Overview & Reviews

Scion is one of the youngest brands on the market -- which seems appropriate given that it's targeted at a very youthful demographic. Scion has quickly found a home in the hearts of buyers seeking its winning blend of value and style. The frosting on this cake is that Scion is part of the Toyota family, offering all the quality and reliability you'd expect from a marque with its parentage.

When Toyota realized early in the 21st century that it was losing market share in the younger demographic due to a stodgy image, the company took a chance and decided to spin off a new brand called Scion (its name means "descendant" or "heir to"). The first Scions, the xA and xB models, were introduced for the 2004 model year. These edgy little cruisers were first available only in the California market; after a staggered rollout, Scion vehicles became available nationwide.

Both the xA and xB were immediate hits, snapped up by young (or young at heart) buyers looking for high-quality, fun and affordable wheels. The boxy yet funky styling of the Scions provided a lot of passenger and cargo room for the cars' small footprints, making them ideal choices for campus and urban residents alike. They also coddled the youth market with flashy sound systems; Scion's stereos are among the best in the economy-car segment.

The following year, the Scion brood grew to include the tC. This compact but sporty coupe offered more performance relative to its older siblings, thanks largely to a more powerful engine. The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor. By 2012, Scion had introduced the tiny iQ city car and the sporty FR-S sport coupe.

In the interest of keeping things simple for buyers, Scions typically come in only one trim level. However, buyers have the option of customizing their rides with a host of dealership-provided accessories, such as a subwoofer, body kits and custom exhausts. Scion also offers no-haggle pricing wherein buyers pay the list (window sticker) price, thus streamlining the negotiation process.

So far, a simple and well-equipped model lineup, no-haggle pricing and a variety of dealer-added options have combined to make the Scion brand popular with American consumers. The economy car segment isn't typically the first place you'd look for stylish, fun-to-drive vehicles, but Scion has changed all that by offering cars rich with a seductive exuberance that belies their modest pricing.

User Reviews:

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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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  Nice car for the $ - 2010 Scion XD
  By Anonymous - June 29 - 1:38 am

  I have the automatic and Im getting around 31 mpg in mostly city driving. You do feel the road conditions when driving, but it is what I expected for an economy car. It handles well and is fun to drive. I added the factory armrest which goes in the cup holder, but the armrest has a cup holder that replaces the one you install the armrest in. There is sufficient power to handle any situation. Interior space is good considering the size of the car. If you want a fuel efficient car that has some cargo versatility then this is an excellent choice.

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  Scion Rocks - 2008 Scion XD
  By Fun car to drive - June 24 - 1:53 am

  I have driven from GA to Key West and back, its a great car to drive in city but sure above average car in the Hwy.Road Handling is great and does not feel like a small car fear factor. I own a Maxima also and closely pay attention to the quality and overall performance. Recommend this for city zip zag. Many people compare this to Honda Fit, which I think is not the right comparison due the techinal specs to start with and also road drive pleasure in this is great. But what I wish Toyota can good better is the road noise, to compensate they have a great Pioneer system which is far better than Bose which I have in Maxima. Overall a strong buy recommendation. Good Luck,

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  Disappointed - 2008 Scion XD
  By Cyn - June 15 - 4:40 am

  Gas mileage not what was promised. Im only getting 22.3 MPG mostly city with some highway. My old 6 cyl Mercedes got similar! The dash board rattles, sounds like theres a hornet in the car. Lots of blind spots, the rear window is like a porthole; the wide front struts and bulky side mirrors completely obscure pedestrians in crosswalks and vehicles approaching on the right. Visibility is so poor, I dont think Ill be keeping the car. Wish Id gotten the Honda Fit. Too bad, Scion.

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  At least it looks sporty... - 2005 Scion TC
  By big Dog Davidson - May 31 - 9:10 pm

  Ok, here goes. Ive had this car for 3 years. I live in the southwest and it gets hot. The air in this car doesnt get cold, I guess its too much Glass to effectively cool also my sun-visor broke 3 months ago. I agree the skin is too weak to absorb any impact. You will find within weeks that the acres of smooth well fitted sheet metal are too much temptation for rude parking neighbors to resist. I have so many dents and dings I lost count, and I park far away from the doors! The engine is good for the price. But its def not a sports car. Then handling is "so, so". Biggest complaint is Toyotas "debilitating" maintenance schedule. Unless your name is Rockefeller dont plan on keeping up.

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  Bad paint - 2008 Scion TC
  By Terry - May 20 - 8:23 am

  I have only put 5,000 miles on the car. I do 90% highway driving and at 65 mph get 32-34 mpg. Its a good looking car, comfortable, has decent performance with good mileage for performance level. The biggest problem is the paint is thin and gets a lot of chips and this is in summer time driving. I have noted this chip comment from several reviews dating back to the orginal car and would think that Toyota would fix the problem by 2008!

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  vinglass - 2005 Scion XB
  By vinglass - May 18 - 10:00 am

  i owne one and i love it

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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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  Fun, Practical, and Good Milages - 2004 Scion XB
  By kelvin Chen - April 29 - 10:00 am

  XB is my first new car. I love is so much in terms of its style, good milages, and fun to drive. For a regular small cars price, it has all the features I need,like ABS, Traction control, stability control, auto-lock, auto window, and AC. All my friends love to drive it around town! Its just fun to drive!

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  Good for a Small Car - 2006 Scion TC
  By Mike - April 29 - 9:33 am

  Overall the Scion tC is a good car, although it is not the best car for me. At first I loved everything about the car but the more I used it the more I realized how little space was actually available in it. It has a great 4-cylinder engine that is quicker than you would expect. The ride is a little rough and the seats are not very comfortable. However, the interior visually is very appealing. One note: I got the Scion Sirius installation when I bought the car--big mistake! The radio flashed the antenna and neither the dealer or Scion could help. I eventually I re-routed the antenna and installed a plug and play Sirius tuner and quit using the Scion installed one.