Scion xB Not So Cool After All

Scions may be cool, but they're certainly not cold.

This is what many buyers, particularly in the Gulf States, have discovered after cranking up the air conditioning in their new xBs.

The AC, says Scion Vice President Jim Farley, is “challenged” in the surprise hit market of Texas, where humidity often soars as high as the temperatures.

Farley says Scion has been talking to Japan, where the xB is built, regarding detailed changes to the compressor and ventilation systems.

“It's not an easy problem to fix,” concedes Farley, “given it's a 1.5L engine and it's a relatively large car.”

Farley attributes the problem not only to the weak air conditioning system but also to the young demographic — which he says is a lot pickier. Older Scion buyers — the over-35 set — have voiced few complaints about the vehicle's cabin temperature.

Parent company Toyota Motor Corp. introduced the Scion brand to appeal to youth, something Toyota says it has had problems doing with its own lineup.