I drove that exact Scion XD (same color and everything) until a year ago when I gave it to my kid. The best car I have ever owned and it was a pleasure the entire time.
I just got a Scion xD recently. It was a tough choice, but I like it. Can't say much bad about the Honda Fit at all - good car too. I also looked at the Mazda 3 and Toyota Yaris and other small, sporty Japanese cars.
for me, a keyless entry and the best-quality audio sound system are a must. the fact that you get the spoiler and body kit as well, all for just $1K more makes it a no-brainer.
You can't beat the XD features for the price. It was significantly more comfortable to drive on the highway than the Fit. The fit is some amazing engineering, granted, and the Honda build quality is also amazing. But the XD feels less like a leaf blowing in the wind and the more power + more solid feel is more than worth the very slight loss of gas miliage compared to the fit. Toyota hit a home run with the XD, simply a great package.
i've been a honda guy for a while (9 years), but when i went to buy a fit in december '08 capital city honda added 3000 bucks to the sticker! and they wouldn't budge, even with almost half down. i walked through the showroom, across their lot, and into the Toyota of Olympia showroom. i bought the XD a week after my test drive, and have been happy ever since. as a side note don't buy the factory armrest. it's goofy as hell.
The engineering of the Honda fit is simply amazing, the rear seats/cargo area is awesome. But, the Xd feels more solid when you drive it, particularly on the highway. It still has good gas milage, only a few percent worse than the Fit.
The Scion XD is an adorable car, it reminds me of a Boston Terrier, which also happens to be my favorite kind of dog. Sure it's not a Rottweiler or a Pit Bull, but it's sturdy and reliable. It's got great fuel economy and I wouldn't want to not have ESC. It is very comfortable for me. It's probably better for short people. I happen to be 5'3". It's too practical and affordable as an every-day driver to dismiss.
Its funny how they keep saying the Xd is based on the Yaris, (Yaris is also a great car), but in reality the Xd actually is based on the Corolla. It has the identical engine and transmission as the Corolla, and thats a big plus. So, its lighter than the latest Corolla yet just as powerful. You may want to add high performance tires, since the Xd deserves it. It quite a sporty car, yet gets over 40 mpg on the highway. Quite an achievement! The looks of a trendy hotbox, the performance of a tuner,
It depends what you really want/need. IMHO, the XD looks better and i like the extra horsepower, however, i greatly appreciate the extra cargo space in the Fit. So ask yourself what's more important to you before buying. Hope this helps. :-)
I have a release series Xd and with the lowering springs in performs much better in the handling area than a stocker. As for horsepower- you do need the ponies to get up and pass sometimes, or just be forced to follow. A cold air intake, header and exhaust will really add some punch to the Xd and even boost the fuel mileage. Plus boost the fun quotient. Enjoy!
True, the torsion beam doesn't really make me confident in it's handling potential, but right off the dealer lot I think the fit holds the upper hand. I test drove the XD and did not like the throttle, nor the steering. Both seemed disconnected(I am spoiled in my old drive-by-cable subaru). The fit is more spacious due to the torsion beam which is, at the moment, my main concern. I can make up for the torsion beam in other ways, but I just can't fix dead steering and an odd throttle.
no car with a torsion beam rear end is going to handle especially well. i've got trd springs, rear sway bar, and sticky 17's, on my XD, and it does surprisingly well. you want handling? get an Evo or a cooper s, or an si , or something along those lines. both the fit and the XD are very good at what they were designed for. i just think it's shitty that honda lets their dealers gouge customers with up to $3000 markups.
I test drove both these cars. The Scion came in far behind for me. It has much less room in the interior, gas mileage is not as good, it's ugly, low safety rating, etc. HP was not a factor since I couldn't care less how fast I can get to 60mph. I was looking for great gas mileage. So I bought myself the better of the two: the Honda Fit. Nothing against Toyota, but I think Honda makes a better overall auto. I've owned both and have had less trouble overall with Hondas.
I have an xA... Fit wasn't around when I was buying in 2004. After seeing this video, I'd say Fit might be a better bet for me. (After too many times wrestling my bike into the back of the xA ;-) I love this style of car though. Easy to park, plenty of room on the inside.
Handling with the xD is fine for most everyday bumps, swerves, jolts etc., but is a little shaky next to fast passing cars, trucks or a stiff crosswind.
I looked at the Fit when I was recently shopping, and although the car is awesome, it (personally) felt too small for me. It does have a lot to offer for the price and is a great choice when it comes to an economy car.
The Fit has a quick steering ratio, excellent brake feel, and one of the slickest gearboxes I've ever had the pleasure of using. Like all Toyota products, the xD is boring to drive and has absolutely no soul. The xD probably has a Corolla shifter assembly, which is total crap. I didn't even get into how awful the visibility is in your Scion. My fit recently got 47mpg on a trip to the Adirondacks, driving at about 60 mph. it also got 39 on a recent tank that was 100% city driving.
Honda Fit is more for people who seek agile handling and more productive uses of the car. Scion xD attracts people with the it's unique looks. The car has more horse power and offers a lot more features for you to customize. So each car has it's advatages, whether your looking for praticality or luxury, agility or speed. It matters to you.
