The Scion xB was a five-door compact hatchback sold by Toyota’s Scion brand from the 2004 to 2015 model years. It was one of the two launch models of the marque in 2003, together with the xA, and its upright, boxy shape made it one of the most recognisable small cars of its time.
Scion xB at a glance
| Maker | Scion (Toyota) |
|---|---|
| Production | 2004–2015 model years |
| Generations | XP30 (2003–2007), second generation (2007–2015) |
| Body | five-door compact hatchback |
| First generation base | Toyota bB, on the Echo/Yaris platform |
| Engine, first generation | 1.5 L 1NZ-FE, 108 hp (81 kW) |
| Gearbox, first generation | four-speed automatic or five-speed manual |
| Second generation base | E150 Corolla platform |
| Also sold as | Toyota Corolla Rumion (Japan), Toyota Rukus (Australia) |
| Launch partner | Scion xA |
| Release Series | limited editions from 2004 |
Based on one source.
History of the Scion xB
First generation (XP30, 2003–2007)
The first xB was a lightly modified, rebadged version of the Japanese-market Toyota bB, a small hatchback on the Toyota Echo/Yaris platform. The shape was previewed by the bbX concept at the New York International Auto Show in April 2002, shown alongside the ccX concept at the brand’s public debut. Turning the bB into a left-hand-drive Scion meant more than moving the steering wheel: the front bench seat became bucket seats and the column-mounted shifter became a floor shifter. Where the bB offered a 1.3-litre 2NZ-FE or a 1.5-litre 1NZ-FE with all-wheel drive, the xB had only the 1.5-litre engine, 108 hp in US specification, with a four-speed automatic or a five-speed manual and no all-wheel drive. The bB went on sale in February 2000; the xB followed in June 2003 and stayed until June 2007.
Second generation (2007–2015)
In 2007 Scion launched a second-generation xB, retooled as a compact car based on the E150 series Corolla rather than the small Yaris platform. The same car was sold internationally as the Toyota Corolla Rumion in Japan and the Toyota Rukus in Australia. The xB remained in production through the 2015 model year.
Release Series
Like the xA and tC, the xB was offered in limited-edition Release Series versions with exclusive paint, matching interior colours and extra equipment, each with numbered badging. The 2004 xB RS 1.0 came only in Hot Lava Orange, with 2,100 units built; the 2005 RS 2.0 was Solar Yellow with 2,500 units and a $1,375 premium; and the 2006 RS 3.0 was Envy Green with 2,200 units and an Alpine DVD system. Scion’s Pure Price programme committed dealers to selling at the advertised price, and the scarcity of the Release Series cars kept their resale values high.
Design and features
- Boxy packaging: the upright body gave more interior space than its small footprint suggested.
- Practical details: the compact spare sat under the left side of a raised cargo floor, with a storage bin beside it and the jack under the driver’s seat.
- Two pedals or three: a four-speed automatic or a five-speed manual, with front-wheel drive only.
- t2B concept: a 2005 show car by Calty Design Research with a 2.4-litre engine, 20-inch wheels and half-length suicide doors.
Scion xB versions
- xB (2003–2007): the original first-generation car.
- xB RS 1.0 (2004): Hot Lava Orange, 2,100 units.
- xB RS 2.0 (2005): Solar Yellow, 2,500 units.
- xB RS 3.0 (2006): Envy Green, 2,200 units.
- Second-generation xB (2007–2015): larger car on the Corolla platform.
The xB was launched alongside the Scion xA, and the later Scion xD replaced it in the small-car line-up. More models are in the Scion collection.
Sources
- Scion xB, English Wikipedia: generations, bB differences, Release Series
