I used to own a 2006 Honda Element EX-P and it was a good vehicle.
I got rid of it in favor of a MazdaSpeed 3 last year, but only because I missed the acceleration and pickup of my old WRX that I wrecked.
Pro's of the Element - Very functional, easy to clean, extremely reliable, averaged 26 mpg highway, lots of cargo room and legroom for rear passengers, lots of headroom, lots of little spaces to store items.
Con's of the Element - Designed to hold only 675 lbs including all people and cargo, can be tough to drive in windy days, poor stock tires, whimpy 4-cyinder engine.
Overall, I would recommend it, but if you are used to driving a smaller, faster car, it is tough to get used to.
The xB will be the same thing except it is not as functional in my opinion. The upside to the Scion is that it is a little less expensive.