2008 Toyota Scion xB
2008 Toyota Scion xB: An improved toaster
Sun, Oct 14th 2007
| VEHICLE SPECIFICATIONS | |
|---|---|
| type | 5 door, hatchback, 2wd |
| msrp | $16,600 |
| trans | automatic |
| gas mi. | 22mpg/28mpg |
| rating |  |
When Toyota announced plans to redesign its Scion xB for 2008, the devoted owners of the brave little toaster-shaped vehicle didn't know what to expect.
What they got was a larger, rounder version of the iconic and endlessly customizable cult classic, a new version of a vehicle that's solidly built, relatively inexpensive and lots of fun to drive.
So how is it for the dog-car crowd? Pretty darn excellent, even if the xB still isn't going to knock the Honda Element off for the title of Best Dog Car Ever. (Could it be that Toyota considered the non-dog-owning populace when designing the new xB? Say it isn't so!)
The difference always comes down to the cargo area – space and versatility. And while the Xb's seats fold down perfectly flat with ease, the Element's flip up and sideways, opening the latter vehicle right down to the floor and turning it into a smallish panel van.
The xB's approach – 60/40 fold-down seats -- is more traditional, and probably more comfortable if you take human passengers often than canine ones. Still, with the seats folded flat, the new Scion doesn't lack for cargo space – it's quite roomy – especially when compared to the older xB.
Priced at a super-competitive $16,500 for the manual and a grand more for the automatic (my fully loaded manual tester came priced at around $20,000), the xB won't have you spending at the fuel pump either (22 city/28 highway) – nudging out the Element on both price and fuel-sipping.
-- Gina Spadafori
Carguy Comments:The redesigned 2008 Toyota Scion xB has the distinct novelty of not being supported by costly mainstream advertising. The Scion marketers have chosen to promote the xB and its cousin, the xD, only through the internet and at events targeted to 20-something drivers. The 2.4-liter, four-cylinder engine produces 158 horsepower and is emissions rated as ULEV-II. Cargo volume behind the front row seats with second row folded is 69.9 cubic feet.
Watch the 2008 Scion xB video.
-- Keith Turner, The Family Car
Toyota Scion xB: A bigger, better box
Barking Lot Banter: With improved interior space, good fuel economy and a great price, the redesigned 2008 Toyota Scion seems to be vying to challenge for the Best Dogcar honors. In the end, it all comes down to personal style choice and the need for cargo versatility.
Comments
2 500 crates and 32+ MPG love my B, B stands for box….
2010-01-26 10:48:38
Cool trick…I own an 05 XB, and I found it used with a leather interior. I removed the back seat completely,and the panels that cover the spare, and the spare itself. I then built a cool flat platform that goes all the way from the tailgate to the backs of the front seats, and I notched out an area to store the spare upright behind the passenger seat. Now, the back of the vehicle is like a cavern! It fits my Leonberger, Cane Corso, and Boston Bulldog with EASE. The dogs can all lie down without being cramped. The added plus is that with the stick shift I can tow the XB behind my RV. I LOVE this car…and with the cargo panel modification if has far more room than the new design XB. If anyone wants pics, let me know.
2010-01-02 23:27:34
Bought a 2009 with 5-speed, averaging 28 mpg. Very impressed with the handling, the “fun factor” and overall build quality. My golden doodle enjoys the visibility!
2009-07-23 08:06:32
Two months ago I bought a used Scion xB (practically new…less than 9k miles). I considered an Element, Sienna and the xB. I settled on the xB for price and gas economy. The models prior to 2008 just did not have enough cargo room to carry my two intermediate and one large crate. But there are 2 crate arrangments that work well in my 2008 model. I wish the folded down rear seats butted up against the front seats so I could have even more cargo room. It’s a fun car to drive to work during the week and carries everything I need at a show or event.
