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2008 Scion xB Long-Term Road Test - Performance
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2008 Scion xB Long-Term Road Test - Performance
Follow along as we discuss the performance of the 2008 Scion xB Base in our long-term road test on Edmunds.com.
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I like these articles and comments on the Scion xB. They're accurate, overall, so far. I like the car, but am growing to hate it as time goes on. I had a new 2011, auto trans. The 4 speed was a joke, and I'm a stick shifter anyway. The stock audio was really bad. With a short ram intake, cat-back exhaust and lighter crank pulley, performance was improved, but the 4-speed castrated the engine. So, I got an almost new 2011 to replace it...stick shift. Performance is improved with the extra gear, but good grief, STILL with the super-wide ratios? 2300 rpm at 55mph for an engine with NO guts below 4k rpm is absurd. Each gear shift, and normal cruising has the car running way outside its efficient part of the HP and TQ curve. I've added the same short-ram intake and cat-back exhaust, and performance is bad. There's been no CEL to warn me of over-lean conditions, so I don't know what's up. The engine is inconsistent at best, sometimes bogging badly below 4k, then hitting hard there, climbing with clear peaks and valleys in the power delivery. It's a "lumpy" engine for sure. It did the same with the stock intake, but just less pronounced, I think. I've cleaned the MAF, the throttle body, checked the plugs, and I can't find anything wrong here...except whitish on the plugs, indicating that yes, the EPA standards are TOO LEAN. The Alpine audio was even worse in this xB. It's been replaced, along with the dixie-cup speakers, all 4 of them. Much better now. Center gauges...Scion...LISTEN TO US...WE DON'T LIKE THEM. And yes, not nearly enough lighting in the right places...and no glove box light? Cheap. After this, my 2nd Scion, I can see clearly there's better cars out there for this price range. Scion could easily put the same ECU and power figures from the tC on the xB. Same engine. They should use the same transmissions, too. Heck, I think if Scion cared, or weren't lazy, they could really make this car sing with 30-40 more horses, close ratio 5 or 6 speed manual and auto trans options, cable throttle, get rid of the center gauges, improve their audio and reduce body roll. Now we're talking about a car I'd easily want to buy again.