2010 Scion xD - Quality Review

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Given the price range of the Scion xD, the seating and interior materials are nicer than expected. While the front seats are supportive for quick drives, taller drivers will find the lower cushions just too short, a common complaint in small cars. The backseat slides six inches back and forth, and the rear seatback-which is split 60/40-can recline 10 degrees. That feature helps with headroom, which is tight in back due to the stadium seating that raises rear riders above their front-seat counterparts. With the rear seatback up, there's just 10.5 cubic feet of cargo space. But folding the seats expands the volume to almost minivan size, an impression reinforced by the numerous interior storage bins and cubbyholes. Fit and finish is typical Toyota, which is to say that assembly quality is top-notch and materials are respectable. 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.

The front seats, finds MyRide.com, are "mediocre," and while seat firmness "seems just about right, lack of thigh support and [a] low seating position made it less than ideal." In fact, they continue, "lower back pain set in after an hour on the road." Perhaps as a concession for the lack of headroom in the rear of the xD, the backseats "slide six inches and recline up to 10 degrees," observes Automobile Magazine, which gives the xD's interior a demerit for "limited headroom." Still, ConsumerGuide is not impressed: "The seat is high set, but entry and exit suffer from fairly narrow door openings. Limited legroom means even smaller passengers will be cramped." Car and Driver, in a subcompact comparison where the Scion xD placed eighth out of nine, reports that the xD suffers from an "Asian-shop-girl driving position" (whatever that means) and "the driving position is too buslike, the seat cushion feels like a dome." Edmunds reports "84.5 cubic feet of passenger volume."

Edmunds notes "there's slightly more cargo room in the Honda Fit, but the 2010 Scion xD offers enough for most people...Some hidden cubbyhole storage beneath the load floor in back is also available." MyRide.com details the little things: "The front doors have a storage bin with bottle holder. Things get a bit more spartan in the back: only one cupholder at the back of the center console." Kelley Blue Book appreciates its "storage for odds and ends up front, including an upper and lower glovebox on the passenger's side."

ConsumerGuide complains that "the engine buzzes under acceleration, and there's lots of tire noise on all except smooth asphalt." Automobile Magazine, too, finds fault with the xD's refinement: "All of the xD's square edges don't help with wind noise, which at speed competes with road noise that's translated through relatively wide 195/60HR-16 tires." MyRide.com sums it up nicely: "Small economy cars [won't] compete with big luxury sedans on noise, and the xD is no exception."
The 2010 Scion xD's fit and finish are generally praised by reviewers. "The sport steering wheel had a nice heft," asserts MyRide.com. "The tilt function moves the wheel and the instrument cluster, keeping the view of the gauges unobstructed." Car and Driver joins the chorus: "Its doors close with a reassuring think, and bumps don't rattle through the cabin," adding that the interior plastics are "more upscale" than its competitors'. Edmunds remarks, "There isn't a surface on the xD's interior that lacks the feel of nicely textured quality."