2009-07-20 15:18:43
I think the new design is waaaaay cool! I own a silver 08 xb. Great passenger room and luggage space. Terry
2009-01-31 11:22:46
Love the xb. I am an 08 owner. I don’t think the new design is as cool as the older model. It’s a fun car to add your own touch. Jill
2009-01-31 11:16:49
When my 19-yr-old Toyota Corolla dog wagon finally broke down, I was lucky enough to purchase a 2004 Scion xB. It has almost as much dog-carrying room, is even more economical to drive, and is proving to be just as reliable. The only “fault” is the gap between the folded-down back seats and the back of the front seats. When I am driving with my four dogs, I leave the back seats up. When I am driving with extra dogs (a total of eight in the car so far), I put the seats down and rig up a bridge/cover for the gap which allows the dogs to use every inch of the cargo area. I also store a pop-up crate in the car for the two little dogs to stay safe while I am shopping, rather than taking up space with a hard-sided crate. It’s a real plus being able to control all four windows from the driver’s seat, as my pack likes to road hunt (sniff the smells) out the lowered windows at slow speeds, and I can reel them in when I go faster. I do keep everything covered because the factory fabric is a magnet for dog hairs. The Scion is fun for me to drive, quite peppy, and fits in the smallest parking spaces! I would highly recommend the 2004-2007 Scion xBs for dog owners, but personally, I am not a fan of the newer Scions – a bigger engine means lower gas mileage, and that cute one-of-a-kind boxy style has been lost – now it’s just really, well, plain… By the way, the eight dogs in the car were: three large Lab mixes, a Dalmatian, a Beagle, a Jack Russell, a Chihuahua, and a Chi mix. And no, it didn’t resemble sardines in a can.
2009-01-23 06:04:59
Maybe you all can help me out? Do the rear seats of the 2008/09 models fold COMPLETELY flat so that crates will fit without being slightly tilted? I would love to downsize from my 2004 Sienna but want my two dog crates to lie flat.
2009-01-03 07:15:35
I have a 2005 and every time I bother to check the mileage – I get 33-34 mpg and my Seamus loves parking in his car seat in the back and watching the world go by as we go to the vet or Petsmart etc. I don’t have a problem hauling stuff but I can see where the uneven back could be an issue if you are putting crates in the back.
2008-08-28 20:23:51
I am currently looking for my next “dog car” and I think the xB is going to be it. To be honest, I did not like the looks of the previous version at all and initially wasn’t all that impressed with the redesign in ‘08 either. However, my friend, who has an Akita, bought one because he needed a reliable and inexpensive commuter car and I have grown to love this car. And I agree with the person here who mentioned that the rear windows roll down, this is an option I must have and so it knocks the Honda Element out of contention. I still need to convince my wife as she can’t seem to get over the looks, and the fact that there is an older version of the xB sitting in the neighbor’s driveway next door isn’t helping. But there is a lot to like with the ‘08 and it seems to be a great dog car.
2008-08-25 07:35:36
This is a great car for the price for multi-dog parents able to do a little customizing. The back area holds my three medium-sized labs easily, but I needed to make a luan wood platform to keep them from stepping through the backs of the seats (better support needed there). Also made thick drop cloth canvas covers to put over the doors and hatchback so my ‘Girls’ don’t scratch them.
I use dog seat belt restraints and there are plenty of hooks to attach them to. Mileage is 29 mpg combined. Best of all, my monthly payments are $181.00!
2008-08-06 14:22:23
worse gas mileage than the original. Extra
600 pounds of car that does nothing… Toyota blew it big time with this ‘re-design’.
Very disappointing. Shame on ‘Yota…when
anyone could see gas going up.up.up and they take a wonderful niche vehicle and turn it into a vanilla gas hound. no excuse.
2008-07-05 09:51:08
Nice Site!
2008-06-30 07:27:11
I got a new 2008 xB, and I love it! I can easily fit a 200 and 300 crate side by side along the back (seats folded down) and another 300 behind the front seats, and still have room to carry other show paraphernalia. Great gas mileage compared to the Element or my Ford Escape, and a much nicer price. I also like that, with the seats folded down, there’s still room to put items like tack boxes and coolers on the floor behind the front seats, or stand a grooming table up to leave more space for crates. The only thing that would have made it better for me was if the cargo area sat a little lower—it’s a little high for my Cardis to get into unassisted.
2008-05-30 06:55:44
I love my Scion xB 2008. I had a 2005 before and I love the extra room the new model has. I groom dogs for a living and do pick up and delivery too. This car ROCKS!
2008-05-30 01:12:55
Haven’t bought one yet but have decided to choose this one over the Element for a very big reason (in my humble opinion): you can roll down the back windows. I do rescue transports as well as foster Great Danes and I need something with decent cargo space, decent mpg, and that sits low to the ground to ease the stress on my Dane’s arthritic hips. But my Dane’s all love to hang their heads out of the back windows and that’s not possible in the Element. It’s Scion for me!
