At Toyota, tinkering in Scion’s box
When Toyota Motor Corp. launched its youth-oriented Scion brand in 2003, it did so with two cars it already sold in Japan: the subcompact xA hatchback and a strange, boxy little number called the xB.
Scion executives at the time said they expected the more conventional-looking xA to be the brand’s big seller. But it was the xB that really took off, perhaps because its odd look appealed to young buyers who wanted to set themselves apart.
The xB’s design wasn’t the only thing that enabled Scion to stand out in the crowd; the brand also was founded on the premise that change is good and that none of its models would have a long shelf life.
The last of the first-generation xAs and xBs rolled off assembly lines in Japan in December, and the xA will be replaced in August by a new, larger hatchback called the xD.
But because of its now-iconic status, the xB will continue, albeit as a bigger vehicle with softer edges than its predecessor, whose design seemed influenced by a large cardboard refrigerator box.
“We’ll probably always have a box in the Scion lineup,” brand chief Mark Templin said.
He and his team are launching the 2008 xB next week. The new model has a bigger four-cylinder engine, 2.4 liters versus the current model’s 1.5 liters; it produces 158 horsepower, up from 103 in the 2006 model (there was no ‘07).
The new xB offers 37% more interior space, bigger standard wheels and tires, and a redesigned interior and instrument panel. Electric power steering, four-wheel disc brakes and iPod connectivity are now standard.
The ’08 also comes with an 11% bigger price tag: It starts at $16,230 with a five-speed manual transmission and $17,180 with a new four-speed automatic.
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