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2008 Scion xD - Comfort

Front Comfort
Head, leg and hip room up front are all pretty good for a car this size. Front seat comfort was mediocre. Seat firmness seems just about right, though lack of thigh support and low seating position made it less than ideal. Lower back pain set in after an hour on the road. The sport steering wheel had a nice heft. The tilt function moves the wheel and the instrument cluster, keeping the view of the gauges unobstructed. It is an easy car to get in and out of, thanks in part to grab handles above both doors.

Rear Comfort
Rear seats are more comfortable than up front because they sit higher.Headroom diminishes in the back because of the stadium seating, but that’s made up for with decent leg room. Even with the front passenger seats far enough back for average adults, there’s room for adults in the rear seat. Foot room is also very good, except for the center position. It’s a little harder to get in and out of the back seats because of the higher position. Rear passengers also have grab handles above both doors.

Interior Noise
Small economy cars aren’t going to compete with big luxury sedans on noise, and the xD is no exception. The xD serves up some wind noise from the mirrors and road noise from the rear, but neither is especially loud. The 1.8- liter engine is a bit noisy on acceleration, about the same as the Toyota Corolla or the xB. Taking it all into account, noise wasn’t so much as to be annoying or really compete with the audio system. That’s a nice plus in a subcompact economy car.

Visibility
Despite a smallish greenhouse and rear window and large C-pillars, visibility to the back is good with rear headrests down. With all three up, the view to the rear becomes cluttered. The view is also good out the front and sides. The outside mirrors are large enough and, coupled with good all-around visibility, make the xD an easy car to maneuver in traffic.