2008-05-29 17:39:50
I have a comparable Scion xD and I agree with the above, the black interior makes it a bit harder to clean but the dogs don’t care!
Kathy Martin
2008-04-24 16:44:21
I have owned new cars for over 30 years and never had a complaint about a dealership till last week.
I brought my 2008 Scion xB into the dealership on a Friday for 15,000 mile service as most new car owners do and the next day noticed a hole in my bumper. It looked as though someone had backed my car into something. I called the dealership up on Monday morning to complain about the whole and they basically did not want to hear my story. I was immediately told by their service manager Sean to have my insurance company contact theirs. No apology, nor did they want to even see what was done. They did not want to hear about it. I was amazed; I called back and asked to talk to the GM or sales manager. I was told by the switchboard that I should talk to the service manager. I told the lady that I had just talked to the service manager and did not like his response. She said I’m sorry but he is the man to talk to. I was furious so I called the Scion 800 number and told them about the incident. They were shocked also but told me the car dealerships were independent and handles things their own way.
I talked to my insurance company and they told me to get an incident number. But since I did not report this to Scion when I was picking up my car the service manager did not open an incident report.
I guess I was wrong about car dealerships. I now know that every time I leave the dealership I need to walk around the car to see if anything had been damaged. I have not done that before in 30 years but guess I have to start doing that now. I will never buy a Scion again and will definitely not give Toyota of Hackensack any more business.
2008-04-21 15:05:52
Thats 5 big Paws as I have Dogue De Bordeauxs (French Mastiffs. I bought my XB as an economical way to transport the dogues to shows. I love it I get 30mpg and fit 4 dogues weighing 90lbs 75lbs 46 lbs and 40lbs all very comfortable. My only complaints are NO Luggage Rack and hair not easy to remove from the upholstery.
2008-04-04 22:53:56
I have a 2006 model and a min pin, and he loves the thing like a jungle gym. On long road trips he put his bed on the floor in the back seat, and when he wants to visit us he crawls under the seat! It’s great.
2008-04-04 21:18:33
I’m a Mastiff owner
and
a Scion XB’06 owner.
Both go together magically.
I’m glad I have an ‘06
because I get 32mpg in the CITY
2008-03-28 22:24:27
OK, so how many of each of the 500 sized plastic AND wire crates can fit in the Scion xB??
2008-03-28 17:18:49
Don’t have one, but have been looking – the 2007’s and prior get a lot better gas mileage, tho’ they aren’t quite as large.
2008-03-18 23:17:43
This car totally rocks for dog owners. The room is plentiful for the average dog owner but you would be limited if you show large dogs. I like this car better than the Honda Element because you don’t have to lift the cases so high, it has more get up and go, better gas milage and it easier to sit into. The Honda would be easier to clean up but if you have your pups in a crate (and you should) it should not dirty your car. To tell the truth my two-legged children have dirtied my car a lot more than my four-legged ones have. Happy driving,...Cesar
2008-02-27 15:44:50
I can get three crates in the back with the seats folded down – all 4 of my pugs fit, there is room for EVERYTHING! It is really a dog mobile. I didn’t like the Element because of how the doors opened. I LOVE the box.
2008-02-14 06:06:35
I bought the Scion XB for carrying my dogs. I also drove the Element but for the difference in price and fuel economy the Scion was a no brainer. Love my Scion.
2008-02-03 19:19:00
I love my Scion XB! It’s great for my dogs and very versatile!
2008-01-23 23:02:14
More versatile than any other vehicle.
2007-12-26 10:39:16
I love the new design and the extra space!
2007-12-22 14:36:25
Yes, but not near as much functional space for dogs and not as easy to clean. ... Gina
2007-12-12 14:05:58
Better price, better power to weight ratio, and better emissions performance than the Honda Uglium, (that man-made “element”).
2007-12-12 11:21:46
I use a 2006 ScionXB for my business (ALL FOR DOGS, INC.) It’s easy to ‘trick’ out and add handle bars and dog seatbelts too.
We can fit multiple dogs in the back and have plenty of room (and modern technology) for the drivers to be happy.
2010-02-09 20:17:53