers exponentially. So it will be far easier and quicker to sell. You could argue that is easily worth the $200.

    But the most important thing is to get what makes you happy. ;)

    '11 GMC Sierra 1500; '08 Charger R/T Daytona; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '08 Maser QP; '11 Mini Cooper S

  • montazhmontazh Member Posts: 8
    thanks for the responses re. stick vs. auto transmission!
  • mibomanmiboman Member Posts: 13
    The Scion looks like it is probably a good car for your situation now. If you are looking to start a family, I would take a look at the back seat space and see whether it will work once you get car seats etc. The Civic or Corolla might work a bit better in that respect. They also have great reliability records. The Ford Focus is supposed to have gotten over its early reliability problems and that is what scares me about the Aveo and the Hyundai.

    I am looking at getting a new car for my daily commute and the Scion is one that I will look at. I think I am leaning toward the Mazda 3s 5 door which is in a clearly higher price bracket, but it is REALLY fun to drive. That does bring to mind another possibility. Mazda Proteges tend to be as good (if not better than) Civics and Corollas and many of them have dropped in price of late because of the new Mazda 3.
  • sushi_headsushi_head Member Posts: 10
    another vehicle...

    Pontiac Vibe.

    It's the Toyota Matrix (a bit larger than the xA) but with a Pontiac design. From what I've read, the Vibe uses a Toyota Matrix platform, but just repackaged through Pontiac.

    You'll get the same Toyota reliability but a larger car at the cheaper Pontiac price.

    you know, if your starting a family...
  • npaladin2000npaladin2000 Member Posts: 593
    You also get a lack of torque, which isn't characteristic of Pontiac (which is why the Vibe isn't selling as well as the Matrix, and is therefore cheaper).

    Compared to the Vibe/Matrix, the xA seems to have a pretty decent power/torque to weight ratio...better than the Matrix of Vibe, to be honest...the twins are MUCH heavier than the xA, and less aerodynamic.
  • sushi_headsushi_head Member Posts: 10
    I didn't read up on engine specs.

    That could be a great consideration.

    I'm sticking with the xA myself. Since I currently drive a Geo Metro, anything is an upgrade in power :)
  • standonnittstandonnitt Member Posts: 2
    A lot of consumers choose options on their vehicles based on future resale value. Big mistake. I want to equip a vehicle that I'm going to be driving daily EXACTLY the way I want it. Driving around in crowded metro areas is bad enough and worse if you're driving a car that is neither fun nor comfortable. Get EXACTLY the car you want equipped as close as you can make it and ignore the resale part of it.

    (of course, if you trade every 1 to 2 years that might be a consideration but if you plan to drive the vehicle until the wheels fall off, then forget the potential resale part of the equation)
  • bpraticobpratico Member Posts: 23
    Why does the Scion xA get substantially worse gas mileage than the Toyota Echo? Same engine and essentially the same platform. The Echo lists for 35/43 mpg with a manual trans, while a manual xA lists for 32/38 mog.
  • micwebmicweb Member Posts: 1,617
    The xA is heavier, and has lower gearing, so it consumes more gas.

    Lately, however, I have seen gas mileage on my standard transmission xA increase from 32 to 34 mpg on my almost 100 mile commute. This appears to be based on a very gradual break-in of the very "tight" engine.
  • scootertrashscootertrash Member Posts: 698
    How many miles do you have on your xA now?
  • micwebmicweb Member Posts: 1,617
  • sushi_headsushi_head Member Posts: 10
    I should be getting my xA in soon.

    It will be a 04, but the 05s come out in mid to late June. I haven't read any real differences in the cars except that the 05s will come with an option to have your dealer install a Moon/Sun Roof and a different head for the stereo.

    A few people that have been driving their scions a lot are reporting that using the right oil and breaking in the engine is leading to much better gas milage than they thought they would get.

    I don't know, I'll let you know in a week after I get mine delivered.
  • micwebmicweb Member Posts: 1,617
    any way you can wait?

