Scion xA

librarian1 · March 2006

I had my mechanic check the a/c. He's the one who found the clutch problem. He's a good mechanic. I don't think he would miss low refrigent. But I'll mention it to him and see what he thinks. hanks.

Mr_Shiftright · March 2006

well I'm suspicious of the diagnosis because AC clutches either do or they don't. They are electrically operated and my gut feeling is that you are looking at a symptom but not the disease.

cdoc · March 2006

How about a dealer in NJ or CT? Call them first, see what they say. My dealer in RI has been wonderful, so these things can vary from one dealer to the next.

Mr_Shiftright · April 2006

sure, why not?

driley99 · April 2006

I had a rattle from hell. 5 or 6 dealer visits and they did nothing. I'm in Northern CA and called the Scion distributor over the West Coast (in S. CA) and they gave me an advocate who got the dealer to fix it. They did the calling to service department and would follow up with me.

If you haven't done so already, you might check your paperwork and see who to call who oversees your Scion dealership.

Karen_S · April 2006

A large local newspaper is looking to interview consumers who purchased a Lexus, Toyota or Scion vehicle and what led you to purchase that vehicle. Please send an e-mail to ctalati@edmunds.com no later than Wednesday, April 5, 2006 containing your daytime contact information, along with the make and model your vehicle.

Thanks,
Chintan Talati
Corporate Communications
Edmunds.com

dm6079 · April 2006

We're shopping to replace the wife's Elantra and the xA and xB are at the top of the list. Except for 1 glaring design flaw - the center mounted gauges. Those who have driven these cars for a while - how long did it take you to adjust to the odd positioning ?? The wife will be the primary driver and I certainly don't want any extra distractions added to her driving experience ....

thanks for your advice,
Don M.

tundradude · April 2006

I had no problem adjusting to mine in my xB. However, the xB gauges are left of center and tilted toward the driver. I adjusted to them the first time.

Actually, the xB is unlike the xA, Echo, or new Yaris in that its not directly in the center.

When I drove with the xA 1.0, I noticed that I had to shift my eyes more. However, this was just a test drive.

cdoc · April 2006

We have a brand new xA (3 weeks today). Not only did I get used to the center gauges very quickly, it ends up being a more natural, and safer, direction to glance at since they're located higher and the driver's eyes are sweeping the road from left to right and back again. In fact, I would use center gauges as a criterion for my next car. I also like not having the lights of the guages right in front of me when I'm driving at night.

joey0708 · April 2006

i just bought a 2006 xa and i love the car it is alot of fun to drive . as far as the guages they are very easy to read and no problems . also on a very busy highway with alot of truck traffic the car really holds its own , with the car having less weight i was not sure how it would be , but it is fine. the only thing i did get one came in with the side air bags and that is the one i bought . i am older and i thought about all these things before i bought my car , i always liked the shape of the xa , but i liked the room of the xb . i still have my old dodge van so i still have room if i need it .i hope this helps you .

goncst8 · April 2006

Any xA owners out there transport a road bicycle on the inside of the xA? I wonder if it can lay fully assembled with the rear seats folded down...or can it fit, with both wheels removed, behind the rear seat?

Don't have a local Scion dealer and was just trying to figure out as much as I could before I made the trip to see one, so thanks for any assistance.

Steven

micweb · April 2006

The xB would be much more suitable for your needs. The xA is a very tiny car. You've got both width and height issues to deal with. The xB, though, has a big square entry point (the rear hatch), a tall squared-off roof line, and a ton of room between the front and back seats. it might well work for you.

joey0708 · April 2006

love my new scion xa car . i was thinking about using synthetic oil but when i talked to the dealer he felt if i change my oil regular they thought it would be adequate.the toyota dealer thought synthetic oil would be a waste of money . i will change it every 3,ooo miles ,i want to do the best thing for the car . does anyone have an opion?

Mr_Shiftright · April 2006

I think synthetic oil is only justifiable for very heavy duty use, such as towing or racing, or in EXTREME temperature conditions, like deep dark snow country or the intense heat of the desert. Otherwise, I don't see any gain for you, now or even down the road. Other people will tell you differently and offer good evidence, but in fact no one has ever proven that an engine under normal operating conditions lasts any longer in the real world with synethic in it. On a race track, yes, definitely.

uberglitch · May 2006

Hey guys - I just want to say thanks first, I've been researching Scions for a week, and reading posts all over this forum for several days, and you lot are hands down the most helpful thing I've read yet.

