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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  Love it but mileage is bad - 2005 Scion xA
  By George - June 12 - 10:53 pm

  I love my Scion: Style, audio, interior, exterior and its ride. I am not happy with the mileage. Has gotten as low at 25mph and no more than 32. That is the reason I bought it. It seems through all the reviews that all the others are doing great on mileage. Other than the mileage it is a great car. I hope the mileage changes with time.

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  Great first car - good long commuter - 2004 Scion xA
  By shipwright - April 21 - 10:00 am

  I purchased this car not for its looks (which are decent), its cargo capacity (which is small but again decent - took 15 medium sized parcels and a dolly with the rear seats down), or its numerous standard features (great CD sound system, AC, power everything), but for its great mileage! I commute 50 miles to and from work each day, and I gotta have a gas sipper! My last Toyota, a 4Runner, lasted 14 years and 300000 miles for losing the head gasket, but the mileage was half what Im getting with the SCIONl. I think Ill like this little chihuahua!

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  Mixed Feeling about Special Edition #1 - 2005 Scion xA
  By DRiley - April 2 - 8:33 am

  Really cute car, great styling. Still enjoy looking at after 7K. The 17" sports wheels look fantastic but make for a rougher ride. Seat comfort ok for up to an hour. Handles road well and feels safe, sporty, and fun. Great radio/CD. Often (daily) there are multiple rattles AND a buzzing around the speedometer (when it is cold) that gets very loud (competes with radio at 40!)--makes me want to walk away from it. Dealer cant hear rattles consistently enough to fix...ahhhh! Very dissappointed in the mpg--the best I have ever gotten is once 31 on a 3-hr freeway drive. More typical 27-29 hwy. (What happened to 37 hwy?) After market sunroofs Ive seen better quality mine (factory).

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  Im Impressed - 2006 Scion xA
  By jmr986 - February 6 - 1:23 pm

  I went looking for a car for my 16 year old. I started looking at beaters and ended up with the Scion xA. We all piled in (four of us) for a test drive and I was hooked. For the money there is nothing equal in value and quality. Yes the Honda Fit and Nissan Versa, are great cars too but youll probably pay $2,000 or more for them. Resale values are high for Scions and its a Toyota. A comparable Corolla will cost your more. I like the ala carte options. Plus, the no haggle pricing is kind of nice too. It would be nice to have more power, but for its intended audience it has just enough. I must confess Im considering the xB and loading it up, and Im not its target market...Im 54 years old!

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  Not for everybody; great for me - 2005 Scion xA
  By WML - December 17 - 4:33 pm

  Had it for two weeks now but I researched for over a year to decide on which car to buy. I wanted just a trendy, fuel-efficient car to "get me there." Nothing else comes close in this class of sub-$15k cars (why is it a sedan here?). And Toyota reliability -- enough said. I drive long distances on weekends and its great for that. Power/weight ratio makes it light and zippy. Feels very solid, steering is weighty and substantial. The ride is very bumpy, though. You feel everything on the road and it seems like nothing is dampened. I opted for the side airbags, which is an expensive option but better safe than sorry. Fuel economy is less than advertised; maybe 33 on the highway

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  Fun car to drive, but not at night. - 2006 Scion xA
  By Thor - December 4 - 1:36 pm

  I like this little car. I enjoy driving it, but not at night. It feels weird driving at night because you dont see the steering that well with the dark interior.

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  My Review - 2006 Scion xA
  By MMMurano - December 1 - 12:33 pm

  My car is perfect for city driving as well as road trips. I fit in almost any small parking space and the fuel efficiency is one of the best Ive experienced. This is a great first car for the younger generation because it is reliable, very easy to maintain, and affordable in the long-term. I love it.

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  Rating my xA R.S. 1.0 - 2005 Scion xA
  By Mike Angelo - October 20 - 12:36 pm

  Great auto, gets lots attention. People ask "what kind of car is it?"

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  Needs reliability improvements - 2004 Scion xA
  By cwalker5 - September 20 - 11:46 am

  Bought a leftover in March of 2005. Ive put on 55,000 miles since then. Had to replace both rear wheel bearings. The little Scion requires a whole hub assy. with integral reluctor be purchased, as the unit cannot be disassembled. $350.00 each. Add in some labor and it gets expensive fast. A cracked heater core also came at 44,000 miles. Wheel bearing failures and heater core breakage are not common failure modes on modern cars. The fact that the parts are not simple, reasonably priced or factory covered items makes me say, "Stay away from this car." I dont plan to get another one of these. If Scion recalls these and fixes them I might change my mind. Right now, no way.

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  What Gas Crisis? - 2006 Scion xA
  By Rich - June 4 - 6:10 pm

  The average gas mileage for my xA at 2,100 miles is 35.8. I keep it at 65 mph for the most part. This car is comfortable enough for my 55 mile drive to work. I would recommend this car to anyone.