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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  Limited Scion - 2004 Scion xA
  By Geolex - September 11 - 10:00 am

  Great CAr great looks (red limited scion Xa) #15, I love this car

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  My First Purchase - 2005 Scion xA
  By Chelsea - September 3 - 7:53 am

  I love my new car. I just got it last weekend. I moved from a 90 Honda Accord to the 2005 Scion xA. Its so much fun driving it and it compliments my personality perfectly. I am a small, but fun perosn and so is the car. The dash looks so futuristic and the sound system thumps. The seats are really comfortable too.

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  2005 XA Reviewed - A Practical Car - 2005 Scion xA
  By BigEd - August 28 - 8:23 pm

  This is a good, well built car. My Scion gets 33 MPG in city gas mileage. My Scion is a lot of fun to drive around also. One of my favorite features is the hatch in back. I can flip down the seats and carry a lot of stuff back there. The stereo is pretty good and the seats are comfy. The air conditioner is marginal, however. The overall quality seems to be really good. It has lots of technology in the engine and good power for city driving, but high rpm on the highway. I love this car.

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  remote control car - 2005 Scion xA
  By misha - August 22 - 9:40 am

  It feels like a go-kart, responsive but you feel all the bumps. Loud on the inside.

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  Almost Perfect - 2005 Scion xA
  By Frank Yake - August 19 - 11:26 pm

  We love the Scion xA! It is extremely well-equipped and comfortable for such a basic car. It has proven to be super-reliable and very economical to drive. It is also quite nimble. Although mostly used in suburban driving, weve taken a 1,800 mile plus trip to Nashville and back and enjoyed the drive, with one notable and irritating exception. What were the designers thinking when they didnt offer cruise control...even as an option?

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  My first new car - 2004 Scion xA
  By Suzykuntz - August 10 - 2:00 am

  I am a 55 year old widow. This Scion was sitting in the window and it was love at first sight. When the pleasent young man described all the features to me it was like they made it for me! I drove away with it 3HOURS later and I love it! People have actually stopped me at red lights to ask me what kind of car it was and to tell me how much they like it. Even my 3 grown children were pleased at my choice for my very first brand new car. It is so comfortable and so much fun to drive. I would reccomend the Scion to any one who wants a good looking,fun car with praticality.

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  Cute Car - 2006 Scion xA
  By joe - August 5 - 3:46 am

  The Scion xA is a nice little car. Its great around town, but surprisingly good on the interstate as well. People ask about it all the time.

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  Still lovin my scion - 2005 Scion xA
  By lolaprincess - July 28 - 11:03 am

  Found this car when I was getting my Thunderbirds A/C fixed. It really stood out and called to me! Im a total VW Bug Girl! They spoiled me with their compactness and excellent gas mileage. So to my surprise I found the XA to be all the things I loved about Bugs, with extra perks. A/C, 4 Doors, Great on gas, way nicer looking than my old 76:P Great Family Car too! My daughter loves it!! I also always have room for one more:D

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  Not what we expected - 2005 Scion xA
  By REW - July 24 - 5:33 pm

  We were in the market for a very fuel effecient vehicle. This is not the one! Expecting around 40mpg on the road, as promised by the delearship. Actual is about 25-8 mpg. This car was purchased to save fuel and we felt the "down sizing" of comfort would be worth the savings. For a sixty mile per day trip we now drive our 01 Nisson that still gets over 33mpg. Toyota and the dealership have said this is a "break in period", however, Ive never had a car that just didnt reach close to the mpg. The sacrafice in size isnt worth the car not performing. We bought 5speed in order to pull behind an RV. Thats when we get our best milage. When the car is being towed. I am NOT a Scion fan!

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  Love My Scion - 2006 Scion xA
  By debinbtimonium - July 20 - 12:26 am

  I love that my Scion xA is so roomy inside. I especially love that its sits high, which makes it so easy to get in and out. It surprises everyone that gets into it for the first time.