Recently I purchased a new 2nd gen. xB, and absolutely love it! i had driven a friend's '05 1st gen., and while I liked it, the engine was lethargic. Pulling onto an interstate with a load of musical equipment (I play in several bands regularly and need a car that can haul guitar/bass/drums/keys and pa gear) was almost scary. The increased horsepower is a welcome addition to me. The squareness of the original just didn't suit me either.

I actively looked around at every possible vehicle to fill my needs. I looked at everything including (but by no means is this list complete): The Element seats only 4 and gets pretty bad gas mileage, the Mazda's were too expensive, the subcompact's like the xD and the Fit are just too small, and the American cars don't offer up anything I considered a viable option. I needed something that had the roominess of an SUV, but with a smoother ride and better gas mileage. The xB fit the bill.

So far, I'm averaging around 27-29 mpg on the highway to my gigs. This is fine by me since this car rides nicely and is comfortable. I'm only 5'10", so there are no complaints here about roominess.

I can see how the 1st gen. has such a cult following. I can also see why those drivers wouldn't like the new 2nd gen. It's kind of like the Jeep Wranglers though. Some will welcome the changes, while others won't. It's the nature of the beast. In my opinion, Scion would've fared better if they had kept the old style and also introduced a 'new' model with a new name... but then I can't pretend to understand the logistics of doing such a thing business-wise.

Don't take my word for it though, test drive one of your own before passing judgement.