So I'm going to a dealership tomorrow to do a test drive and see how long it would take to get all my options on one car. I just wanted to double check that I have the long and short of the average experience with an xA.

1) They'er a little underpowered - especially in an automatic, which is what I'm getting. Takes a little more effort to get up to 60, cant neccesarily pass easily. I'm thinking I might do a few mods to help with this, but even if i dont, I'm currently driving an ailing '89 BMW 325i... i dont think the xA will be harder to drive than that. Specially after I have them put in like 4 of the 5 performance enhancers they offer at the dealership.

2) No cruise control - which may not even apply cause I could have sworn I saw a listing for it when I was going through the brochure the other day. But hey, there are after markets, so so what?

3) Dealership - no haggling, which is both good and bad, and sometimes when you bring a problem to them they're not much help. But apparently going straight to Scion will help resolve it. Anybody had any horror stories of having their new toy shatter on them?

4) One more performance thing - has anybody added one of those chips that you can buy off ebay, that tells the engine the air coming in is cold,whether it is or not? Can you guys tell me if that would be bad? I know they say 'this will not hurt your car' but hey, they're selling it, of course they'd say that.

But basically, and all around well liked and decent car. Anything else I should know before I face the bright lights of the dealership? :shades:

Thanks guys! Hopefully in a week or two I'll be asking you more modding questions!

-Blake

Mr_Shiftright · May 2006

You seem to have a good grip on the xA---except maybe your optimism about performance enhancement. I don't think those eBay chips have a chance in hell of working, and the TRD items might only give you a few HP at the very best--so probably not worth the $$ per HP you'd spend on TRD add-ons. I think TRD claims 2HP for the sport muffler and as for the cold air intake, this might give you a few HP but at very high RPMs only. So let's say both items give you 5-7HP. That's going to cost you...what....$60 per HP? That's a lot. A turbo kit would cost you maybe $3,000 and give you...oh...35 or 40 HP? Hmmm...even that's expensive per HP.

johnnicon · May 2006

If you're looking for a performance car, the XA is not for you. By asking for higher performance, cruise control etc, it seems you may need a bit more oomph in a car. I've had my XA for over a year now. It is quiet, efficient, economical, and inexpensive. If you like the other features, a manual transmission will help a bit. It is a city car, not a high-performance highway car. You can't have both. It is not a BMW.

nagalman · May 2006

I'm trying to figure why the xA gets 38 MPG and the Yaris gets 40 on the highway when they have the same engine (1.5L) and similar weights (xA 2340lbs MT), Yaris (2288lbs MT). I think it probably has something to do with gearing. My question for xA MT owners is: at 60mph in 5th gear are the engine RPMs?

micweb · May 2006

At 80 mph on my MT it was 3,850. I couldn't hold 60 on our freeways long enought to measure rpm without getting rear ended.

The Yaris has a tweaked engine - much better emissions levels, reportedly re-tuning on the variable valving. About 3 more horsepower. I test drove the Liftback Yaris and the engine definitely felt stronger than the 1.5 in either my former Echo OR former xA. This September will probably be a better time to buy an xA than now....

johnnicon · May 2006

I read the Fit forums and they are hopping. The last posting here was May 8. I see lots of comparisons with the Yaris, even with the Versa and Aveo, but none with the XA. Do they still make Scions? What a fickle bunch we are.

kato8 · June 2006

When I removed the glove compartment on my 2005 XA to access the cabin filter, I found no filter in the filter holder.
Has anyone found a cabin filter? I've been told by Scion that the cabin filter is an option. Therefore, it was not installed at the factory.

Karen_S · June 2006

A national news magazine is looking to interview college students who has pimped out his/her ride Have you tricked out your car with big rims, outrageous stereos, wild paint jobs, spoilers, ground effects, neon lights, nitrous, the works . Please send an e-mail to ctalati@edmunds.com no later than Friday, June 9, 2006 by 5:00 PM PT/8:00 PM ET containing your daytime contact information and the make and model of the car youve pimped out.

