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The 40 mpg Cars of 2013

2009 Scion xD

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Curious about the newer model? Check out the 2013 Scion xD

Overview

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2009 Scion xD Review

By KBB.com Editors

Scion has, in its fairly short history, always striven to be the purveyor of uber-cool in the automotive world, looking to create true trend-setter and lifestyle-focused vehicles. What many overlook is that Scion builds products that are applicable to a wide audience of both young and old alike, as truly practical and affordable modes of transportation that don't loudly scream "budget." The 2009 Scion xD, with its aggressive short, squat stance, four doors and convenient hatchback, is a nice addition to the Scion family line-up. Although it delivers slightly less interior and cargo room than to old xA it replaced last year, the xD offers a bigger engine with 25 additional horsepower.

You'll Like This Car If...

If you want a four-door hatchback that has a solid ride, bold styling and comes with nearly everything you could or would want, look no further than the 2009 Scion xD. Easy customization at the local Scion dealership is a convenient bonus.

You May Not Like This Car If...

The distinctive exterior and mono-spec interior styling might not suit everyone's tastes, and if gas consumption is a concern, the Honda Fit may be a better choice. If you tend to carry a lot of stuff, the xD's rather meager rear cargo area may not meet your needs unless you fold down the second-row seats.

What's New for 2009

No major changes for 2009.

Driving the xD

Driving Impressions With its short, squat stance the 2009 Scion xD is capable of handling curves and dips in the road with ease, although rough road surfaces will make the ride slightly...

less comfortable. The 1.8-liter, four-cylinder engine, engineered with Toyota's Variable Valve Timing with intelligence (VVT-i) technology, delivers 128 horsepower and 125 pound-feet of torque, nearly the same as the Versa and well above what is offered in the Honda Fit. This new engine is also a marked improvement over the powertrain in the defunct xA, offering more horsepower and torque, albeit on a heavier car. As with many small cars on the market, steep hills will not really showcase the engine's power. Those who want ample acceleration from stop lights and on freeway on- and off-ramps may be happier with the standard five-speed manual transmission than the optional four-speed automatic.

Favorite Features

Organic Electroluminescent (OEL) Screen
This optional screen built into the audio faceplate on the dash allows you to display personal "skins" to further customize the interior of the car. Skins can be created and downloaded on a special site created by Pioneer just for Scion owners.

Flexible Rear-Seat Configurations
All three seats in the rear of the car can move independently of one another and fold in a 60/40 fashion, allowing you to arrange them to suit any travel or cargo need.

2009 Scion xD Details

Interior

Seating is customizable with rear 60/40 fold-flat seats that can be reclined, moved forward, back, or into the floor to create more space. The dash is simple and easy to navigate with a circular radar screen-like consolidated speedometer and tachometer right in front of the driver. The xD has plenty of storage for odds and ends up front, including an upper and lower glovebox on the passenger's side and a change box and storage tray on the driver's side of the car. Satellite radio, auxiliary MP3 jacks that will fit any player – including iPod – and an available audio faceplate that can display images and short movie or video clips are all within easy reach.

Exterior

Sitting wide and low, the 2009 Scion xD shares some of its bold exterior styling with other new Scions, namely the grille, multi-reflector halogen headlamps and turn signals with lights that illuminate in the sideview mirrors when each signal is activated. The vehicle also comes with 16-inch wheels and the choice of three different wheel-cover designs. In the rear, a long, narrow window with a rear wiper and small spoiler sits high above the bumper and chrome exhaust tip.

Notable Equipment

Standard Equipment

Like any Scion, the xD comes with a wide array of equipment. Noteworthy amenities include keyless entry, power locks/windows/mirrors with driver's side one-touch auto-down, a tire pressure monitoring system, cruise control, a tilt steering wheel with audio controls and four-wheel anti-lock brakes (ABS) with electronic brake distribution (EBD) and brake assist (BA). To get its occupants safely to their destination, the xD is equipped with six airbags and active headrests in the front row that push the occupants back into their seats in the event of an accident. A Pioneer 160-watt AM/FM/CD/MP3 player with iPod compatability and six speakers provides the soundtrack for any road trip.

Optional Equipment

Since the 2009 Scion xD comes with numerous features as standard equipment, available options consist mostly of items that are geared toward customizing the car, like illuminated door sill enhancements, sport pedals, a carbon fiber engine cover and 18-inch wheels and alloy wheel covers. A few more everyday options exist, such as a cargo cover and mat, floor mats, a navigation system and an auto-dimming mirror. A Pioneer Premium audio system, subwoofer, and XM Satellite Radio are also available for those who want their ride to be heard as well as seen.

Under the Hood

The xD's 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine with dual Variable Valve Timing offers 128 horsepower and 125 pound-feet of torque. Fuel economy with both the manual and automatic transmissions is similar to the Nissan Versa and slightly poorer than that of the Honda Fit, which has significantly less horsepower. If you're looking for the best possible mileage, stick with the manual transmission to get the most bang for your buck.

1.8-liter in-line 4
128 horsepower @ 6000 rpm
125 lb.-ft. of torque @ 4400 rpm
EPA city/highway fuel economy: 27/33 (manual), 26/32 (automatic)

To compare current market prices, check out KBB.com's car classifieds to view the new and used Scion xD vehicles for sale near you.

Trading in or Selling? Know where you stand with the most up-to-date Kelley Blue Book Value at your fingertips. See your car's value

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2009 Scion xD Consumer Reviews

Overall Rating

8.7

Out of 10

Based on 117 Ratings for the 2008 - 2013 models.