The xD is a re-badged Toyota Yaris. Not a bad thing, but the Fit has better handling, better fuel economy, better cargo flexibility, and better crash testing. Honda does disappoint in their continued insistence on holding out desired safety features like traction control for 'top of the line' models. I am waiting to get a look at the upcoming Ford Fiesta, as well as perhaps the VW Polo and Mazda 2 before I decide, though between these two I'd take the Fit.
i too hate drive-by-wire, and the steering is twichy and disconnected. on a positive note, with TRD springs, struts, sway bar, and strut tower brace, and some fairly sticky 17's on decently light TSW trackstars, it does do a decent job going around corners. the TRD quickshifter and weighted knob helps immensly in the shifting department. but that throttle... Blitz came out with a drive-by-wire signal speeder-upper, and hopefully will soon have one for the XD. until then, i'm screwed. ;)
I would say the Fit is better. You can put a few mods on the Fit to make up for the power deficit. It is better in all other senses. I sat in both and the xD feels cheap while the Honda is actually pretty nice. Handling was much better in the Fit. Electronic brake assist? Come on Scion, that ruins the driving experience. My Subaru is drive-by-cable throttle(gas pedal and throttle are directly connected by a cable, not electronically controlled) and I turned of ABS all together.
I respectfully disagree. True, it is all about opinion and we can see from how widely those range on this comment board. I feel the XD is trying too hard to become that Ford Mustang or Lincoln Navigator. Its looks are just to over sized. The front end alone says it all with the big "I've arrived so everybody look at me" type grille. The Honda is perfect for a college student because of that loading capacity. Yes, the power is a bit latte style. But if you're hurting there, you can get a turbo.
The Scion xD is sold in Japan as the Toyota ist (just like the xA was). So, "slapped together for the American market" is false. The engine is .3 liters larger than the xA's and gains 25 horsepower, yet loses a grand total of one MPG in fuel economy (if you compare apples to apples fuel economy under the new 2008 EPA calculations-under the 2008 rules, the 08 xD with an auto gets 27 city, 33 highway, 29 combined, and the 06 xA gets 27 city, 35 highway, 30 combined).
Hm, this is probably one of the first times that I don't agree at all with edmunds, I think the fit is way better than the xD. But then again, I'm just one of those teenagers. Hopefully if I make a few modifications, it won't be sluggish on the highway.
hmmm. I'm pretty sure an Accord can't get to 65 mph in 4 car lengths (unless it's already going 60 :D). Maybe a $100,000+ sports car could, but definitely not an Accord. :) Of course, the only problem I ever have merging onto major highways in Dallas is others in front of me not merging fast enough, and I drive a 94 Civic Dx which doesn't have any more power than a Fit. Even with slow mergers in front of me, I've just dropped it into second and have always been fine switching into fast lanes.
The Scion is right down ugly, The Fit is weird at first, but a better finish in my opinion and much better handling that the Toyota Yaris. None of these are race cars, but most will do well in the workhorse department what they're designed for. If I had to chose, I'd go with the Nissan Versa (not)here. The Versa has more standard options, and more room, including 6-speed standard, even on the basic S model. Nice video btw...
seriosly ppl, c'mon, dont make assumption that the fit is a "TOY CAR?" have you ever sat in one? i dont think so, with the paddle shitfters, the comfy seats, and the well placed hand brake!!!, it beats out any small car. i cant understand why stability control changes someones opinion, its so controllable anyhow, who needs it!
I just got my xD HOLLA!! i love the car! its the better car cus is better looking and its and not a HONDA!! you drive it.. you see it and you will love it! i got mine in grey
I don't wanna be seen dead in that scion, or any scion as a matter of fact. Why doesn't Toyota make fun cars anymore? They are all so dull. The Celica was made for 35 years and they scrapped it. I wanna pop in the balls whoever is responsible for turning Toyota into pretty much an appliance making corporation.
fyi, its the scion dat look like a box! and if ur eyes are really working and ur not seeing thru ur arse, you'll realise that its the fit/jazz dats on the race track not the scion. i own a fit/jazz and its modified so heavy dat i (NA) can beat higher cc'ed cars.
ok so the fit gets better mpg, handles better, brakes better, has more grip(manages this with smaller wheels) is more practical, has more interior room but the XD wins because it goes faster in a straight line....because it has a bigger engine...this review is about as credible as the guy who said the XD was good for drifting.
the fit is kinda sporty and fun, the xD is ugly and boring...I know firsthand, ive driven both. the xD seems to be more for all of the skater college kids that like loud music, while the fit is made for people looking for a compact car, anyone from 16-60
if you actually look at REAL WORLD results, you will see otherwise...My Base 5spd Fit gets 36-37 around town, and 40+ on the highway (43 is my personal best). I'd like to see an xD come within 3 mpg of that....
["Why not go for a used VW diesel?"] ...because diesel costs $1 more per gallon? ["35 MPG on the highway, that's a joke"] The only joke here is the irony behind your comment.
The Fit looks like a toy car- I don't much like it. On the other hand, the xD is rather handsome, once you get over the family resemblance to a rhinoceros.....:)
xD is obviously very underengineered, just slapped together for the American market and their iPods. Fuel economy is worse than the xA it replaces, and cargo room is less than the Fit, even though it's a bigger car. Go figure.
The Fit wins in everything but acceleration.A few bolt on modifications available online and the little Toyota will only be able to see your tail lights. Not for long on a twisty road. The E.S.T. would be redundant on a Fit, it isn't necessary. 38.4mpg last fill up on mine. 8.2 seconds 0 to 60 with a passenger on board. Try to seat a 6' passenger in the rear with the front seats all the way back in your XD
