The whole point of Scion is to build a that car you want! if you have driven an xB im sure you would be surprised at its power. I love when someone who has never even been in the car says it has “anemic power” and handles crappy. Put the Motor Trend down and go take a test drive. We don’t need more sheep we need EDUCATED opinions. after the basic bolt ons and some suspension parts its a blast to drive, especially in the turns! go look on http://www.scionlife.com, everyone who owns one loves it. no one cares what other ppl think, in fact us xB owners trade insults, its funny to us. Almost a badge of honor. Know that if you insult the car the owner is actually happy about it

there are plenty of s/c and turbo set ups out there for less then 3000 that will put ~145hp down to the wheels. There is one kit in development that puts 180 down

I’m aware of the aftermarket support for the xA and xB (and amazingly there is LESS for the tC, their 3300lb halo car) but even with aftermarket support for suspensions, this still leaves the anemic power and the expectation on the part of owners to want to turbocharge their Scion. I don’t know about anyone else but if I lived in California and wanted a serious tuner car, I’d pretty much be SOL save for a handful of random cars. Skirting their emissions tests and visual inspections is becoming harder every year. This is why I wouldn’t ever buy the xB as a tuning machine, just a neat economy van. I just laugh bitterly at the entire hobby of hotrodding that I love for how creative you can be with it because if CA’s war on engine modification is any indication of the future, it’s becoming almost impossible to personalize a car to your own specifications. Toyota should be drowned in letters by its fans and buyers demanding they build some sporty turbo and 8,000rpm NA engines for their cars again.

The Mk2 MR2 Turbo and the 1986-92 and 93-98 Supras were great sportscars. I even like the Mk3 MR2 and everyone knows about the hype surrounding the AE86/GT-S 80′s Corrolas.

Toyota sells no sportscars at all and beyond that there is a whole market for under 20k subcompact rear drive sporty cars that NO manufacturer is catering to right now. The Subie WRX is the only thing that comes close in spirit but it’s well past 20k.

Now for the xB, TRD sells suspension parts and there is moderate aftermarket support for forced induction. With a little tweaking, this box could make a nice sleeper.

And since were admitting our faults, sorry about that math comment (civility on LLN? WTF? will this get us banned?)

I got a little hot-headed, I admit. It’s just irksome that in favor of profitable show-n-no-go fad cars (which by itself is perfectly OK), Toyota completely abandons some markets that may fluctuate but never really go away.

Seriously though, it’s raison d’etre is to be ultra-cheap and funky urban transport, for the type of ppl who are more into life than they are into hot cars.

so back up and chill out.

I’ve made my point and I don’t feel one year of age difference is enough to invalidate me. If the best retort you can make amounts to kiddie insults I am thoroughly amused. You’ve given me a good chuckle tonight at your expense.

The world is not *always* governed by such absolutes or have not figured that out in your college courses yet?

I think my opinion carries *some* validity, GL. They want people MY AGE to buy their cars (or get mom and dad to cosign for it or blow credit on it) and I am expression my negative opinion of their “hot” item that I supposedly should jump for joy over. As I said before… it’s a good van and it’s a Toyota. I’d buy it used in a few years with 100k on the odometer as a POS commuter. That’s what I think of it.

I would not spend what little money I have on this car or any special limited edition. I think it sucks and I could care less if Toyota is making money hand over fist with it. In the end, my current car that I already own can outpower it, outhandle it, haul quite a bit of stuff, get decent gas mileage AND out-”fun” it while driving.

If you think none of these things matter to young people just because most of them have little or no purchasing power (ie: enough money to demand “this” over “that” feature or type of engine in a new vehicle) then you’re the one who’s getting long in the tooth.

Ever hear of the used car market, a shop manual and some tools? Until I can afford better, brand new that’s what I do.

And as a result, Toyota doesn’t get my business: They do not offer anything that I want that I can afford. And I won’t buy anything I don’t really want to live with.

I wonder if all of you bagging on this are closer to retirement date than your graduation date???

Just another steaming pile of ‘Pimp my Ride’ cr@p.

(Had Scion added a turbocharger, intercooler, and sport suspension… then I’d have been interested)

There goes the economic advantage…which means that it will sell by just its looks?

I think I’m showing my age.

Even so it looks like one seriously ugly car.

xA – too small. Funny shape eventually settled into “no” catagory for me.

xB – Funny shape eventually became “yes” on this one, but it looks too tall to be fun to drive

tC – looks nice, but I want the practicality of a sedan.

Scion seems poised to make a mazda-3-but-cheaper-and-more-attractive that would be hard to resist buying.