Thanks,
Chintan Talati
Corporate Communications
Edmunds.com

charlestondrew · June 2006

i am looking this fall to purchase a individual jet ski and trailer since i live near a lake, about a 30 min drive, here in austin texas. i was wondering if anyone who owns a XA has towed with it and or will the little 1.5L handle the towing of a jet ski.

nagalman · June 2006

In all honesty this is way to general of a question. The ability of a vehicle to tow a trailer has to do with the gross weight of the trailer and cargo and the tongue weight. Without this information, anyone would be guessing.

Mr_Shiftright · June 2006

That's a very good reply but Scion has solved the question for us. They say that a Scion xA is not designed for towing, period.

It's stated on page 138 of the owner's manual.

iluvmysephia1 · June 2006

a Scion xA what would it be, a Honda 70 trailbike on a little tiny trailer of it's own? :surprise:

Mr_Shiftright · June 2006

You just won't take no for an answer, hah? :P

iluvmysephia1 · June 2006

Honestly.

Sure did enjoy my Honda trail 70 back about 1972 or so. The only motorized bike I have ever bought and it will probably be the last one. It was fun, though.

kato8 · June 2006

When I removed the glove compartment on my 2005 XA to access the cabin filter, I found no filter in the filter holder.
Has anyone found a cabin filter? I've been told by Scion that the cabin filter is an option. Therefore, it was not installed at the factory.

bcranford · July 2006

Does anyone know when the 07 XA is coming out and if there will be any changes? I have not been able to find anything on the web. Also, when is the 06 XA Release Series 3.0 due out?

Thanks.

Mr_Shiftright · July 2006

I was under the impression that the xA is done. Am I wrong?

iluvmysephia1 · July 2006

to the public from Scion. I would give it a month or two more. I know, I would love to know, too.

Tall Ractis wagon-type rig to replace the Scion xA for 2007? Dunno!

micweb · July 2006

Rumor has it that sales picked up on the xA when gas got more expensive so Toyota is in less of a hurry to replace it. After test driving the new Yaris I am disappointed in it. The extra features and quality of the xA make up for the newer platform of the Yaris (the Yaris liftback has a longer wheelbase).

Last year at this time I was expecting a completely revamped xA around now. Now I suspect the replacement will be delayed until spring.

bcranford · July 2006

I was also wondering if there was any significant gas mileage difference on an XA with a spoiler vs. one without? I have heard spoilers can effect gas mileage though I'm not sure I believe it.

johnnicon · July 2006

Spoilers do a great job of keeping the car stable at speeds over 120 mph. And, considering the size of the XA spoiler I doubt it would do any good then, let along change the gas mileage. Maybe you could find a SCION pal and perform a controlled experiment.

Mr_Shiftright · July 2006

Question is, how does anyone get a Scion xA to go 120 mph? :P

paperdahlia · July 2006

I bought the xA brand new, in July 2004. I was driving home from a friends house around 1:30am in the morning, and a drunk driver going 130mph + on a motorcycle slammed square into the back of this car. My little xA spun furiously, into almost 2 full spins, jumped 2 curbs, and slammed rear side into a guard rail. .... The back of the car was pretty smashed up, it was totalled, actually.. the back seat bowed inward in a slight "A" shape, the rear bumper crumpled downward towards the tires, the glass was shattered from the hatchback and side rear windows.....but the car never flipped or rolled. If that is not a testament to the safety design of this vehicle, well, i do not know what is... the design of this car could have very well saved my life. No matter what anyone says, I will always sing the praises of the xA. I wish now that I had decided to purchase another one..but because of the emotional experience of the whole event and what i saw... (you can pretty much figure out the fate of the other driver) .. i decided to upgrade to something bigger, namely the matrix. toyota is still A++ in my mind. thank you.

iluvmysephia1 · July 2006

about the Scion xA. Apparently Scion will stop making the xA for 2007 and come out with a brand new design for 2008 that will be out in the spring of 2007.

The current brand of Scion xA for 2006 will continue to be sold, probably until all 2006 Scion xA's are done being produced. I would think that anytime leading up to the spring of '07 would be an excellent time to get one of the last 2006 Scion xA's, though, remember, haggling is not an option when buying a Scion.

