2008 / 2009 Scion XD Test Drive & Review

In my continuing quest to find a suitable small vehicle to replace my 2000 Nissan Craptima, I stopped by my local Scion/Toyota dealership to take a spin in the Scion xD, a Yaris based subcompact. It replaces the Scion xA that was part of the original Scion lineup.

As luck would have it, the only xD models that the dealership had in stock were two "Release Series" limited edition Scion xD models in a reddish orange color known as "Hot Lava". The Hot Lava model (website) offers not only a special paint job, but also some modifications to the stock xD model including a Damd Body Kit, lowering springs, and color accents within the dash and the cloth of the seats.

Exterior

The Scion xD is a little more attractive on the exterior than the Playdoh fun factory minivan shape of the 2009 Honda Fit that I reviewed a few weeks ago. The xD is more wagon shaped than hatchback shaped, with a pronounced bumper leading to a sloped hood. A thick rear pillar adds to the distinctive look (but kills some rear visibility inside).

The car has mirror mounted turn signal indicators (a nice safety feature) and the side view mirrors fold in to help reduce the chance of damage. The orange paint looks sharp, but seems to suffer from the same foggy clearcoat look I've noticed in a lot of Toyota models. The xd Hot Lava model's lowered look, Damd body kit, and spoiler make the car look much sharper than the base model, but also mean you need to be on the lookout for speed bumps.

The only real knock to the exterior is the cheap plastic hubcaps on the vehicle.

Interior

The first thing you notice in the interior of the Release Series Hot Lava edition of the xD is the color orange. Lots of it. Dashboard trim is decked out in orange, creating a neat look that distracts you from noticing the rest of the dash is covered in rather cheap looking and feeling textured plastic. The controls are logically placed and within easy reach of the driver, but the controls for the air conditioning feel a bit cheap and because they were all rotary controls, made it a bit more difficult to find the position you wanted for air flow. The air conditioning also was slow to cool down the interior, a victim of sitting in the hot sun AND the all black interior.

The gauge cluster is unique, with a tachometer and speedometer spinning in opposite directions from the same point. It was tough to get used to during my limited test drive. I also found the amber/orange glow of the various instruments within the cabin to look decidedly low rent, especially compared to the nicely fashioned dashboard and lighting within the 2009 Honda Fit. Also troubling was the digital clock which looks a bit like something you'd get free with a magazine subscription.

Seating is not too bad for a car this size. The door intrudes a bit on my fat legs when driving, but I felt comfortable driving. I would have liked a bit more leg room for my six foot length, but the car was comfortable enough for daily commuting. The back seat is also somewhat tight, but with the seat all the way back, my wife and daughter were able to sit comfortably.

The xD's interior storage capacity pales in comparison with the Honda Fit, especially the rear cargo area, which looks like it might be able to accommodate a few days worth of groceries, if that. With the seats folded down, though the interior capacity becomes adequate for moving larger items.

Visibility is good, though not as good as the 2009 Honda Fit. The rear pillars in the vehicle could create issues for drivers who aren't used to using their side mirrors for positioning.

I was not able to test the stereo like I wanted to. The car includes standard iPod and Aux jack connections for an iPod/mp3 player, but unfortunately the jack was not a USB port. With regular FM, the stock radio sounded fine, with adequate dynamic range for a stock system.

Driving

The salesperson who went with me on the test drive seemed slightly annoyed that I wasn't going to buy that day, so I was only able to do a limited run on my test drive. The car's acceleration was adequate with four passengers, enabling me to get onto a busy road with minimal fuss. The accelerator and brake both had a nice feel, making the car instantly easy to drive. For a small car, the ride was reasonably quiet, but bumps and road feel were much more pronounced than in the xB I drove later that day.

The only downside to the car was the electric steering system, which provides too much disconnect from road feel when steering. Apparently this is a problem with many Toyotas. To me, this made the car a little less fun to drive than the fit and made it feel a little less safe because of the missing feedback transmitted through the steering.

Overall, though, I found the xD's drive a bit more pleasant than the Honda Fit's at least during the limited test drive. The brakes and accelerator felt more in tune with the way I drive, and the custom interior made me feel like I was driving something people were likely to notice. My guess is that over time, I'd probably appreciate the Fit more than the xD, but the car certainly was nice transportation for its class.

Conclusion

The Scion xD, especially in the Hot Lava Release Edition, is a nice looking and driving vehicle. While it is not the equal to its best competitor, the 2009 Honda Fit, the xD offers nice transportation with lots of customizable options available through your Scion and aftermarket dealers. As an added bonus, its no haggle pricing and higher availability means that you'll probably wind up paying far less for the xD than the heavily marked up 2009 Honda Fit

Pros

-Nice ride.
-Highly customizable
-Unique looks for the class
-Lots of standard safety features

Cons

-Interior looks and feels cheap in spots
-Electric steering feels vague
-Customizing the car can jack the price up quickly
-Unique=ugly to many people
-Minimal cargo space without folding rear seats

LINKS TO OTHER SCION REVIEWS

U.S. News and World Report's Assessment Based on a Compilation of Reviews

Edmunds reviews of the xD

Cars.com review of the xD

NOTE: This review is of the 2008 Scion xD, but the vehicle remains essentially unchanged for 2009.