Scion Econobox

[SpaceTruck'n]

Is it just me, or do those Scion Econobox vans (and I do mean BOX) cause most people to break into hysterical laughter?
The other Scions are actualy kind of cool, but I think someone was huffing from a barf bag when they came up with that one!

No offence to anyone who owns one. I'm shure you have your reasons. I'm shure Its got lots of room inside. And they... Well I cant think of another reason.

[VX4EJR]

I am sorry but I totally agree. When I see these rides out on the road, it amazes me someone actually spent money for that. Quite honestly I feel the same way about the Honda Element, just more so with the Scion Box-on-wheels or whatever it is called. I guess that's Toyota's answer to makin 'em cheap and lookin stupid.

[WormGod]

I work with a guy who has one. I asked him about it when I first saw him drinving it. Said he traded in his Beetle for it just cause he liked it.... and because he is gay and inclined to like vehicles like that, hahaha. Joke was on me. I didnt even know he was gay.

Also, I know a girl Anne Marie (super cutey!) who has one. She loves it to death and talks about it as much as one of us talks about our VX. I always cut her short when she starts flapping at the lips though.... cause I just never see what is great enough about it to continue on more than "Yep, I have a Scion. It's neat. I like it in black. It...." *sigh*

In the end, ya, I am no fan of it. I joked about buying one and sticking some sort of large handle on top of it and having "Lunch Box" painted on the side. I couldnt imagine criuising down the higway in one. As boxy as it is and non aerodynamic, I can only imagine the handling and wind noise/resistance. It must feel like driving a VX with a parachute opened up behind it.

[kobie]

If I remember the marketing plan for this vehicle it was aimed at the young tuner culture enthusiast who can't afford a Honda, Toyota, Acura, etc and then fix it up on top of that. The people I know who have them bought it for the price, the space or the vast factory upgrades for very little money. Ugly as they may be, those vehicles have a lot more interior toys than the VX and cost half as much. If I had a limited budget and needed something new, I'd by a Scion.

[Offroad vx]

They're kinda like a pug dog....so ugly they're cute???

[thebear54]

Gotta agree....ONE BUTT UGLY little re-badged Toyota runt. If they gave them away with Cracker Jacks I might keep it around to let the kids play with in the sandbox...LOL
John

[dkmiller68]

I heard one nice feature is that you can use the garden hose and hose 'em out...water runs right out the doors; but haven't verified.

[Heraclid]

I checked out an Element, and one thing I did like about the Element is the rubberized floor throughout and interior materials that make cleaning it out a breeze. Honda thinks about the little things that make a big difference. Although they could lose the seatbelt that comes out of the ceiling in the Pilot.

I also think the Scion xB (look, they almost spelled "box" backwards!) looks a bit silly, but at the same time I think the look goes so much against the grain these days that it's almost refreshing. It is a generally unremarkable ride though. They don't make mention of the 0-60 times a lot! I had one wanting to race me a while back, but nothing really materialized. It would be easy to take one, though. Now you may think it's power-to-weight ratio may help it out, but no. These things weigh in at 2400 lbs. but they only manage to do 0-60 in a measly 11.9 sec. Peak power is 108 hp at 6,000 rpm, and torque maxs out at 105 lbs. And debatably (depending on whose published numbers are right), your VX actually still stops quicker. And it gets good gas mileage (30/34), but when you consider it's only marginally better than I got from my Dodge Avenger (29/32).... the xB doesn't really stand out in any one area other than maybe looking different.

[driven]

A simple comparison of the VX and the xB:

xB has 50 % more interior volume

a VX has 50 % as many doors

the xB has 50 % of the HP

the xB has 50 % of the mass

the VX gets 50 % the gas mileage

the xB cost 50 % as much new

the VX and the xB have the same towing capacity


I happen to own one of these silly little cars. It is my DD as I do 75 miles a day, and gas in the VX was killing me. I also have a 15 month old son, and as some know, the VX is not conducive to getting children into the back seat.

I still love the VX, but honestly, the xB is an equally fun car to drive, and gets the same looks and questions as the VX does. My VX with 285/60-18 is less than a body length ahead to 60 than my xB. 11.9 might be ith an auto, where the 108HP can't overcome the drag of the torque converter. In the twisties, the xB runs and hides from the VX. Don't knock it till you've tried it.

[mrtew]

I think the superboxy Scion is very cool looking... kinda the yin to the VX's yan. The other Scions are boring lookng though.

