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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Cannot Find a Better Value - 2006 Scion xA
By Dave - November 19 - 3:53 pmI have had my xA for eleven months. You cannot find a better value. For the standard price I got an engine with variable valve timing, automatic transmission, anti-lock brakes, side airbags, air conditioning, power steering, power windows, power locks, power mirrors, rear wiper, rear defroster, a tachometer, a Pioneer radio/CD player and 6 speakers with controls on the steering wheel, a 60/40- split-folding rear seat, first aid kit, etc. Checkout Edmunds.coms True Cost to Own and note the five year depreciation compared to other cars. I have maintained gas records. The worst tank mileage was 26.32, the best 36.71, average for 39 fill ups: 30.51 mpg.
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Wow - 2004 Scion xA
By jarvek7 - November 10 - 10:00 amGreat car and fun to drive. Fell in love with the model the "Yaris" in europe in 2000. great mileage and a fun fun ride. still getting looks when I drive by.
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Good Deal for an Inexpensive Car - 2006 Scion xA
By Gerald McD. - November 4 - 7:26 amThis car is solid for an economy car. It handles extremely well, and the gas mileage is good. I drive mostly interstate miles, and I am getting between 34-35 MPG with the 5-speed manual transmission. The front seating is comfortable, the back seat is adequate, but not for longer trips. The extras that come as standard equipment (stereo, ABS, AC, etc.) really make this an outstanding deal. The only negative - it is a bit loud at interstate speeds, the engine is pushing 3,500 RPM at 70 mph.
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Classy, Fuel-Efficient, & Reliable - 2006 Scion xA
By Glad I Did It - November 1 - 12:06 pmIts been 14 months since I bought my Scion xA and they have been rewarding months, indeed. The car still turns heads while being extremely utilitarian and reliable. I get a solid 35 mpg overall (50% freeway and 50% secondary roads) and 41 mpg on long trips on the PA Turnpike. It has lots of torque for a small engine, good comfort and a commanding view from the chair-like drivers seat.
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Great fun for the buck - 2005 Scion xA
By Derrick - October 29 - 7:03 amIve had my Scion xA for a week and the aftermarket options coupled with the TRD package makes this car so much fun to drive. Its no Porsche, but it handles like one.
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Havent put gas in it yet - 2004 Scion xA
By BlueScion - October 29 - 2:00 amLoved the no pressure sale. This is the way all car purchases should be. At only 100hp I expected lousy performance, but with such low weight, it zips! 60-80mph on the freeway with no problems. Seudo Recarro seats sit nice front and back. It took about 30minutes to get used to those center guages. Now my other cars seem weird.
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Fun to drive and it pays for itself. - 2006 Scion xA
By Phil from Denver - October 27 - 11:36 pmMy wife & I both have $40,000 SUVs. When I started spending $85.00 per week to drive to work, we decided to get something economical. I started by looking at all the non-hybird cars (to keep cost down) getting > 35 mpg. That limited it to a select few. After several test drives of several different cars, this little thing stuck out above the rest. This car is packed with tons of options - plus there is a "cult" like following and they are nearly impossible to get at the dealership (which keeps values up). I am now spending $28.00 per week on gas, (getting 37 mpg, mostly city) and have kept the big SUV (this thing is paying for itself in gas alone). This thing is a blast to drive & a kick to hear "what is that!?"
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My Fun Car - 2005 Scion xA
By My Great Scion - October 25 - 7:33 amI have the greateest time in my xA, my dog is always in the back seat, and we both enjoy riding around town and on long trips in it. The gas mileage is the greatest. I will go about 380 miles on a full tank. Thanks Toyota for the Scion. From Keith and Astro.
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Good Economy Car, But Not Great - 2005 Scion xA
By Ted Mer - October 16 - 11:43 amThe Scion xA delivers good fuel economy, decent power, and has good features. Its road noise is a bit bothersome, as are a few rattling noises from the windows and dashboard. After 1.5 years of use, I have made no trips to the dealer except for maintenance. The turning radius is a bit large for so small a car, which is good for safety but bad for tight city driving. It handles wind, bad weather and city speeds well. It delivers okay performance on the freeway if youre not used to driving muscle cars.
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Loved One, Bought Another - 2006 Scion xA
By writeclik - October 3 - 12:26 pmI purchased an Xb for my daughter a year ago and love everything about it. Reliable, comfortable, cool. So when I needed a new car for myself, I picked up an Xa. It is more fun to drive than the Xb, but equally great on quality. Now my other daughter thinks we need a tC to complete the line in our driveway. I am not sure why the lack of cruise control is always mentioned, because I had no trouble ordering the car with cruise.
