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Scion adds Pandora to 2012 xB's stereo

Scion is making new Pioneer head units available in the 2012 xB that will include Pandora integration and standard Bluetooth.

Wayne Cunningham Managing Editor / Roadshow
Wayne Cunningham reviews cars and writes about automotive technology for CNET's Roadshow. Prior to the automotive beat, he covered spyware, Web building technologies, and computer hardware. He began covering technology and the Web in 1994 as an editor of The Net magazine.
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Scion
Scion xB head unit
Scion's new base stereo for the 2012 xB includes Bluetooth audio streaming and a Bluetooth phone system. Scion

The 2011 Scion xB's premium audio system proved a disappointment, but the company has announced new stereo choices for the 2012 model. The base and upgrade Pioneer head units add standard Bluetooth and HD radio, and the upgrade brings in iPhone Pandora integration.

Scion xB head unit
The upgrade Pioneer head unit for the xB includes Pandora integration. Scion

At its launch, Scion relied on aftermarket head units for its cars, which should have kept it on the edge of in-cabin electronics. But recent models used older electronics, and lacked feature-rich Bluetooth phone systems or modern audio sources. The new Pioneer head units add HD radio and Bluetooth audio streaming to the existing iPod support.

The upgrade Pioneer audio system features a large screen, which should make browsing music libraries easy. Both head units rely on the same audio system, with four speakers in front and two in the rear. Owners can add a subwoofer through an RCA jack in the back of the head units.

Pioneer previously announced its App Radio, offering integration with Pandora and a number of smartphone apps.