2004 Scion xB 1.5
Summary:
Dependable, gutless, sporty toaster of awesomeness
Faults:
Nothing has gone wrong. I just bought it from people who obviously didn't take care of it and left it in the sun. The paint clearcoat was bubbled and peeling is all I can really say.
Passenger side front disc brake had a warped rotor that made the brakes surge and the rear drum pads wear to almost toast.
Every single electronic door lock actuator needed replacing. eBay had all of them for under 9 dollars each and the labor was simple enough; I could do all the work with a short 3 inch long phillips screwdriver.
I replaced all the brakes and rotors, and gave it all new fluids; the original transmission fluid was really dirty (it was almost black), but that's not the car's fault.
General Comments:
This car/van/SUV/toaster is very unique looking and gets attention. The windows all around it give really good visibility; I didn't know it could be so great. Looking out the front windshield is like being on top of the road; you can see every pothole before you hit it. The interior materials and how they were put together seem very well thought out and sturdy. Everything is right and tight and crisp!
I didn't get a key fob when I purchased it, but buying one on eBay for 10 dollars and programming, it was pretty simple; a novice could easily accomplish it. This vehicle was really thought out well for every day people.
The radio doesn't have Bluetooth or an aux port, so that was really lame, but I guess 2004 is a old? The speakers are nice and the stereo is satellite radio ready.
Trunk space is small, but you have plenty of vertical room to stack things and the back seats fold down nicely, so you could get something pretty huge in this little vehicle. The footprint of this vehicle is only slightly larger than a Mini Cooper, but the height of it makes it seem larger. It has 4 doors and plenty of leg room in the back. Comfort is 7 out of 10.
The car handles kinda funny. The steering is really tight. The turning radius is insanely good. It's low to the ground so the suspension feels kinda sporty, but the engine is gutless with 1.5 liters of power so it doesn't quite match the suspension or look of the car.
I like driving fast and getting up to speed quickly, so this vehicle is cool, but not my cup of tea in the power department, but what do you expect with 1.5 liters? At 75 MPH you are at 3500 RPM; I wish they would have geared the trans to be at 2600 RPM for that speed; it would be more efficient in my opinion. If you don't mind taking your time to get up to speed without literally stomping on the gas, you should be fine. The fuel consumption is poor in my opinion, because a 1.5 liter should get 30 MPG, but this thing gets more like 22. They should have just made it with a V6 or at least a 2.2 liter or something; it would have been awesome!!! But I take what I can get and perhaps this will stop me from speeding, because there's no way you can accidentally speed in this thing, you've really got to step on it.
This car is a great vehicle for your every day grocery getter, that looks cool and drives slow. It's not for speeding around. I would get one again because I like the style and reliability.
Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes
Review Date: 8th May, 2018
10th May 2018, 11:41
2600 RPM at 75 MPH would not be practical for a 1.5 litre engine.
If it had gearing like that, it would take forever to get up to speed. You think the car is slow now?? LOL. It's geared the way it is for a reason. It's because it's a tiny engine that needs billions of RPM to reach its peak torque.
You want something with lower RPM on the highway? Get any GM with a 3800 V6 in it. Those cars were beasts, and had surprisingly good gas mileage for its size - and the reason was the engine could produce peak torque at a relatively low RPM. This is the key.
8th May 2018, 12:56
What are "drum pads"?