2011 Scion xD Base
MSRP $15,110
The 2011 Scion xD is a small economy hatchback. Scion is a company that is fairly new and for now seems to be concentrating on making small to midsize cars aimed at a younger market. It’s made for people who want contemporary styling and a little extra “zip” for its class.
The Scion xD has a 1.8 liter, 4-cylinder engine that puts out 128 horsepower. It has 16-inch steel wheels and comes with a 5-speed manual transmission. It goes from zero to sixty in 8.4 seconds, and still manages to get 27 mpg in the city and 33 on the highway.
The Scion xD comes with a tllt steering wheel with audio controls, full power accessories, cruise control, and standard air conditioning. It comes with a Pioneer 6-speaker sound system with AM/FM radio, CD/MP3 player, an iPod/USB port, and a subwoofer output.
There are tons of upgrades available for the Scion xD, such as bluetooth, satellite radio, a navigation system, and TRD performance parts.
The Scion xD has the standard list of safety features: traction control, stability control, anti-lock brakes, side front airbags, and side curtain airbags. It also adds front active head restraints and brake assist to the mix. In testing under the 2010 standards, it received 4 stars in frontal impact testing, and 5 stars in side impact testing. This was in agreement with the IIRC’s ratings of acceptable for front impact and good for side impact.
Conclusions and driver feedback:
The interior has a look that younger drivers may prefer. The inside is done in shades of gray without a lot of clutter. There is plenty of headroom in both seats and the rear seats provide a lot of space.
Then, there is that “zip” we mentioned earlier. The Scion xD is a little bit faster than other cars in its class. It accelerates nicely, and may be the perfect car for the internet generation that is used to getting things done now and having things a click away, and has no room for patience. The subtle gaming/goth underpinnings in the name and the interior would seem to be directed at exactly that market.
The steering actually works better and provides more feedback at higher speeds, but the Scion stops just short of being a sport car. Instead, it provides an environment of slight detachment from the road, while the world-class audio system provides a sense of detachment from the world in general.
On the negative side, there are two main ones. The cargo space is abysmal, and there isn’t a lot of legroom in the front seat. Also, the competition is providing a little bit more for some people’s taste for the same money.
The verdict: many older people won’t like this car. But if you grew up on gaming, alternative music, and the internet, with maybe a small touch of Goth, you may feel a sense of resonance with the Scion xD that you won’t get elsewhere.
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