2009 Scion xD: Inexpensive, easy on fuel and surprisingly roomy

May 30, 1:19 PMNY Autos ExaminerNick Yost

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    2009 Scion xD, above, and Scion cargo compartment, below.

There are two ways of looking at the 2009 Scion xD, the newest entry from Toyota’s youth division.

The first - and this is obviously the view that Scion hopes you will take – is that Scion xD is the right car at the right price for the younger generation, especially college-age kids or those who are just moving out into the world. It’s also a major improvement over the xA, which it replaces.

If you squint just right, the xD looks something like a miniature sport-utility vehicle, and it is cheaper and more fuel efficient than the Scion xB, that slab-sided Boom Box on Wheels that is the most popular of the three vehicles that Scion is marketing.

The xD’s 128-horsepower, four-cylinder engine is powerful enough for all normal driving and can be expected to return between 26 and 32 miles per gallon of regular fuel when coupled with a four-speed automatic transmission, 27/33 when teamed with a five-speed manual shifter.

Its diminutive dimensions make it an ideal runabout in urban traffic, yet its ride quality is satisfactory for the interstates and, riding on 16-inch wheels, its handling, braking and steering are adequate for normal driving conditions.

Interior materials have a quality feel about them considering the vehicle’s $15,350 entry point, and the vehicle has a surprising amount of standard amenities – air conditioning, cruise control, halogen headlights, and a six-speaker am/fm/cd sound system with auxiliary audio jack and Ipod connector.

What’s more, there ‘s plenty of room for four because the rear seats slide backward and forward several inches. And, there’s plenty of room for hauling stuff when the rear seatbacks are folded flat.

Safety features -- an important consideration for parents of college kids -- include four-wheel antilock brakes with brake force distribution and emergency brake-force assist and a full complement of airbags and side curtains. Stability control, another important safety feature, is a $650 option.

Inexpensive, surprisingly roomy, lots of standard features and easy on gas – what’s not to like?

Well, the second view of the Scion xD is not quite so charitable.

Let’s start with that engine. Treat it gently and it responds in kind, but mash the accelerator down fora quick passing maneuver, and it screams out as if in pain as it reaches the upper part of its power band. Meanwhile, the Scion is not gaining speed very quickly.

How about the suspension? Again, treat it gently and it returns the favor. But, try cruising along a winter-ravaged road and it crashes and bangs its way over the ruts and potholes.

Noise? Yes. We’ve got noise – road noise, tire noise, that thrashing engine noise under heavy acceleration and a steady drone from under the hood at any speed over the legal 65 mph. Did someone forget to install the undercoating and sound-damping materials?

The automatic transmission shifts smoothly enough in routine use, but when you are looking for more power quickly, it hesitates momentarily before abruptly dropping down two gears.

After spending a week with the xD I can see merit in both points of view. The first two days it was in my possession I considered it to be surprisingly crude for a vehicle produced by the highly regarded Toyota.

Then, I needed to move a dozen liquor boxes full of family heirlooms (okay, junk) for a yard sale being held 150 miles away. The back seats were flipped to their “downright” positions, the rear hatch opened wide and all 12 boxes plus my luggage fit easily.

I was beginning to see the bigger picture.

Even loaded down and cruising at an average 75 mph, the Scion averaged 31 mpg for the trip and I experienced no discomfort from the manually adjustable driver’s seat. Before the return journey home, I averaged about 29 mpg in a combination of urban and suburban driving.

By week’s end my initial opinion had changed considerably.

I still couldn’t call the Scion xD anyone’s dream car, but I came to a new appreciation of its utility, versatility and fuel efficiency.

The noisiness and lack of power that were initially annoying seemed secondary considerations, especially when I thought of all that the car had to offer for a bottom-line price of $17,358.

My college days have long since past, but I’m sure I would have been happy tooling around in a Scion xD if one had been available back then. Of course, I couldn’t have afforded it, but that’s another story.