You could try, but really these cars are cheap enough. A 5-speed 2006 Scion xA loaded to the gills with features only costs $13,320. The 2006 Scion xA is on my short list, gentlemen.

iluvmysephia1 · August 2006

on my short list, though I can't seem to decide if I want Polar White or Classic Metallic Silver paint.

My wife is holding strong onto the 2001 Kia Sportage 4x4 and she isn't budging, sadly.

Cry, cry, cry. Oh, well. I guess I'll just have to keep rocking to some fine Guess Who, Foghat and Tragically Hip in the Sportage 4x4's great stock stereo system. We're just over 118,000 miles now and counting more on daily. I found a good shop in nearby Benson, AZ, to do my maintenance on the xA...I...I mean the Sportage 4x4. Over. And out.

barson · August 2006

Now that I've driven home from where I bought my xA (600 miles away), I was wondering if anyone had advice on the following:

- bra for the front end. A rock that bounced out of a dumptruck gouged the bumper of my car on the way home.

- a pad or support for the driver's seat that I could hang from under the head-restraint and drape down the front seat. My shoulder blades hit the extra padding on the sides of the seat, which rotates my shoulders forward and in, and that bothers my back. All I need is an inch or two of pad to push my back away from the seat. I don't need anything under my butt or thighs. (In my old car I used to fold a towel and jam it under the head restraint, but it would always slip and/or get scrunched up.)

The car did fine on the drive. I varied my speed between 60-80 mph and checked the oil every two hundred miles or so (no leaks).

aatherton · August 2006

"... Get the strut bar."

Hmmm. I put $5,000 in mods on my xB, doing them myself except for sunroof, leather seats and cruise control which were about half of that. The strut bar was the only mod that I regretted and sold.
I felt no difference from the strut bar right after I put it on. And I felt no difference right after I removed it 5,000 miles later. And it interferred with so much under the hood that I sold it on eBay last week.
Aside from feeling no difference at the two times when a difference should be most apparent, the strut bar also interfered with accessing the brake fluid and clutch fluid reservoirs, air filter changing, and cruise control installation.

"... Also get yours without the crappy Good Year Eagle Tires. This can be avoided if you get aftermarket wheels and tires..."

Aftermarket wheels and tires will cost a couple thousand $. The average person like me might be satisfied with the Goodyear Eagles LS tires. They are premium general-purpose all-season touring tires with some anti-hydroplaning feature:
------------------
Goodyear Eagle LS ("Luxury Sport") tires are premium, speed rated performance radials with a heavy design emphasis on a smooth, quiet, disturbance-free ride. This combination of attributes places the Eagle LS tires in our Touring All Season tire category. And while this makes them an appropriate choice for many of today's domestic and imported sporty luxury sedans, Goodyear Eagle LS tires are also used as original equipment on vans, sport utility vehicles and specialty pickup trucks.
On the outside, Eagle LS tires feature a symmetric, independent tread block design that allows al tire rotation patterns to encourage even wear and maximum tread life. Wide circumferential channels help evacuate water from beneath the contact patch to enhance wet traction and reduce the possibility of hydroplaning. The tread design features different sized independent blocks (with the largest on the tire's shoulders) to improve handling, and the tread block sizes are computer optimized to minimize tread noise for a quiet ride. On the inside twin steel belts are further supported by nylon reinforcement (depending on size and speed requirements) to provide high speed durability.
http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Goodyear&tireModel=Eagle+LS&veh- icleSearch=true&partnum=86TR5ELS&fromCompare1=yes&place=1
---

aatherton · August 2006

"... Now that I've driven home from where I bought my xA (600 miles away)... The car did fine ... I varied my speed between 60-80 mph..."

The first 600 miles were on the Interstate between 60 and 80 mph. That is not an ideal breaking-in procedure that future buyers should follow.

Mr_Shiftright · August 2006

To feel the strut bar you have to really charge the turns and come in hard...it's not something most xB owners would do....you can get away with it more on the xA. The strut bar only works when the front struts are really stressed and get out of whack....most driving conditions don't stress the struts like that....

Also, not all strut bars are created equal. Some are thinner, stronger, lighter...others are complete junk....it pays to shop around and ask around----but really, it's not a very necessary thing for most people, I agree.

raychuang00 · September 2006

Apparently Scion will stop making the xA for 2007 and come out with a brand new design for 2008 that will be out in the spring of 2007.

