Acceleration

xB, man.	xB, auto.	Class Average
4	3	4.1

Test xB with manual transmission did 9.8 sec 0-60 mph. Manual transmission has smooth shift action. Acceleration adequate with automatic, but merging and passing power lacking.

Fuel Economy

xB, man.	xB, auto.	Class Average
6	7	6.7

Test xB with manual transmission averaged 24.6 mpg in city/freeway driving that included gas-eating performance runs. Test xB with automatic averaged 26.3 mpg in normal driving. Toyota recommends regular-grade fuel.

Ride Quality

xB, man.	xB, auto.	Class Average
5	5	4.6

Jiggly but not uncomfortable on fast freeways, though test car bucked and bounced over some sharp bumps and big humps. Ride hard and thumpy with dealer-available upsized wheels and/or firmer suspension components.

Steering/Handling/Braking

xB, man.	xB, auto.	Class Average
5	5	5.4

Stable feel, moderate body lean in tight, fast corners. Standard antiskid/traction-control system a plus; small, skinny tires have limited grip, squeal early in turns. Quick steering, compact turning circle aid parking. Standard ABS gives competent routine braking, but our 60-0-mph panic-stop test showed fairly long distances.

Quietness

xB, man.	xB, auto.	Class Average
4	4	4

Not irksome at full throttle, but only average in top-gear 60-mph cruising, with about equal parts engine hum and tire drone. Wind rush modest for such a boxy body.

Controls

xB, man.	xB, auto.	Class Average
5	5	5.5

Large, round dashtop gauge cluster is slightly right of driver but easy to read. Warning lights grouped to its right are a bit small and distant. Handy audio unit to right of steering wheel suffers from all-button controls, some quite small. Below it are simple climate controls. Assembly, cabin materials in line with modest pricing, but cloth upholstery surprisingly classy.

Room/Comfort/Driver Seating (front)

xB, man.	xB, auto.	Class Average
7	7	5

Driver sits higher than in most small cars and enjoys excellent visibility, but taller ones may feel they're in a minivan due to modest seat travel and limited steering-wheel tilt. Still, there's adult-size leg room, plus near top hat head clearance from tall body. Seats firm, well-shaped, but cushions a bit short for best leg support.

Room/Comfort (rear)

xB, man.	xB, auto.	Class Average
7	7	3.6

Head room generous here, too, as is leg space even with front seats pushed far back. But rear bench too narrow for three adults, and cushion and backrests are short. No-strain entry/exit despite narrow floor passages.

Cargo Room

xB, man.	xB, auto.	Class Average
6	6	3.9

Useful cubic cargo bay, but floor just 21 inches long behind rear seat, 52 inches with seatbacks folded. Cargo floor lifts for access to spare tire and an additional storage cubby. Back seat has no bins for small items, but front offers assorted slots and pockets, plus three cupholders.

Value within Class

xB, man.	xB, auto.	Class Average
6	6	5.8

The xB melds hip-hop style with minivan practicality in a solid, pleasant little wagon bolstered by Toyota's reputation for reliability and high resale values. It's also priced right at around $13,700 to start, but be careful with the options or your xB could end up at over $18,000 like our test model.

Total Score

xB, man.	xB, auto.	Class Average
55	55	48.6

Scores for all Compact Cars

Low Score		34
Average Score		48
High Score		63