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In order to bring you this comprehensive review of the 2009 Scion xD, the automotive brain trust at TheCarConnection.com consulted with a wide range of review sources, then included the driving experience of TheCarConnection.com's editors.
Likes:
- Great value for the money
- Good crash safety
- Safety features
Dislikes:
- Skimpy front seats
- Rear stadium seating impedes headroom
- Premium sound system doesn't include premium speakers
The 2009 Scion xD replaced the xA in 2008 as the smallest model from Scion, Toyota’s line of small cars aimed at young buyers. The 2009 Scion xD shares some of its underpinnings with the latest Toyota Yaris but offers more aggressive styling inside and out.
A 128-horsepower, 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine is the only choice on the 2009 Scion xD. It’s slightly more powerful (and slightly more fuel-efficient) engine than the smaller one used in the Yaris, and it pairs especially well with the five-speed manual transmission but also works quite smoothly with the four-speed automatic. Overall, the engine has plenty of pep to move the xD along quickly and keep up with traffic even with a full load. Yet the 1.8-liter gets fuel economy that's comparable to the old 1.5-liter engine, at 27 mpg city, 33 mpg highway under the new EPA standards. Unfortunately, the automatic doesn't have a manual shift mode, and it lacks the refinement of the Honda Fit's, which features five gears and returns better economy.
From the outside, the 2009 Scion xD has a slightly menacing style, with flared wheel wells filled by standard 16-inch wheels or optional alloys that range up to 18 inches. Some liken it to a bulldog-meets-Mack-truck look, others have likened it to blocky footwear. The very upright profile affords a lot of space inside at the expense of more wind noise. The xD's front seats get mixed reviews and, while supportive for short drives, the lower cushions are just too short for taller folks, a common complaint in small cars. In back, the seat slides fore and aft six inches, depending on the size of your backseat passengers or cargo, and the 60/40-split rear seatback (with three adjustable headrests) can recline 10 degrees―which might be necessary, as headroom is tight in back. There's only 10.5 cubic feet of cargo space with the backseats up, but that can be greatly expanded with the seats folded. Toyota makes efficient use of the space with storage bins and cubbyholes. The front doors feature molded-in bottle holders, and there are bins forward of the gear selector and to the left of the steering wheel.
