I'd much rather have the left-hand drive version of the bB (being sold around the world as the "Materia"). It is already designed, built, sold as both left and right hand drive, and would be easy enough to bring in to the US as a legit replacement for the original xB. *sigh*

The xB2 is a specific answer to the changes asked for by original xB owners and people who looked but didn't buy the original xB. In each case Scion repeatedly asked "What should we change?"

Scion took it all to heart and actually MADE those changes - built the car that was asked for.

Thing is, they may have asked the wrong question.

Instead of "What should we change?" maybe they should have asked "What SHOULDN'T we change?" Find out what made the box such a success with those who fell in love with it instead of finding out what the people who DIDN'T LIKE IT wanted changed...

When Vanilla eventually needs to be replaced, I will want a replacement city car, not a larger, heavier, more powerful, more thirsty highway car. If Toyota/Scion had brought in the Materia, it would have been the replacement - in fact, I might already own one. As it stands now, when I have to replace Vanilla there is NO currently viable replacement. The closest is the xD, and that's not close enough.

If Toyota doesn't offer a replacement city car, maybe someone else will (Nissan, Mazda, Suzuki?). I'd prefer a Toyota, but I will buy what meets my needs.

My blog has pages of my opinion on this, so I won't repeat the arguments here.

The xB2 was designed based on the desires of the people who did not like the original xB, not on the opinions of those who did.

I've recommended the xB2 to others, but it is not something *I* want. (This is not about the xB2 being bad in any way, just that it is not in the same market niche at all - it doesn't meet my needs.)

Since I'm in xB2 territory, I'll just leave it at that: I don't need a Camry station wagon, I need a tiny Urban Utility Vehicle (UUV).

Thanks for sharing dude, it was very insightful.

What I don’t understand is that they make “Limited Numbers” of these cars to keep the demand up, which we all can see when we look for a used 1st gen (well at least when I was looking to buy) that’s why I got the 2nd gen, I would get a better rate on a loan cause the car was new, and the price was cheaper than the 1st gen.

I think Toyota F-ed themselves, they should have stuck with what worked, people where buying 1st gens before they even go to the lot, they had waiting list. Now with the 2nd gen, they are overstocked… Partly because the economy is going into a recession, but also it isn’t appealing to the previous 1st gen owners. Some days I consider finding a 1st gen and trading in my 2nd gen cause I still like the 1st gen more… Its just frustrating.

Here here! I like the outside look of the xB2, I think it has potential. I hate the interior though...blah!

I like the xB2 and the shape of it. If everyone would get over the fact that it's not a square, then and only then will some gen 1 owners learn to appreciate it. If the Gen 2 stuck out like a sore thumb like the gen 1 did, then I'm sure more people would buy one.

The xB's have a love-hate relationship. And with the recession going on, it may have just been a bad time to release a gen that decreases MPG's.