Overview & Reviews

The Scion xB has been redesigned for 2008. Though the second generation of this compact wagon maintains the boxy shape that made the original a cult favorite, the xB's exterior is softer and more rounded this year. More importantly, the xB is now larger, roomier and features a much more robust engine. The interior has been improved as well, highlighted by an impressive array of high-tech audio choices.

• Long standard features list, strong four-cylinder engine, large passenger and cargo space, audiophile-friendly stereos, styling some people love.

• Styling some people find ugly, center-mounted gauges are hard to see, no telescoping steering wheel.

User Reviews:

Showing 141 through 150 of 212.00

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  My Gold Rush Scions 1st Road Trip - 2008 Scion XB
  By Jimi Harris - February 28 - 3:30 pm

  Went down to Columbia South Carolina when my Scion had less that 2000 miles on it got the first 500 miles with a tank and a half gas, it comfort and safety it was pouring rain all through NC in to Columbia. Driving time was 8.5 hours one way. Drove all over Columbia and then went down to Charleston, SC to check it out and stayed over night shopped at the Outlet stores and filled my XB up. Drove straight through back to Maryland stopping for gas etc. Got awesome gas mileage, cruise control is awesome, my old behind did not fall asleep once even after 4.5 hours. Was windy and raining hard never felt that my XB was not giving me awesome traction and wind buffeting was kept to a minimum. Jimi

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  Scion xBox - 2008 Scion XB
  By Ramon - February 22 - 11:43 am

  Im a new owner. Ive heard a lot of positive things about the car before. Now, I can say that its true. Theres a lot of power, handles well, and a very practical vehicle. My wife and daughter love it too.

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  Awesome first car!! - 2008 Scion XB
  By Ryan - January 23 - 7:13 pm

  My dad got the xB back in May 2007 with the spoiler and fog lights, and was his main car. A few months after, we put the TRD exhaust, racing springs, and front strut bar on, along with ASA rims and interior lights. In December 2007 I got my license, the xB, and a TRD cold air intake to go with it. Now, the handling, acceleration, sound - everything is amazing. I just cant help hitting the gas a bit to show off. The CAI sounds amazing under load. My iPod is hooked up 24/7, and I always have it playing whenever Im in the car. Sound quality of the base stereo is great, and the bass is great, but I am looking to get a subwoofer. Im also looking to add headers to the performance collection.

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  Awesome little box! - 2008 Scion XB
  By Thomas - January 23 - 10:13 am

  This is a great little car. Not only is it fun to drive (I have the 5 speed manual) but I get looks everywhere I go. And its so big inside! Tons of room! I only have 675 miles on it so far, but have averaged 27.5 miles per gallon in mixed city/hwy driving, which is a far cry from the 10-12 MPG I was getting in my F150. Build quality is better than Ive seen in other cars in its price range, and I looked at a lot before I drove this one. If youre looking for a lower priced, gas sipping, fun to drive car, you should really check out the Scion xB. Youll love it!

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  price vs expectation - 2008 Scion XB
  By neutral user - January 20 - 3:50 am

  To be fair, you get what you paid for. At $18, xxx dont expect performance like a Porsche. I read other reviewers, you going to get some damage when you hit the curb unless you drive a tank. Build is great at this price, pretty quiet ride. Huge space picking up passengers from airport. Quality/comfort is up to my expectation at this price. My friend has a Mercedes which cost 3 times more. You cant compare at that price range. Overall, happy with this car. One thing is at 8xxx miles, engine start shaking and vsc lights on. Took it to dealership and the replaced the engine wiring hardness. So far, its ok. Didnt expect this issue from a Toyota 11 months old car.

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  A fun and practical car - 2008 Scion XB
  By Robert Strckland - January 7 - 8:56 pm

  Ive had my 2008, manual, Hypnotic Teal xB for about a week and have already put 700 miles on it. Its a real pleasure to drive and has lots of features and options that would normally be found in a much more expensive car. For a relatively small car it feels huge inside and is very comfortable. I highly recommend upgrading the stock stereo to the Scion navigation system. Its a much better sounding stereo and a great nav system all in one. Im averaging 27.5 mpg at the moment with mostly highway driving. I did a lot of research on the xB, Honda Element, Toyota Matrix and Dodge Caliber and the xB stood out as the clear winner. I couldnt be more pleased with my choice.