The current rumor mill is that the Scion xA will be replaced by essentially a US-legal version of the Toyota Ractis "tall wagon" but with US-legal bumpers and safety equipment and the 1.8-liter VVT-i engine rated at around 128-129 bhp (SAE 08/04 net) used on the upcoming Yaris TS hatchback that will be sold in Europe. Because the new xA is designed for a more "upscale" buyer than the Yaris, hopefully Toyota might even use the CVT automatic from the JDM Toyota Vitz on the xA successor. :shades:

iluvmysephia1 · September 2006

raychuang00! If that's the case I may just hold out for one of the 2008 Scion xA's. Our 2001 Kia Sportage 4x4 is at 118,935 miles and running like a bonafide champ. I will definitely look at new world order Kia's before I ever buy a Scion when that time comes. Kia is just too good to look over, my car freaky friends.

raychuang00-you were the one on Edmunds that called this one a long time ago, IIRC. That Scion would use the tall 'Ractis' wagon for the new world order 2008 Scion xA.

raychuang00-people have been saying that there will be no 2007 Scion xA. I don't think that Scion will just skip selling the Scion xA for 2007. I think they're going to sell essentially the 2006 Scion xA(which is a really nice little subcompact as it stands in 2006)as their 2007 Scion xA. In fact, I've already read a car magazine that lists the 2007 Scion xA as essentially unchanged for 2007. So there we go.

I could still grab me a 2007 Scion xA in 5-speed form, in either Classic Metallic Silver, Polar White or Salsa Red, with the only accessory ordered being an armrest. I'd then take my new xA over to Pep Boys and buy some Proline alloy wheels for around $300 and have myself my own version of the 2006 Scion xA RS 3.0! :P

So there it is boys, all the latest on the Scion xA for 2007. You got it here first. It's accurate and it's all helpful and genuine.

raychuang00 · September 2006

raychuang00-you were the one on Edmunds that called this one a long time ago, IIRC. That Scion would use the tall 'Ractis' wagon for the new world order 2008 Scion xA.

When I saw the first pictures of the Ractis the whole vehicle screamed Scion xA successor. Based on the same platform that spawned the current Yaris subcompact, if you look at the interior arrangements--ESPECIALLY the way you can configure the back seat--the vehicle has almost the same interior flexibility as the Honda Fit (the only thing it lacks is the Tall mode that folds up the rear seat bottoms, but Toyota could fix that for the US-market Scion model).

Toyota has a potentially huge winner here with the Scion xA successor. Now, if we can just talk Toyota into building them at NUMMI in Fremont, CA....

iluvmysephia1 · September 2006

what's cool is that I like the flexibility of either vehicle and I know the present 2006 and 2007 Scion xA gets great gas mileage. I like it's looks, it's steering wheel-mounted audio controls, I even like the center mounted gauges! :P

I'm sure the tall Ractis wagon Scion xA for 2008 will get great gas mileage as well.

My wife and I took our '01 Kia Sportage 4x4 out for a bath today and then a long drive to Silver City, New Mexico. It was about a 160 mile drive there from our home in SE Arizona. I looked the whole drive for a Scion xA. I didn't see a single Scion xA!

I did, however, see a beautiful Scion tC in that beautiful metallic Silver. What a great looking car that is! Any more for me it's either Scion or Kia's!

johnnicon · September 2006

Well, the word is out. Hold on to your XAs and XBs. The Car Connection reports that our babies will go the way of Oldsmobiles and Plymouths this year with new models coming in the Spring of 2007. Will these be Scions, or another brand name? Perhaps a good thing never lasts. However, just imagine the value in the year 2050 as these rare vehicles become collector's items.

Mr_Shiftright · September 2006

Road & Track has listed a 2007 xA in its October issue, but I dunno....

Resale looks strong on these cars so far. I had a DEALER offer me $10.5K for my 2006 and you knwo they are going to flip it for at least $2,000 profit. That's about my MSRP, $12.5K. But I'm not selling until I see an xA-like car with maybe 135 HP.

raychuang00 · September 2006

By the way, it is definite that the second-generation xA is based on the Ractis "tall wagon" sold in Japan. If you've seen the spy picture of that "tall wagon" in The Car Connection web page, from B-pillar forward it looks almost EXACTLY like the Ractis.

Scion xA

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