Overview & Reviews

The Scion brand was created in 2003 by Toyota as a way of connecting to younger buyers with savvy tastes. One of its launch vehicles, the Scion xA, was an inexpensive hatchback marketed through hip promotions that emphasized its unique style. Owners could customize the xA with more than 30 accessories available at Scion dealers. Even with this strong pitch to trendsetting youngsters and auto enthusiasts, the Scion xA soon gained a reputation as a sensible subcompact with premium build quality and standard features.

Most recent Scion xA

Launched as a 2004 model, the Scion xA lasted just one generation, as Scion sought to keep its youthful portfolio fresh. A refresh occurred in its final year of 2006, so older xAs have some visual differences and some slight variations in the interior features, including the Pioneer sound system, steering wheel, speedometer and seat fabric.

The Scion xA came in one body style -- a four-door hatchback. For a subcompact, the xA had a noticeably upscale look and feel. The gauge pod resided in the center of the dash and glowed amber, while the dashboard had a contemporary appearance, with faux aluminum trim tastefully placed down the center console, door panels and steering wheel. The seating position was high, and headroom and legroom were decent in both the front and rear. But you couldn't haul too much cargo, with just 11.7 cubic feet of hatch space behind the rear seat.

The xA was also well-stocked with standard features, including air-conditioning; antilock brakes; power door locks, windows and mirrors; a rear wiper; and rear window defogger. Scion also provided the xA with a premium stereo -- a sound system with a CD/MP3 player and an auxiliary input jack. Among the optional equipment was an 8-inch subwoofer, an iPod adapter, satellite radio and an airbag package with front seat-mounted side airbags and full-length side curtain airbags.

Power for the Scion xA came from a 1.5-liter inline four-cylinder engine rated for 103 horsepower. A five-speed manual transmission was standard and a four-speed automatic was available as an option. With either transmission, the Scion was pretty frugal, with EPA city estimates of 31-32 mpg and highway ratings of 37-38. For those looking to improve the xA's performance, Toyota Racing Development, Toyota's in-house performance department, offered quite a few parts, including intake and exhaust, shocks and lowering springs, and a performance clutch.

Buyers could also customize their xA's appearance with dealer-installed accessories such as a rear spoiler, 18-inch aluminum alloy wheels and a variety of wheel covers, sport pedals and shift knobs.

In our review of the Scion xA, our editors found it to be quite a competent commuter. On highways, the ride was smooth. The small engine didn't provide much passing power, but around the city, the xA offered plenty of pep. It also maneuvered nicely on surface roads, with a surprisingly tight suspension for an econobox and precise steering. In more extreme cornering situations, the xA felt a bit wobbly, but TRD performance suspension components were available to remedy the condition.

User Reviews:

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  Great for the Money - 2004 Scion xA
  By Pheon - December 4 - 10:00 am

  Well I bought an Xa today and its seems to be a tight little package. Try comparing it to Kia Sephia. lol. A great value. Whole car seems well rounded and hella space with the seats down. My only complaint, if I had one, is 108hp, but Im behond 0-60 at this point and this makes it there fast enough. :)For $12995 you cant beat the stuff this little car has on it. My favorite thing about this car is the fit and finish. Seems like a much more expensive car. And to top it off its a Toyata. Ill be lookin for a new car in 2015. :)

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  Im happy with it! - 2005 Scion xA
  By ringdangdo - November 26 - 2:43 am

  In the four months Ive had my Scion xA it has been very enjoyable. I have been averaging 34 mpg in a mix of city and highway driving. Im 64" and have a surprising amount of room inside. I definitely am happy that I bought it. It makes a great commuter car, but still truns some heads.

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  neatpackage - 2004 Scion xA
  By j. tarantino - October 16 - 10:00 am

  peppy at start but slow passing pickup on freeways.. neat little package and fun to drive. cool hi tech interior . car is a little on the light side. great toyota quality carried to the scion badge. good work.....

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  fun to drive in city - 2004 Scion xA
  By syedwh - September 4 - 10:00 am

  It is realy fun to drive in the city. You feel comfort in it. First time I took my X-A from Orange County to Ventura county ( Simi Valley ) about 70 Miles one way I found ride on freeways it is not as comfotable as in city you feel even small bumps or uneven roads on the freeways. Also suddenly brake at the speed of abve 60 mph can shfit the car left or right hand. Must be carefull. Have fun and ejoy it.

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  A Keeper - 2005 Scion xA
  By Miles - July 2 - 11:43 am

  This car has been great to me. And I am great to it. The Gas cap cover cable went the first year and Toyota had to replace something in the motor under the warranty but other than those two things this car has been worth every cent I paid for it. I thought it was an excellent deal when I bought it too. Got a bunch of nice options for really not much cash extra that really improves the looks and performance. Its good in the snow with the right tires as long as you drive at a safe speed and it will get up and go when I need it to. I love this car man!

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  Great Affordable Car - 2004 Scion xA
  By sunflower - May 3 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car because I needed something I could drive and not pay a fortune for gas. I have two kids and its been a great car. My son is now 5 and starting to outgrow the backseat. You definitely dont have enough leg room for a tall person driving and a person in the back seat. Other than that I have had no problems at all with it.

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  I give it a B - 2005 Scion xA
  By ben5150 - March 18 - 5:56 pm

  The shocks in my Scion xA are shot at 19,000 miles and a little wind can make it feel like a boxkite. However, I love the fuel economy and the price was right.

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  My Work Car - 2005 Scion xA
  By slicklizard - March 7 - 11:41 pm

  Im a courier and this is the car provided to me by my boss. Its a nice car to work with, as its nimble, quick and easy to park. Its got about 115K miles on it, mostly highway miles and the only thing thats been done to it is tires, brakes and a new alternator (the old one chewed up the belt). It has a nice stereo, cold a/c and hot heat and the seating position is up high (almost minivan-like). I normally put 300-500 miles on the car per day and, besides a tire blowout, its never let me down. Id buy this car.

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  Scion Xa - 2005 Scion xA
  By Wmindel - January 5 - 10:00 am

  A fun to drive car. Keep in mind, rear seat is quite small - probably couldnt comfortably seat adults. Also trunk is very small. Otherwise, great car, great mileage (34 mpg) and (hopefully) Toyota reliability.

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  Cheap to maintain, joy to park - 2006 Scion xA
  By Dmitry - September 10 - 4:33 pm

  I used to drive a Mercedes C230, but when my job got relocated, I had to get an economical car that is cheap and does not depreciate much. I highly recommend the Scion xA. It may not have the performance one would desire for or the sporty styling but over the life of the car or 25,000 miles, the only money I spent not counting oil change was spark plugs and belts. This is a dream for somebody who travels to work on long distances, wants a car with very low maintenance, utilitarian and easy to park. Four people sit comfortably in this Scion. Moreover, the resale value holds. I bought it in Dec 08 for $7,950 with 57K miles. Price has not changed at all during the year. Toyota did A+ job