Review this car

Value

9.1/10

Quality

8.8/10
Reliability

9.3/10

Performance

8.8/10
Comfort

8.3/10

Styling

9.1/10

very bumpy and extremely noisy car.

By derek77d (IL) on Tuesday, April 09, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 25,000

10 3.0

overall rating 3 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 3/10
Value: 3/10
Reliability: 4/10
Quality: 2/10
Performance: 5/10
Styling: 9/10
Comfort: 1/10

Pros: "price, look,"

Cons: "poor fuel economy, noisy engine, poor ride comfort"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 2

"The average MPG is 24. The car is very bumpy and noisy. It looks nice in and out but its lemon. I would not recommend it. The warranty service is very poor. I will never buy Scion neither Toyota again.."

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scion xd 2008

By simo (FL) on Sunday, March 31, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 65,000

10 6.0

overall rating 6 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 6/10
Value: 6/10
Reliability: 7/10
Quality: 5/10
Performance: 8/10
Styling: 10/10
Comfort: 6/10

Pros: "very nice to drive"

Cons: "noisy engine"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 7

"Fun car to drive,great gas milage,except to cheap quality,it looks like they made them not to last,and I noticed that the engine is kind of loud!! But the car is good enough to attract others,(I usually get comments...) and save money overall!"

1 person out of 2 found this review helpful

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Aweome little car for the price

By Sammi (CA) on Monday, March 25, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 600

10 9.0

overall rating 9 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 9/10
Value: 9/10
Reliability: 10/10
Quality: 9/10
Performance: 9/10
Styling: 10/10
Comfort: 9/10

Pros: "Price, sporty, customizable, and horsepower"

Cons: "noisy on highway, non-standard center armrest"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 9

"I recently started working for a car dealership so I have plenty of resouces at my disposal for researching cars. My mom has the original version of the xD when it came out in 2008 (which she LOVES), so I am familiar with the car. My orginal choice of car was out of my price range in the end, so I had to look for cheaper options. I saw the xD sitting on our lot and decided to look more into it. I liked the price, it had everythign I needed, and I know they are good quality because of my mom's experince. So I got it and I do not regret my choice at all. For being a compact car, it has plenty of horsepower and it handles nicely. They are easily customizble (both from the manufacture and post-market). The only things I do not like is that the center armrest is not standard (to be honest that bothers my boyfriend more than me and I am the one who drives it more) and that it is a bit noisier than I expected on the highway. And the dealership my mom bought hers from is already begging her to sell it back and get a new one because there is a demand for them used. So great potential resell value."

3 people out of 3 found this review helpful

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not comfortable

By cook583 (MD) on Tuesday, February 12, 2013

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 14,300

10 3.0

overall rating 3 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 3/10
Value: 1/10
Reliability: 2/10
Quality: 1/10
Performance: 1/10
Styling: Not Rated
Comfort: 1/10

Pros: "cheap to fill at the pump"

Cons: "no arm rest, buttons in odd places"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 2

"I wouldn't recommend this vehicle,I have owned this vehicle for less then a year (July 2012),you will find the arm rest on the door is very uncomfortable an is not proportioned properly, the steering wheel needs to have a telescope feature other wise you'll be reaching for the steering wheel (tall or short persons),it doesn't ride very smooth,arm rest doesn't come standard,seats are not comfy for long rides,(re-sale/trade in value is very poor)"

4 people out of 9 found this review helpful

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I LOVE IT

By mellymel (GA) on Wednesday, August 08, 2012

I owned and sold this car
Reason: needed bigger car - My approximate mileage is 40,000

10 9.0

overall rating 9 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 9/10
Value: 8/10
Reliability: 9/10
Quality: 9/10
Performance: 8/10
Styling: 9/10
Comfort: 7/10

Pros: "great price and easy to customize"

Cons: "not a lot of trunk space"

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 10

"this was the first car I bought on my own and i loved it! it has been reliable and fun to drive. THe interior is cute and functional with two glove boxes. the only reason I got rid of mine was that I had two children and there isnt enough room for two car seats. but this would be perfect for a teen, single person or a couple without kids in car seats"

6 people out of 6 found this review helpful

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Depends on your needs and where you live

By SusieQ (WV) on Tuesday, August 07, 2012

I own this car - My approximate mileage is 18,000

10 7.0

overall rating 7 of 10rating details

Reviewer Ratings

Overall Rating: 7/10
Value: 7/10
Reliability: 9/10
Quality: 3/10
Performance: 6/10
Styling: 5/10
Comfort: 7/10

Likely to recommend this car? (1-10): 6

"I have owned this car since 2010. So many positives for the money. Positives (great comfortable seats for someone with back problems even the back seats, great gas mileage, visibility good, for the size does well on a trip but best for around town car, no maintenance issues so far, haul groceries nicely, handles well and easy to park) Negatives (I absolute hate the low profile tires on the performance wheels, much too low, had the first flat ever in my lifetime, I get very nervous in the rain or snow, windshield forms condensation after a snow, dash looks like it is covered in paper not vinyl, door hinges look like Tonka toy parts and I wonder how it would hold up in an accident. . .God forbid I find out. . .Feel a bit intimidated to pass huge truckers in this little car, Can't put down the back windows for fresh air due to the roaring thumping sound in your head, don't like the noise and feel when you turn the steering as far as it will go) If I sold or traded the car the main reason would be the tires and living in a snow area. So wish they made a 4 wheel drive in the Scion!!! I would trade!!!!"

5 people out of 5 found this review helpful

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See all 117 reviews