Scion xA reviews

2005 Scion xA Interior Features

For a car as affordable as the xA, the quality of the interior and its assembly are noteworthy. No, it's not luxurious, but neither is it cheap. Broad expanses of plastic have a nice tactile texture. Brushed aluminum-like strips of brightwork accent the dash and door panels. Inside door pulls are shallow, but not troublesome. The solid-colored seat bolsters bracket the subtly patterned insets. Dash-mounted air conditioning vents pivot only vertically instead of rotating 360 degrees as their round, eyeball-like design seems to indicate.

The driving position is comfortable; the seats are competent, although anything more than a long commute might uncover some of the unavoidable consequences of the xA's affordability. Pedals are well positioned, even for spirited driving, with the brake pedal near enough to the accelerator to invite an occasional heel-and-toe downshift. Outward visibility is on a par with other cars in this class, which is to say attentive drivers should rarely find themselves in difficult situations.

The instrument cluster is centered in the upper portion of the dash. This is supposed to reduce the time and eye adjustment necessary checking the gauges. Over time, drivers will no doubt adjust, but it's awkward at first. The instruments' decor facilitates an easy quick scan, with a large speedometer communicating via black-on-white graphics parked next to a smaller, white-on-black tachometer; the fuel gauge occupies the lower quadrant of the speedometer, the liquid crystal odometer and trip meter sit in the space beneath the tach.

The stereo is mounted high on the dash, above the air conditioner control panel, for easy access. Storage space comprises glove box, door map pockets, cup holders, center console and under-floor space in the cargo area.

Overall, people space is competitive with the leaders of the class, the Ford Focus, Honda Civic and VW Golf, varying by no more than an inch or so. This may not seem noteworthy save for the fact the xA is almost 20 inches shorter than the Civic and more than 10 inches shorter than the Focus or the Golf; it is taller, though, by about 4 inches across the line. The xA shines in hip room, besting the rest of the class by 3 to 5 inches front and rear, despite being the most narrow of the group. Rear-seat legroom is cramped with anybody taller than six feet in the front, however.

The Scion xA offers more cargo space (by more than 4 cubic feet) than a Focus, though less than a Golf.