[Heraclid]

Good points, driven. They're definitely popular - I see them around a lot. But like the VX, they're not for everybody, and that's fine. Different strokes for different folks. I was just surprised by the performance numbers, and I'd still be careful towing much with it. But true to the typical VXer profile, you went out and got something different and unique. It is boxy, but like I said before, these days that's a new look and I applaud that. For the record, I don't think any of the Scions are ugly, and I kinda like the tC in particular.

Power isn't everything, to be sure. And let's face it, the VX isn't a particularly fast SUV anymore, but fortunately it has a whole lot more going for it than just that. The xB is a helluva lot more practical for most folks. I'd still like to see it run and hide from a VX in the twisties, though. I'm not saying it can't, but I'd love to see it. How hard have you pushed the VX in the twisties? You should see what Joe Black and I have done with one, and it doesn't get any twistier than that. My hard drive crashed recently and I lost the pics, but Joe should have pics and video of a WRX STi on the same course.

I used to drive a 1995 Dodge Avenger ES, and the knock against it was the power. Now I was never left wanting for power in that car - it was a blast to drive. Mine was faster than the published numbers and the auto was faster than the stick in this case. ES was an auto Mitsubishi V6 riding a Galant platform under Dodge sheetmetal, slightly heavier. Stick was a Chrysler manual I4 rated at 10 hp less. I always thought it was funny how they started putting the SPORT badging on the slower base version in later model years. But the fact was that other 2dr sport coupes would go faster for the same money or less and a lot of folks did because that was all they cared about. Dodge should have crammed the 214 hp Intrepid engine in there or something. However, the Avenger was also a better car than its competition in every other way. Gas mileage, safety, braking/handling (outslaloms a 95 Eclipse GS-T), looks, roominess, build quality, interior, great stock Infinity sound system. I'd kinda like to have it back so the VX could just be a weekend warrior.

[LittleBeast]

The Scion Econobox is definitely not attractive in my book at all, but it is by far not the ugliest ride on the road, in my opinion the Pontiac Aztec is by far the ugliest automobile ever made, and in close second anything that resembles it, and in third that Subaru four door El Camino wanna be what was it called a Baja? Oh and while on the subject of vomit enducing rides, I also cannot stand any wanna-be SUV that looks like a mini-van, because the only thing more likely to toss your cookies for you (besides the above listed rides) is an actual mini-van or even beyond that a real van. Just my two cents.

[SpaceTruck'n]

I was thinking, if you totaly blacked out the side and back windows, then painted one black it could be one BAD little SWAT Van.
Only really really small.
You could fill it with midgets, all dressed up in bulletproof vests, and police riot gear.
Like for, in the land of Oz, when the Lollypop Guild gets out of hand. Or the witch is in town. They could all pile out and WASTE that be-atch.
Kind of like "how many clowns could you fit in one" except serious.
Serious, angry, militant, midgets. All with little assault rifles.

Or paint one brown for a mini UPS van.

Or lock a Mime in one and push it off a cliff " Try and get out of THAT box! Heh, Heh.)

I got lots of ideas.

[johnnyapollo]

The Scion xB really doesn't bother me much - I think it's better lookin than the Element for sure. I haven't ridden in one but it sure has a lot of room. I could see myself driving one (not that I would go out and purchase one, but if I had a choice between one and a Focus as a rental, I would probably go for the Psion)..

-- John

[Heraclid]

The Scion Econobox is definitely not attractive in my book at all, but it is by far not the ugliest ride on the road, in my opinion the Pontiac Aztec is by far the ugliest automobile ever made

The Aztek is pretty bad, but there's got to be worse. I just can't think of it at the moment. LOL! I don't think the xB is ugly per se, but maybe... maybe the word I'm looking for is cartoonish? Personally, I tend to think a lot of the European cars look kinda ridiculous (and frankly, so are lots of Europeans). When I first saw the xB, I sort of took it for some sort of European fad that they decided to try to peddle here in the US, like the Mini Cooper. Except the Mini is actually not a new thing (originated in 1959 and still looks about the same), but it's funny how lots of people on this side of the pond think it's the new, hip thing to have. I happened to be behind a very boxy Mercedes G500 today, and the Scion xB kinda reminds me of a miniature one of those.

My personal opinion is that it is faulty logic to try to be all things to all people. It tends to water things down. I think maybe there's a little bit of that in the xB. When you try to go for roomy but economical, sacrifices will have to be made. What I love so much about the VX is that it is one of those rare vehicles that does a lot of things well. Usually off-road prowess means on-road handling leaves much to be desired. But the VX handles like a champ. Etcetera., etc.


and in third that Subaru four door El Camino wanna be what was it called a Baja?

I don't mind the looks of the Subaru Baja much at all. It's a good rally car that gets overlooked. I wish we had one running in our events in Ft. Meade.