My '09 Scion xB is an example of a car that really tried to be great. I'm not kidding; for what you pay for this car, it has a lot of things to admire. It has better than average gas mileage, lots of welcome headroom, a rear seat that actually has room for people, and a boxy appearance that is contemporary and distinctive. What I do NOT like about it is that it does not have a comfortable arm rest. "Big deal", you might say, but if you drive an automatic, your right arm is just about useless and you need someplace to rest it. The Scion Xb has this piddling little piece of cloth-covered plastic that is as about as comfortable to rest your arm on as a salami covered in wax paper.

The first time my wife and I set eyes on the Scion xB the first words out of her mouth were, "It looks like a hearse. We were skeptical but the salesperson swore it was perfect for us. Still doubtful, we got in to take a test drive. As soon as we stepped in the first we noticed was how spacious it was. I am 6 feet tall and even in the back seat leg room has never been a problem. Starting to drive I noticed how responsive the car is. It takes turns and hills very well. It also comes with an above average factory sound system. The back seats fold down, creating even more space. This is essential for us, as we are constantly filling it with biking, hiking and camping gear for trips. All the small things you want in a car are there too: plenty of cup holders and little nooks with hidden storage space. This is not essentially but our model also came with a sun roof which is nice. The only negative I can think of is the car seems to get about 20-25 mpg. That is not horrendous but my sister has a KIA Soul that is similar and gets better gas. Overall if you can learn to accept (or even love) the boxy exterior you will love this car. The gas mileage may not be as good as other comparable cars but it more than makes up for it with it's handling and space.