It doesn’t take much seat time to realize that the Scion xB and the Honda Element are vastly different vehicles.
They drive different. They feel different. They sound different.
Yet, to the unsuspecting or unaware, they’re destined to be linked. That’s because the xB and the Element don’t look different. Both are boxes on wheels. They’re so square that they require a double take, a gasp, a pointed finger when you see one. And, as opposed to boxy cars of the immediate past, vehicles like any Volvo from the ’80s or, say, a 1991 Oldsmobile Ninety Eight, these new cars are trendy. Square to be hip, as Huey Lewis might say if he mangled his own lyrics. That’s why I drove an xB and an Element in one recent week — to gauge reactions, both my own and those of others. Some confused one for the other. Others failed to recognize either one. All, however, were cognizant of one basic fact. "They’re sooooo boxy" was the refrain I heard dozens of times with an occasional deadpan "Square, ain’t they?" thrown in. Both are targeted at the youngest generation of car buyers. Grouped as Generation Y, these 9- to 23-year-olds will be a huge group of consumers in a few years. Neither Honda nor Toyota wants to wait before gaining their favor. Honda’s advertising campaign for the Element speaks to the vehicle’s versatility, touting it as a "dorm room on wheels." One of the company’s executives said that the Element’s sunroof is removable and positioned toward the rear of the vehicle so surfers can have a little privacy when they change into their wetsuits. While the Element is sold at Honda dealerships that also sell Accords and Civics, Odysseys and Pilots, the Scion is a whole new brand for Toyota. The Scions, the xB and the xA wagon, are sold at Scion stores that share space with Toyota dealerships, although a few standalone showrooms have been opened. Only available in California so far, the xB (and the xA wagon) are targeted at a 22-year-old male with a hip-hop sensibility. Both the xB and the Element vehicles are very affordable. The average new car now sells for around $26,000. The Scion xB has a starting price of $14,165, including destination charge. Honda’s Element starts at $16,560. So why are both the xB and Element so boxy? In Honda’s case, it’s to make the vehicle purposely useful. As a tall, wide vehicle, the Element has plenty of cargo space — from 74.6 to 77.1 cubic feet, depending on the model. That enables its owners to carry things like mountain bikes and 10-foot surfboards (or all their possessions). Both its doors and its seats contribute to the practicality. The Element has side rear cargo doors that swing backward, which creates an opening that’s 55.5 inches wide. And, since there’s no pillar between the front and rear doors, the opening is useful for loading large objects. In the rear, there’s a two-piece door. The tailgate swings downward, creating a seating surface for two 220-pound people, Honda says. The rear seats are covered in waterproof fabric, while the floor is coated with urethane that makes it tough and water-resistant. Honda stops short of saying that owners can hose out their Elements, but does say that the vehicle’s floor easily can be swept with a broom or wiped out with a wet cloth. The rear seats are removable. They also recline to allow sleeping in the vehicle. They also flip up and attach with a carabiner to a grab handle, which creates a large space for cargo. The Element has been a big contributor to Honda’s success in 2003. So far this year, the Japanese automaker has expanded its share of the U.S. car and truck market to 7.3 percent — up from 6.4 percent in 2002. The company has sold nearly 35,000 Elements this year, and now plans to build 70,000 annually. Andy Boyd, a Honda spokesman, told Reuters that half of Element buyers are new to Honda. But how many of those buyers are young? In May, Automotive News reported that the average Element buyer was 41 — only two years younger than the average Honda buyer. Honda noted that 36 percent of Element buyers were under 35. But the vehicle has attracted fewer under-25 buyers than the Nissan Xterra, another SUV aimed squarely at athletically active, young buyers. Scion says it expects buyers to be in their early 30s, 60 percent will be women and 60 percent will be married and nearly 40 percent will have kids at home under 18. However, it’ll market the cars to a 22-year-old male buyer with a "command of style," said Brian Bolain, the brand’s national sales manager. "We believe that this type of individual can help us create a buzz, validate these vehicles for a broader segment of the market." Through June 26, dealers in California had sold 1,058 Scions — 699 xB models and 359 xA models. The average age of these buyers was 36. Toyota says 54 percent were 35 and under, and 10 percent were 21 and under. Nearly three-fifths were new to Toyota. While the Element doesn’t have a low-range gear that’s typically found on serious off-road vehicles, it does offer an all-wheel-drive system and has 6.9 inches of ground clearance. That makes it capable of dirt path driving. The Scion, on the other hand, has no SUV pretensions. In fact, it has a completely opposite feel. The xB model I drove came with a special sound system ($774) complete with a bazooka tube subwoofer and a button on the stereo that let me either "hear" or "feel" the thumping bass notes. Scion has burned and handed out thousands of CDs full of hip-hop, electronic and other danceable music. The car also had a special light package ($879) that shone red fluorescent light into the foot-wells of the front and back seats and even illuminated the cup holders in different shades at the push of a button. From its lights and sound system, to its glossy seat fabric and metal-and-black interior, the Scion xB very much feels like a party on wheels. Its back seats fold flat, but they don’t come out. Cargo room is a modest 43.6 cubic feet. The center-mounted speedometer, tachometer and odometer takes getting used to, and the air conditioning on every Scion I’ve driven so far has been less than adequate. There are other key differences in the Scion xB and Honda Element. The Element features a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that generates up to 160 horsepower, while the Scion has a smaller 1.5.-liter four that only produces 108 horses. But, depending on configuration, the Element can be as much as 1,000 pounds heavier. And that translates into a big difference in fuel economy — 21 mpg in the city for the four-wheel-drive Element vs. 30 mpg for the xB, and an ever greater disparity (24 vs. 34 mpg) for highway driving. The cars are priced differently, too. A Scion xB with a manual transmission is $14,195. Even with an automatic, it’s under $15,000. And it’s well-equipped with air conditioning and a good stereo. (The first Scion buyers spent an average of $15,509 on their vehicles, and added $868 in accessories.) The two-wheel-drive Element starts at $16,560, but that model has neither air conditioning nor a stereo. The four-wheel-drive Element DX that we drove had a sticker price of $18,760, making it a sparsely equipped, but very functional small sport-utility. The Scion xB was about the same price ($18,413), but it was a very well-equipped small car with anti-lock brakes, vehicle stability control, a loud Pioneer stereo and air conditioning. Boxy isn’t new in the auto world, of course. It used to be Volvo’s first name, and most of the cars in the first half of the last century were more or less unround. But, as automakers used wind tunnels and computers in search of speed and improved fuel economy, a smoother, more flowing look became the norm. The 1986 Ford Taurus is considered a landmark because it brought a flowing jelly-bean shape to the midsize sedan market. That’s what makes the Scion xB and Honda Element seem so radical, so against the grain. Reaction has been mixed. "Dude, is that cool or what?" wrote Automobile on the Element. About the xB, Motor Trend wrote, "The flat sides, short nose, and big windows suggest something halfway between a Mini Cooper and a Chevy Astro van." Tom Healey, a partner with J.D. Power and Associates, sees some influence of shape-shifting toys like Transformers on the Element and Scion. But he remains unconvinced that young people will demand cars that are purposefully different-looking. "I don’t know if these kids themselves are capable of articulating what’s going to ring their chimes," he said. Others, not wanting to be quoted by name, have bluntly asked: "Why do Toyota and Honda think young people will like ugly cars?" To me, both the Element and the Scion xB serve as rolling recognition that automakers are now taking young buyers more seriously. While it’s unlikely that we’ll see a huge shift toward boxy cars from every automakers, there’s no doubt that every company is checking out how well they sell and who is driving them.
