Review: 2008 Scion XB

Having decided that my 2006 Ford Focus just wasn't going to cut it anymore, we decided to do a little car shopping. We looked at several small to mid-size SUVs in hopes of getting a more family oriented vehicle. We finally landed on a 2008 Scion xB.

When the Scion xB first came out, I didn't like it. I thought it was way to boxy and just plain ugly. I was surprised when I saw the 2008 Scion as it seems they curved the edges making it softer on the eyes.

Upon sitting in the vehicle, my husband was surprised to find that he could fit his 6'1/250 frame into it and remain comfortable. He had plenty of head room, arm space and leg room. The back seat will comfortably hold my son's booster seat and two other people. There is an extra compartment tray under the rear seat that will hold small items such as headphones (if you upgraded to DVDs in headrests). The rear seats fold down for an extended cargo area. When you open the back door you will find a small cargo area. Under that is a place to put a spare tire and a small compartment organizer that will hold small tools and items.

The front dash of the vehicle takes some getting used to. Instead of placing the speedometer, tachometer, etc directly in front of the driver, it is off to the left almost in the center of the dashboard. It comes with a digital speedometer and will even tell you how many more miles you will get on that tank of gas.

You have the option of going with the standard radio or upgrading. You can upgrade to a more advanced stereo and also add a GPS system. We opted for the standard stereo as we would rather have a portable GPS that we can remove from the car to prevent theft. The shifter is located underneath the radio and climate controls rather than sitting between the seats or being located on the steering wheel area.

The outside of the vehicle is very sleek and modern looking. There are turn signal blinkers on the outside mirrors. There is only one reverse light which does make the rear look asymmetrical. There is a rear windshield wiper and the front comes equipped with intermittent windshield wipers.

Scions are one of the most upgradeable vehicles on the market today. They have many aftermarket options to customize your car to fit your lifestyle.

We have not had this vehicle for very long however are very impressed with it. It has a lot of get up and go while maintaining fairly good MPG. The vehicle is a little shorter than a standard SUV so there still is the chance of hitting heads when strapping kids into car seats. I would definitely recommend the Scion xB as a good family vehicle option.