Vehicle Overview
The five-seat Scion xB is among the boxiest vehicles on the road, and it competes against models like the Nissan Cube and Kia Soul. Power comes from a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that drives the front wheels through a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission.
New for 2013
The xB gets a restyled front bumper with LED accent lights and a gloss-black lower grille while the rear bumper integrates a new diffuser. Inside, there are new light bronze metallic and chrome accents as well as new seat fabric.
A BeSpoke Premium stereo is also available for 2013. It provides HD Radio, Bluetooth connectivity, iTunes tagging and Pandora internet radio via a connected, compatible iPhone. The stereo also works with the BeSpoke iPhone app that consolidates features like Facebook, Twitter and Yelp.
Exterior
At 167 inches, the xB is about 10 inches longer than the Cube. Despite styling updates over the years, the xB retains its now-familiar small-box silhouette. Exterior features include:
- Standard 16-inch steel wheels with wheel covers
- Standard chrome exhaust tip
- Standard power side mirrors with LED turn-signal indicators
- Front LED accent lights
Interior
The xB has a center-mounted speedometer that some find hard to read. The gauges are red, which is easy on the eyes at night but hard to see during the day. Beyond that, the interior is fairly standard, with a generous amount of cargo room when the rear seat is folded. Interior features include:
- Standard iPod connectivity and MP3 jack
- Standard 60/40-split folding rear seat with recline feature
- Standard air conditioning
- Standard cruise control
- Standard tilt/telescoping steering wheel with audio controls
Under the HoodA 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine is standard. It makes 158 horsepower and 162 pounds-feet of torque. Mechanical features include:
- Engine uses regular gas
- Standard five-speed manual transmission
- Optional four-speed automatic transmission with manual-shift provision
SafetyStandard safety features include:
- All-disc antilock brakes
- Front-seat side-impact airbags
- Side curtain airbags for both rows of seats
- Electronic stability system and traction control