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  Outside the Demographic - 2008 Scion XB
  By John B - December 28 - 6:20 pm

  This is a nice car for money with very good room inside. Very good quality and lots of nice features for nothing extra. I would recommend getting none of the add-ons unless you are absolutely sure you need them because they really reduce the economy of the car. Great combo of power, build quality, ergonomics, price. Only negatives are the fuel mileage (you have to make a trade for the power & I’m still getting 26), no arm rest for passenger, and engine is a little noisy. Overall, very happy with purchase.

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  Sweetest Ride - 2008 Scion XB
  By infiniteparadox - December 17 - 2:23 pm

  This is my first car at 17 almost 18. Honestly I could not be happier with this ride. I decided to go with the aqua green color (Hypnotic Teal Mica) and this color/car is definitely a head turner. In fact when I was driving, my neighbors literally couldnt believe I was driving in this hip car. So after driving the car for about a good 1/2 hour this is what I have to say about it. The car on the outside doesnt look that big but on the inside there is a lot of interior. The thing I like the most about it is just how easy it is to get out and in. Plus the seats are the most comfortable Ive ever been in. Feels like they were custom made just for me. The car has a quiet interior, very smooth.

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  Some good, some bad - 2008 Scion XB
  By woodywrkng - December 13 - 4:15 pm

