“Hey, this thing looks vaguely familiar, Scotty G. Are you sure this isn’t a Scion xB?!” Yes, sir/ma’am, I’m sure. Although good eye! This is a Japanese market 2000 Toyota bB with AWD (I know!) and the seller, The Import Guys, has it posted here on craigslist in Ferndale, Washington. They’re asking $12,900, here is the original listing, and thanks to Curvette for the tip!
This two-boxer (as in, a two-box design, not as in only checking two boxes) Toyota bB is, what, a car? A van? An SUV? All of the above? I’m not sure what’s going on with the grille, some sort of aftermarket insert, like the chrome fender flare trim and chrome mirror caps. If those can all come off without ruining the paint, they would be off in the first hour. Toyota offered the bB in two generations from early 2000 until mid-2016, and this Black Cherry example looks like new, aside from the Pep Boys chrome accents. “Yellow Hat” may be the Japanese market equivalent of the big-box auto parts chain store.
Remember Scion? We got the Scion xB here in the U.S. from 2003 for the 2004 model year until the end of 2015. The first-gen models, similar to this cool, boxy little number, would be made for the 2004 through 2006 model years. Sadly, Toyota made the second-generation models much better, but they lost the cool, edgy look of the first-gen xB model. This Toyota bB is very similar, other than having right-hand drive, but it was never sold in North America. If they had 4WD/AWD on the Scion xB here, I would 100% have gotten one.
Isn’t that a fun little shape? I wanted what Scion called the xB RS (release) 1: a Hot Lava Orange model with a rear spoiler and other go-fast goodies. Without AWD, however, it probably wouldn’t have been a good vehicle for the upper-Midwest with five months of snow and ice. Also, as weird as this sounds, it wasn’t orange enough for me. In person, it’s more of a burnt orange, and that isn’t orange in my world. It looked more like a leisure suit burnt orange color than a cool vehicle orange color, as I had hoped it would.
The hard part about this bB is that it’s a right-hand drive vehicle. I know, once you get used to them, etc… Plus, this one has an automatic transmission rather than a manual. That automatic probably makes it a bit easier to drive, but not as much fun. These were built on Toyota’s “New Basic Car” (NBC) platform, which could be had with either front-wheel drive or AWD. The ability to have AWD (although it’s badged as 4WD) in a small, versatile, reliable, fuel-efficient vehicle like this would be handy.
The interior looks basically like new, which it should on a vehicle with just 17,274 miles (27,801 km). The seats are flat, but that’s what they make $50 foam driving seat pads for. I have one and would never be without it for the amount of seat time I spend behind the wheel. Sadly, we don’t get to see the small rear cargo area; the seller doesn’t pop the hatchback for us. There are also no underside photos, and I’d want to see those on a Japanese market vehicle.
But they do show an engine photo! Nice. This is Toyota’s 1NZ-FE VVT-i (that’s a yapper full), which is their transverse-mounted 1.5-liter DOHC inline-four with variable valve timing (VVT) and around 108 horsepower and 105 lb-ft of torque when new. The unique AWD system uses what Toyota called a V-Flex II system, giving torque-on-command with a viscous coupling, and it’s as seamless as you’d expect. Backed by a four-speed automatic, power is sent to all four wheels as needed in this unique little package. Have any of you heard of a Toyota bB?
I really liked the xB. It was a cute and practical design, and felt like a normal passenger car with a fair amount of extra load space. Useful and friendly. Knew about the Toyota badging for other markets, but only ever saw/drove Scions. Always wanted to hop one up a bit, for which the AWD would have been a benefit….
Sadly, almost all the xBs I’ve seen were treated like disposable cars, and I haven’t found one in decent shape. I’d be tempted if I did.
However, I was more attracted to the Nissan Cube, which in JDM form — I spent a few weeks with one, before the U.S. version arrived — had a stronger Weirdness Factor. It was in RHD form, and easily adapted to. I expect the bB would be no more difficult.
As a side note: anyone remember “WiLL”? That was Toyota’s pre-Scion entry in the small-and-strange category. I remember the company debuting it at an auto show, but pulling the plug very soon thereafter.
My daughter had a 2011 Cube as her first car, We bought it for 5K with something like 80K on the engine, It never left her stranded and was the only car she ever noticed or wanted, so I figured, why not? I got the only car I ever wanted as my first car too. In my case, it was a ’73 Barracuda.
Another great choice, Scotty.
come on. this is no barn find just a used shoebox
No, it’s a used toaster.
I love my 2006 xB and have well over 200,000 miles on it. Many of the owners hanging out on the forums have similar mileage, that engine is bullet proof. But the AWD model does not use the 1.5 liter engine, it has the smaller 1.3 liter version.
The 1.5 liter engine makes 108 hp. My wife has A 2000 Toyota Echo with 200,000 miles and still going strong !!! It has the same engine!
Thanks, Bill. I saw a range of 97hp to 108hp. Some sites said 100hp and some said 105hp. I went a little conservative, but just changed it to 108.
I had no idea Toyota even made this with AWD. I always liked the little boxy cars. In fact, we’ve had a number of Kia Souls. And liked all of them. The RHD would take some getting used too for me, if it were a stick shifting with my left hand after how many decades shifting with my right both personally and professionally would take me some getting used too. Neat little car, and I enjoyed your write up Scotty. And also, thanks to Curvette for finding this little AWD Toyota. I like it!!!
