Car Review: 2012 Scion xD

The 2012 Scion xD Review

Full Review by Andy: Scion’s Millennial Mobile

Sociologists have been examining members of Generation Y ever since the first babe saw the light of day in 1982. Personality tests have identified key traits, including a dependence on technology, a thirst for public approval, and the desire for perennial adolescence. When the head honchos at Toyota noticed the Millennials were old enough to beg a few bucks from their parents, they set up Scion. Scion’s entry level model is the five-door hatchback xD.

Exterior
The xD is for those who want the funky panache of an xB but aren’t in love with right angle trigonometry. It’s a little more curvaceous than its bulker sibling, and far more proportional than its reviled sire, the xA. Due to a striated design line that whips around the sides, the top half of the xD is visually distinct from the bottom, which separates the hatchback from its boxier sibling.

Interior
Aesthetically, the xD’s cabin is slightly disappointing. The low-quality plastics could be forgiven if the visage was groovy and exotic. Unfortunately, the xD offers a more conventional minimalist layout, which is only offset by a few quirks like an integrated speedometer/tachometer, an asymmetrical control cluster, and triangular inset instrument panel. The Scion’s interior is attractive, but less striking than those of the Chevy Cruze, Kia Soul, or Hyundai Veloster.

Packin’ a Powertrain
It doesn’t take much of an engine to motivate the Scion xD, and the xD doesn’t get one. The powerplant garners 128 horsepower, which is a lot for the class but little for the 2,600-lb hatchback. Number crunching tells us that each horsepower is responsible for over 20 pounds of car. Contrast that with a Porsche 911 GT3 RS, which has approximately six pounds per horsepower, and you’ll understand the disparity. A five-speed manual transmission is standard. For a few hundred more greenbacks, the FWD xD is available with a four-speed slushbox.

Driveline Performance
The Scion xD occupies the middle ground between boring and boisterous. Many are quick to disparage the alleged identity crisis, but what more could Generation Y drivers want? The xD makes you appear a better driver than you are, and that is worth a slight lack of ride comfort. Pedal to the metal, the xD sprints to 60 mph in a bit less than eight seconds, a respectable time for a small car. Equipped with front disc/rear drum brakes, the xD has muscular braking, precise steering, and commendable cornering. Nevertheless, the xD drives like Keisha sings; everything must be slightly re-tuned in order to work. True enthusiasts should look to the Mini Cooper, Fiat 500, or Mazda3.

Safety Information
The 2012 Scion xD has an impressive array of active safety systems. Traction and stability control, ABS with BA, EBD and Smart Stop technology are all standard, and all occupants are airbag-protected. Recent iterations of the xD have yet to be crash tested, but past renditions garnered average scores in NHTSA and IIHS tests.

Comfort & Cargo
Subcompact cars cannot, by nature, have both high cargo capacity and passenger space. It’s a tradeoff, and a focus on one at the expense of another is not something to be condemned. The 2012 Scion xD has gobs of passenger space for an entry-level subcompact, provided you are below six foot. The 60/40 sliding/reclining rear-seat is a class rarity, and affords ample legroom. However, the xD only has 10.5 cubic feet of storage space with all seats up, and up to 35.7 cubic feet with all seats down. Those requiring more cargo space should look to the Kia Forte hatchback or Honda Fit.

Feature Highlights
The base Scion xD five-door hatchback is available in one trim. Scion built the xD to a budget, sacrificing comfort and convenience for high-tech audio wizardry. Creature comforts are limited to air-conditioning, cruise control, full power accessories, and similar accoutrements, but the xD also boasts a premium six-speaker Pioneer audio system with a universal audio interface, RCA input, HD radio, satellite radio compatibility and other aural gimmicks.

Tidbit Trio:
1. Although there are few factory options for the xD, there are over 40 dealer-installed options and a host of aftermarket additions.
2. The xD debuted at the 2007 Chicago Auto Show.
3. Consumer Reports voted the xD as the most reliable new vehicle in the United States in 2009.

Care for style and spectacular sound? Then look to the Scion xD. But if one of your generational traits includes “thriftiness,” then search the competition.

Details:
Engine: 1.8-liter inline four-cylinder
Horsepower & Torque: 128 hp @ 6,000 rpm, 125 lb-ft of torque @ 4,400 rpm
Transmission: five-speed manual, four-speed automatic
Drivetrain: FWD
Fuel Economy: 27/33/29 mpg
Base MSRP: $16,075

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