  I bought my 2008 XB used, with 26k miles at around 25 months old. Its a 5-speed model, and was at a dealership for a very nice price, perhaps because most people dont drive cars with manuals these days. Most of these Scions are holding their value very well, so it was hard to pass this one up. Im a 50 year old guy, whos now more interested in a roomy, economical, and reliable car, than one which I hope will impress people. Ive owned it for over one year now, and have some good impressions, and some not so good. Driving experience: The car handles and brakes surprisingly well. The suspension is very simple and should prove rugged and reliable. The steering ratio is quick, the turning radius short, and the suspension quite firm without being harsh. The driving position however seems at odds with the handling prowess of the car. From the drivers seat, it just doesnt feel particularly sporty. There are minimal seat adjustments, decent but not well bolstered seats, and a rather high mounted shift lever, with the end result just feeling a bit awkward if you try to drive in too agressive of a manner. While the seats are indeed better than most I found in this price/class of vehicle, it would be nice for a lumbar control or lower seat angle adjustment. The drivers seat will raise and lower, but its pivoted at the front, thus when raised you tip forward. On the highway its surprisingly quiet and composed for an econocar. One odd problem Ive found is when wearing my size 11 work boots, my left toe rubs on the clutch pedal lever unless I pull my leg back un-naturally, while my right foot can just barely fit between the brake pedal and the center housing to reach the gas pedal. There simply isnt much room under there for an average work boot. My normal shoes dont experience this problem. Theres a sizable right rear blind spot, which makes it a crap shoot backing out of an angled parking space, as well as large side view mirrors which obstruct your view to the side. If you tend to drive in nice weather with the window down and your arm hanging out, you may want to begin looking for a decent physical therapist since the window opening is quite high and youll eventually tear your rotator cuff. Winter driving: The standard tires are round, and thats about it. The traction control works very well, asuming its working (more later) and its needed, due to the lame tread pattern of the Bridgestone tires, and very low ground clearance of the car. Many people lower these cars, which should make them a real adventure when encountering a pothole. Speaking of tires, the spacesaver spare is mounted on a wheel, the color of which should be called puke yellow. I reckon thats so you wont be tempted to leave it on for long. Theres no discrete vent always aimed at the drivers side window to keep the side view mirror visible on frosty days, so youll need to aim your dash vent in that direction. The passenger side has a separate vent. Perhaps its the small wheel wells, but ice tends to form in the front wheel wells and rub on the tires, more than in most cars. Engine: Impressive low rpm punch, acceleration, snort, whatever you want to call it. This thing just plain scoots if you want it to. I do my own repairs, and the normal maintenance items are easy to find under the hood, with the parts that will eventually fail (alternator, water pump, A/C compressor) easy to see and reach. There is some chatter on a Scion forum about leaking water pumps, and mine isnt visibly leaking yet, although there is a pink stripe directly above the pump on the underside of the hood. Gas mileage-wise, I get 23-26 in city winter driving, in the cold state of Iowa, which I feel is fine since my daily commute is only a few miles each way. In warm weather the number rises to 25-28 in town, and up to 35 on a mixture of 55 and 65 mph roads. These figures are when the car is carefully driven however. Transmission: A smooth but long throw hydraulic clutch, widely spaced gear ratios, and a high mounted shifter without a reverse lock result in a car that doesnt ask to be driven aggressively. It took me a few weeks of driving to make nice smooth shifts. People do praise the automatic transmission, but I never drove one. 65 mph occurs at 2700 rpm, which is fairly normal for a car like this, although I do feel the car has the power to be geared higher. Interior: I like the blank dash in front of my face when looking straight down the road. Having the instruments slightly to the right gives you an un-cluttered view of where youre going, which is a good thing. A few of the oddities are slightly annoying however. The only clock is part of the trip computer, which has 8 functions. You can only view one at a time, so if youre watching the gas mileage, you dont see the clock. If you could choose which function to view from the steering wheel there would be no problem, but you cant. The standard radio is actually closer to the passenger than the driver, which is a bit odd, and the climate controls temperature knob is behind the shifter knob when in odd numbered gears. Speaking of the standard Pioneer stereo system, its impressive. Im an audio nut from long ago, and can honestly say that unless youre a kid wishing to annoy entire neighborhoods with hip-hop, you wont be upset with the sound quality, assuming you learn how to use the various features of the stereo. Most factory stereos in a car of this price are fairly basic, but this one is a nice surprise. Well done Scion. The interior feels cavernous, with easy access (meeting the approval of my 89 year old Mom), backseat legroom like a limo, and enough hard surfaces to create echos. The center console is a few inches too low to be of any use as an armrest, but its storage area is deep enough to hold CDs. The drivers seat has a fold down arm rest, that gets in the way of the seat belt when up, so thats a minor annoyance. Theres a storage area under the rear seats, which is a fine idea, except that whatever you put under there tends to slide around a lot on the hard plastic. I recently loaded a standard sized kitchen range into the rear and closed the hatch, so there is indeed lots of useful space. Exterior: Yeah, its odd looking, so what? It would be nice to have a key lock for the rear hatch, just in case. The only keyhole on the outside of the car is for the drivers door. The roof is the longest, flattest expanse seen since the early 70s full sized station wagons, which is a good thing since I use an aftermarket roof rack for a canoe or kayak, and the further apart the bars are, the better. The paint seems to be very thin and dainty. Its just too easy to scratch, so youll be needing a container of touch-up paint, which judging from the price at the Scion dealer, contains precious metals and diamonds. Problems: Being the first year for this model, there are indeed some bugs. Some quite serious and pricy, if they occur after the warranty expires. In my case, my anti-lock brakes, traction control, and stability control are now kaput due to a known problem with a rear wheel speed sensor, and being two months out of warranty, Im looking at a 700 - 900 dollar repair. And thats only for one of the sensors. Double that number when the other one fails. It seems as though they arent waterproof. Scion knows about the problem, theres a TSB on it, but chooses not to issue a recall or an extended warranty on this issue. Since it concerns most of the safety functions of the car, I find that disturbing. There are also issues with the water pump, electric power steering, windshield cracking, and an assortment of creaks and groans to name a few. Overall, Im basically pleased with the car, but disturbed by the reliabilty concerns. It reminds me of the Ford Fiestas from the late 70s, on a larger scale, but without the simplicity and reliability.

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  Lots of Bang for your Buck! Gold Rush ! - 2008 Scion XB
  By TiffsMom - December 5 - 3:33 am

  I have my 2008 Scion XB Limited Edition Gold Rush a month. Before purchasing, I came to this site to read the many reviews,very informative. I simply LOVE the Scion. I was amazed how spacious the interior was. I slipped in and out very comfortably and felt the ride was extremely easy to handle, zippy pick up. The interior was 2 tone/very stylish. I passed on the $400 "Teflon" treatment from dealer and found 5 step Simonize Teflon treatment for $20 on eBay. I did get the spoiler & remote starter, mats. Also ordered side molding and touch up paint. I didnt start out to buy the limited edition,but dealer had only one,and I felt in love. Getting about 24 city, 28 highway. Lots of fun