Here in Australia Toyota sold a similar looking vehicle called the Rukus. It was fitted with 2.4 litre engine and all with 4-speed auto. It is a car I thought was great – small, boxy and plenty of power. Sadly, I think it was only sold for three years. I think sometimes good cars are removed from sale because they take away sales of less popular models.
Never ceases to amaze me, how there are such varied interests in the car hobby. How the author can have enough interest to present an actual full length article on something like this, when I’d have 4 words to say, all negative, and why I’d make a lousy journalist. I’ve said before, you always see these types of “boxes” bobbing in flooded Asian streets during a typhoon. Naturally, all about application, and not many Trans Ams in downtown Hong Kong, just as very few of these on I-70. It’s only a matter of time, these big dually pickups will fade, and I fear, from now on, fuel is going to be a top concern, and the market will gradually morph into this. It happened in 1929, 1941, and 1973, and will probably happen again. One guess as to what car makers will offer. At $7.50/ gallon, it won’t be diesel pickups.
Hey Howard, that just proves the ol’ saying, “There’s an ___ for every seat!” I’d take this over a dozen muscle cars; that’s just what I like, vehicle-wise. Right-hand steering, not so much, but little oddball vehicles. Wait, I love dually pickups, too, dang it. I can’t make up my mind now.
Totally agree on the ___ for every seat Scotty, my problem is I love any car that is interesting for whatever reason. If it’s a 20 yr old Corolla but was owned by a preacher and only has 5000 original miles, to me that’s interesting. I love and have owned many corvettes and muscle cars but also a GTI, Mini Cooper, Mazdaspeed 3, many Hondas and BMWs as daily drivers. My son has had an XB for many years and loves it. To each his own and I respect that.
I kind of got that feeling from what you submit Curvette. You’re like many of us on here. We simply like lots of vehicles. And if it’s a K car or a Corrolla with low miles driven by a preacher or Little Old lady from Pasadena, thats what makes it interesting to me. Don’t get me wrong I like GTOs and Mustangs and AMXs too, but a simple mint condition all original One family owned Rambler with a 6 and a 3 speed on the column will just get my attention every time. It’s just how I roll ( pun intended)
I had a Scion XD. Probably the most reliable, and economical car I ever owned, and fun to drive (with aluminum wheels and the right tires)! It saved my life too, landing on the roof and sliding 80 feet along the grass gently into a tree (15 feet below the highway grade). I rolled down the power window, unbuckled my seatbelt, dropped onto the headliner, and crawled out! (the passenger cage was perfectly intact although the roof was crushed down about a foot in the middle above the windshield). My life flashed before my eyes after the impact with the end of the guard rail and before the somersault-(it’s true, that happens) but the Toyota engineers built a solid product and I am not only grateful, but impressed! Scions are great cars, and I’m sure this Toyota badged version will give years of reliable service. (PS-never use cruise control on an FWD car when it’s raining).
Total car lust when the XB came out. I bought a new one off the showroom floor. Fun, practical and Toyota really stepped up with the marketing. The put on events such as a scavenger hunt in San Francisco. Scion Night (members only) at Marine World. Concerts and car shows. It was a lot of fun.
The older models look like a Beluga Whale in the front. 😳 We had a 2013 that we liked…to begin with but had to let someone else enjoy it. I just never got accustomed to it. So I reckon I could say two of the happiest days of my life were when we bought it and when we sold it. 😂 I reckon that’s why they make chocolate and vanilla.
Well you can pay this seller their asking price or you can go to a website called cars from Japan and buy it for $5-7k and cruise it for a while then try to sell it for what this person is asking
Okay, I’ll say it, the box that the Xa came in.
Seriously, these are great little cars. Purposeful in design and enough power to use without breaking things. AWD, too? Sign me up.
“Yes, I would.” (sought 1 for several months awhile back). Scion hada kouwell sporty model for 2, 3 yrs (’13, 14, 15?): https://www.cargurus.com/Cars/listing/444979807?sourceContext=google&cgfv=0.33&cgfr=8&cgfab=Q&ax8324=503&px8324=p2&dnetworktype=r&cgfdate=2026412&cgfloc=en&type=&kw=&matchtype=&ad=&placement=&device=c&devicemodel=&adposition=&cp=20489805974&adg=&fi=&tid=&lc=9189567&lm=&tgt=&aceid=&cgsp=sp458516&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=20489804105&gbraid=0AAAAAD9Jm5akByNauLdomB9KBnpiIjPSO#/
i like the looks of ( the FR-S ).
THIS car: “…second-generation models much better…” was a much better driver than the face lift / 2nd gen, whatever you’d like to call it. Fashion, each person’s personal style/interest/custom differs, but I like the pre ’07 model for looks too. As an automotive “box” (best use of space) I’d have ta get it. This traction design is great for a driver (weight, ability to apply pressure to all 4 or just 1 wheel as needed) but not for off rd (I’d want the X-fer case, extra shaft, etc). I put it in my best category for use “the pre-minivans” (with other favs: eagle summit, stanza, mitsu’s MPV, colt vista, honda real time, tercell – last few w/ models in 4WD/AWD) may B not “commute” as thats one ppl want to make the drive interesting (1 last fling B4 U gotta ‘go to work’).
But never RHD. The body/mind can quickly adapt. I couldnt get the surrounding world (USA) to adapt. Everything is wrong inc passing on 2 lane, hiway travel, city drinin, any drive-up, etc, etc. Cant name anywhere: urban, ex-urban, sub-urban, rural) it works. Last, most round here came/are in this color…