The new xB: Scion's icon loses rough edges

The new xB, on sale now, is more powerful and smoother-riding. But Scion was known for not appealing to everyone.

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An optional stereo for the xB offers the ability to add your own brief videos that became "skins" - something like screensavers - that play behind the information on the small screen.
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After I returned from my visit with the new Scions, I wanted to know what others thought about the steps Toyota had taken with these new models.

Clearly, these cars are improved in most ways but will they drive away some of Scion's core buyers?

"I think the answer is yes," said Brain Moody road test editor for Edmunds.com, "but they obviously were going for a broader appeal"

The customers Scion risks losing may not have been, from a business standpoint, the most desirable.

"Yes, they will alienate that tiny market that was there before, the market for 1.4-liter really tiny vans," said Jim Hossack, a consultant with automotive market researchers AutoPacific.

As you might guess, Hossack isn't terribly concerned that this might harm Scion's future prospects.

Besides, a car brand that relies on being hip and cool needs to move on at some point because coolness turns sour quickly. Better to go back to the basics.

"Most people will find the new xB a more satisfying vehicle to drive," Hossack said.

Scions core owner group is also aging. That means their needs and wants will change, said Dave Terebessy, a market analyst CSM Worldwide.

"Generation Y has actually been in the workforce for several years now," he said.

A few improvements and a little loss in fuel economy probably won't drive them away, but the new cars will open the brand up to owners who might not have wanted to deal with the old versions

"It's really about whether the brand delivers on its core values," said Terebessy.

And the cars are still edgy, cheap and relatively efficient.


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Most stock quote data provided by BATS. Market indices are shown in real time, except for the DJIA, which is delayed by two minutes. All times are ET. Disclaimer. Morningstar: © 2018 Morningstar, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Factset: FactSet Research Systems Inc. 2018. All rights reserved. Chicago Mercantile Association: Certain market data is the property of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. and its licensors. All rights reserved. Dow Jones: The Dow Jones branded indices are proprietary to and are calculated, distributed and marketed by DJI Opco, a subsidiary of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC and have been licensed for use to S&P Opco, LLC and CNN. Standard & Poor's and S&P are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC and Dow Jones is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC. All content of the Dow Jones branded indices © S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC 2018 and/or its affiliates.