    Like other manufacturers, Toyota rolls out price increases throughout the year, and generally the price increase at model year change is minor.

    But when it comes time to re-sell, having an '05 is worth a grand or two in your pocket even though the miles are probably very similar.

    Finally, Scion has been getting bad JD Power's marks for weak aircon and harsh ride. I suspect the '05 will address these issues.

    The harsh ride has gotten more supple over time, as the shocks break in (yes, shocks can break in too), but the aircon is too weak for a car with a black dashboard and interior. I have an Echo with a similarly weak aircon, but at least the interior is lighter toned and that helps a lot.
  • micwebmicweb Member Posts: 1,617
    The stock head unit has two issues for me:

    AM sucks. Yeah, I listen to news. On my Focus, the sound quality on AM is very high, and the volume levels match when I switch between FM and AM. On the stock Pioneer on my xA, AM is much lower volume, and it sounds like old '50's AM - pretty crappy.

    I wouldn't mind having a rotary control for volume on the head unit, and the push buttons to change channels include different functions on the last two buttons, so if you hit them by mistake, you won't be changing channels, but functions.

    Sound quality has been great, though, and just take my comments as nits in the "you've only got 5 weeks to the changeover" department.
  • sushi_headsushi_head Member Posts: 10
    I'd love to wait, but I dont think my Geo can :)

    The Restricted Series for 05 is a fire engine red xA with a Kenstyle Grill, Sunroof, and other goodies. It looks nice, and I would love to get it, but I just don't want to keep my geo alive another month.

    It's pretty much crapped out on me and burns 3 cans of oil a week.

    As for resale, I plan on just giving the car to my parents when I get a new car. They can use a smaller runabout car.

    The radio, I get a six CD changer for free. xAs aren't selling as well as Toyota wanted so they are placing the 6 CD changer, though in the long run I'll probably just sell this unit and buy something I hardwire my iPod to. Why mess with CDs when I have all my CDs on my iPod?
  • micwebmicweb Member Posts: 1,617
    You're gonna think you are in a mini-Lexus. I felt that way coming out of a Focus (well made!) and Echo (tinny, even though a sibling of the xA). If you are coming out of a Geo, you are going feel like you died and went to heaven.

    I actually like the firmer suspension, and a part of me will be sad if Toyota "fixes" it. On the Echo, I had to upgrade to firmer aftermarket shocks to get rid of susceptibility to crosswinds. The xA has no such problem, with its much firmer factory suspension.

    Quite frankly, if they haven't upped the aircon output on the Echo in five years, I doubt they will fix it quickly on the '05 xA. But it is a speculation at this point.

    Doesn't your head unit have an input jack for the ipod? Will it read MP3?
  • sushi_headsushi_head Member Posts: 10
    it will play MP3 CDs, but I read that it doesn't have a jack for external devices.

    People have been resorting to using Transponders and tuning in through their radio.

    I am now watching a stock RS xB on eBay. It's currently at 17k, which is more than the RS xB cost new.

    I wonder how the RS xA will sell, they are limiting it to 1500 instead of the 2500 of the xB.
  • fdannafdanna Member Posts: 263
    Where is everyone finding information on 2005 Scion models? I can't seem to find anything on google.
  • fdannafdanna Member Posts: 263
    Well, if those dealers in the forum know what they're talking about, there still won't be a cruise control option or a sunroof option for 2005 (except sunroof for this supposed special series).

    Sunroof I could maybe live without, but I drive too much to live without cruise control. Aw well... maybe 2006.
  • sushi_headsushi_head Member Posts: 10
    I live in the South East.

    Here we have Cruise Control on some of the Scions. It's a standard option for our area (though the whole SE is owned by Morrison and he puts on other options like Leather Seats).
  • sev6sev6 Member Posts: 26
    Are you talking about SET, south eastern toyota?
  • cliffy1cliffy1 Member Posts: 3,581
    Cruise control is an aftermarket affair and will continue to be on both the xA and xB for 2005. Many dealers do offer this as an available accessory.
This discussion has been closed.