The box shifts swiftly enough, but economy is still its reason for being. And before someone tells me that I could have used the manual mode to shift gears myself, what's the point of constantly rowing between 2nd and 3rd?
As much as I dislike the interior design of this vehicle, the 4-speed transmission and its Stingray Metallic colour, I can't flat out diss the xB. What I can do is compare it to the Jeep Compass and Patriot, the Dodge Journey or for a few grand more, a Hyundai Tucson or Kia Sportage. Then, there's the upcoming Chevrolet Orlando which will (presumably) knock the doors off the Scion for more or less the same coin. This is a really tough crowd.
As is, the current xB has been around since 2008 (in the US and elsewhere in the world, under other brands) and was refreshed for 2011 to make it “new” for Canada. I think that in order to keep things fresh and desirable, the next xB should come sooner rather than later. With the influx of cool new subcompact and compact cars such as the 5-door Hyundai Accent and Ford Focus for less or the same kind of money, the xB's competition is fiercer than it can handle.
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| I think that in order to keep things fresh and desirable, the next xB should come sooner rather than later. (Photo: Matthieu Lambert/Auto123.com) |
As much as I dislike the interior design of this vehicle, the 4-speed transmission and its Stingray Metallic colour, I can't flat out diss the xB. What I can do is compare it to the Jeep Compass and Patriot, the Dodge Journey or for a few grand more, a Hyundai Tucson or Kia Sportage. Then, there's the upcoming Chevrolet Orlando which will (presumably) knock the doors off the Scion for more or less the same coin. This is a really tough crowd.
As is, the current xB has been around since 2008 (in the US and elsewhere in the world, under other brands) and was refreshed for 2011 to make it “new” for Canada. I think that in order to keep things fresh and desirable, the next xB should come sooner rather than later. With the influx of cool new subcompact and compact cars such as the 5-door Hyundai Accent and Ford Focus for less or the same kind of money, the xB's competition is fiercer than it can handle.
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