In the end, green beat out ugly. I’m talking about my new, pre-owned car, the Scion xB. I’ve never liked this box on wheels since its 2005 debut, never imagined that I’d one day be a proud owner of said box.
Our 1996 Corolla had been dying in parts lately, so my husband and I were shopping for a replacement. Our biggest priorities were: fuel economy (the Corolla could still average 33 miles per gallon), space (we were unable to fit our daughter and all our camping equipment into the Corolla on our recent trip) and price (this, unfortunately, ruled out hybrids).
I thought this was finally my chance to get an SUV. I’ve always had a soft spot for those sporty vehicles despite their bad eco rap. But the ones we were interested in (namely the RAV4 and CRV) averaged 22 mpg, which seemed a big dip for a bit more space. Our test drive of an older RAV4 found the interior space underwhelming. For the steep price tag, it seemed only slightly larger than our Corolla. We also tested a Ford Focus wagon. The price was right – very cheap – but I had doubts about its reliability. As our only family car, we wanted a reliable workhorse, which, to us, meant Toyota or Honda. Subaru would have been a viable option if they offered front-wheel drive in their wagons (all-wheel drive is just another drain on fuel economy).
Once we rethought our space needs (on a daily basis, we just don’t need SUV-sized space), we determined a small wagon and removable roof rack could do the job more economically. This led us to the Matrix and Scion xB.
I resisted looking seriously at the Scion (ugly box! ugly box!), but then my practical nature won out. In print, it met all our priorities; I had to try it. When I actually climbed inside the xB and drove it for the first time, I was sold.
It’s not ugly on the inside. It’s surprisingly roomy, stylish and raised enough that it still feels like you’re driving an SUV. And with all that extra space, it still averages close to 30 mpg. Plus, even though it is 10 years newer than our Corolla, it barely bumped up our insurance.
And here’s a bonus I discovered after the fact: According to one research firm’s “Dust to Dust” assessment (figuring ‘cost per lifetime mile’), the Scion xB was the greenest vehicle available in 2007. Be still my little eco heart.
Fuel Flexible Vehicles
Driving Green
Green air filters
