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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  scion tc - 2006 Scion TC
  By tc - October 14 - 7:56 pm

  so far its been everything I wanted in a car

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  Sporty Coupe - 2006 Scion TC
  By Michael G - October 13 - 6:36 pm

  It is a treat to drive. You cant beat the price with the options you get, like the sunroof. The build quality is excellent. I recommend it to any one.

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  Even "Real Big Guys Can Enjoy this Car!! - 2005 Scion XB
  By ScottK - October 13 - 12:06 pm

  Target audience....young, hip, skinny, and poor! Yet this is the best automobile for Big and Tall people and it gets great mileage. I love this car and bought a 2006 model for myself and gave the 2005 to my son! Dont look elsewhere!

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  Great Car! - 2008 Scion XB
  By Bzell - October 11 - 9:13 pm

  Everything is great on this car the only thing that I regret is not getting the entertainment system put into it, I wish that I would have gotten the GPS navigation system and the flatscreen seat monitors for the back seats. I only have one problem and that is the FM tuner, it makes distinct clicking and static noises every once and a while, I took it back to the dealer and they said that all 08 scion xBs do that and that i should call the corporate office and file a case if I want it fixed.

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  I LOVE my tC!!!! - 2008 Scion TC
  By Jennifer - October 11 - 11:53 am

  I got my car in September of 07, and its now June of 08. Since then Ive already put 15,000 miles on it, because no matter where I go, I choose to take my car. Its so fun to drive and not to mention, its a toyota so its extremely dependable. I have a manual transmission and for it being a standard it gets pretty good gas mileage (city) and very good gas mileage (highway).

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  Warning Buzzer Problem - 2008 Scion XB
  By Ray74 - October 10 - 9:23 pm

  Drove to work, parked, and returned at noon. Dead battery. Had left the lights on. Jump started and drove to dealer. Service tech checked the lights-on warning buzzer and said “yep, it works fine”. I have normal hearing for a 71 year old male, but the high frequency and the low decibels of the buzzer keeps me from hearing it. Dealer said call the customer satisfaction line. Called, was told similar complaints had been received, they would be happy to record my complaint, and 2009 models might change. I checked other car buzzers and can hear them all. Frequent jumping of the battery can’t be my best option.

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  Who Needs a MINI Cooper? - 2009 Scion XD
  By oleladyfanatic - October 10 - 8:30 pm

  Downsizing in this economy has become a hobby of mine. While I could easily afford my 07 MIN Cooper, I did not relish the thought of the maintenance costs once she was out of warranty. $110.00 oil changes? Ive driven both Toyotas and Hondas for the past 25 years, and wanted to once again drive "worry free". After research and test drives of every compact car on the market, I easily chose the new Xd. Amazing quality for $16,000!

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  Great fuel economy - 2006 Scion XB
  By jim - October 10 - 1:13 am

  Excellent car. Lots of room, manual transmission has good pickup. Strong handling. Very comfortable on long trips. A lot of leg room for rear passengers.

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  Wish I Could Return it - 2008 Scion XD
  By Tom Gandy - October 9 - 1:46 pm

  I bought this XD with the auto trans, that was the first mistake. This thing scares the heck our of me while trying to merge into 70 mph traffic. Road noise is excessive and the ride is rather bumpy. The brakes are adequate but spongy. Highway mpg is not too bad at 38 but local driving is a dismal 23 mpg. Rear passenger space is surprisingly adequate for average sized people. Rear storage space is small but this a sub compact and is to be expected. The hubcaps had to go. I bought 7 spoke wheels that look much better.

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  My ThunderCloud XB - 2005 Scion XB
  By Omar Chavez - October 9 - 10:00 am

  I bought my XB about one month ago. It is great! This is a different car and you can tell by the look and stares you get. The design is sometimes compared to that of a Honda Element but it is completely different. It rides soft, great small little engine, great gas mileage and overall very comfortable.