February 11th, 2011
The Scion xB is a funky, frugal urban utility vehicle with remarkable interior roominess and quirky charm. But this automotive trendsetter – it was the first starkly boxy compact, paving the way for the Nissan Cube and others – could use some updates beyond the minor changes found in the 2011 Scion xB.
A 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that generates 158 horsepower powers the Scion xB. The engine is mated to a four-speed automatic transmission. The combination provides serviceable uummph for daily driving but fuel economy isn’t what you might expect these days for a car this size. In an era when more efficient six-speed automatic transmissions or continuously variable transmission are common, use of the trailing edge technology costs you at the pump. The EPA estimates the fuel economy of the 2011 Scion xB to be 22 miles per gallon in city driving and 28 mpg in highway driving. We got just over 24 mpg in a mix of backroads cruising and stop-and-go shopping trips.
The village of Stella, Missouri, has constructed a veterans’ memorial of attractive design in the center of the village. 
Barbara Kessler
Andrew Winston
Danielle Nierenberg
Anthony Swift
