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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  fun fun fun - 2005 Scion XB
  By rose - May 28 - 10:00 am

  fun- 5 people - just today - right after i bought it - yelled out the window or their car and asked - "what kind of car is that" then gave me a thumbs up!

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  Scion tC - 2005 Scion TC
  By scionlvr - May 28 - 10:00 am

  I love this car! Its awesome engine is perfect with the 6 speed manual trans and gives pretty good acceleration and handling. I put on a superchip and the borla cat back exaust, which sounds perfect.

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  Gift for My Daughter - 2006 Scion xA
  By marty - May 27 - 9:56 pm

  My daughters first car had to be safe, affordable, and cool by her terms. I am very pleased that I purchased this car for her. She loves it a lot. If you could only be there as she drove it for the first time her smile still will remain in my memory for a long time. The car is better than I would have thought, because of all its perks like all the room inside, the style outside, and that it only cost $20.00 to fill the tank. Also, the ride is okay, I guess for its style, but you know that teens like my daughter only care about what is on the radio. I might even buy another one to get me back and forth to work and Im in my 40s.

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  Great Car! - 2008 Scion XD
  By holland6 - May 27 - 1:50 pm

  I have really enjoyed driving this car. The drivers seat couldnt be more comfortable. I have plenty of leg room and the trunk space will hold more than you think. I like to call this car my TARDIS since it seems so big on the inside, but looks so small from the outside. It gets lots of looks and people ask me about it all the time. I had a Corolla with 196000 miles on it and my wife has a Matrix. I was going in to buy a new Corolla, but was considering a Matrix too when the xD caught my eye.

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  Fun! - 2006 Scion TC
  By susan - May 24 - 5:21 pm

  You wont regret buying this car!

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  Small Price for a Great Car - 2011 Scion XB
  By maxie6 - May 23 - 12:09 pm

  We have had the car for a week now and we just love it. Especially my wife whom I didnt think she would take a liking to it. But she did and it is hard to get her out of it. We are both retired and were looking for something to replace to the two cars we had. (sold them both on the same day over the internet). I have been driving an Infiniti for the past 10 years, and I cannot believe all the euipment that comes as standard on this car. I was surprised how quiet it is and the amount of space that you have, espercially with the back seats down. I just read that "Kiplinger" has rated the xB as on of the top ten 2011 cars for Best New Car Resale Values.

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  Stylish car for great price - 2005 Scion xA
  By xaowner - May 23 - 10:00 am

  For those of you out there who want something more interesting than a Toyota or Honda, more reliable than a Mini or Volkswagon and less expensive than a Mazda3 - consider this little hatchback. In northern CA it was tough to locate b/c theyre in such high demand. Word of advice - if your local dealer doesnt have one, call other dealers in the area (we called a total of 5) since the salesmen arent keen on giving up inventory availability. In summary: gas/brake pedals are very responsive, quick accelleration, fits into smallest parking spaces, no fuss buying experience, great gas mileage, great way to zip around

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  probably the best economy car.... - 2005 Scion xA
  By warlock110 - May 23 - 6:13 am

  Pro: cheap, stylish. Cons: underpower, no armrest, no cruise control This car is a very good economy car, @ around 14K it has power everything, plus an MP3 deck, and pionner speaker system, antilock brake, and the list goes on, it is very sporty looking, at this price range you wont find any other car that can offer the same amount of equipment, from the corolla to the civic. the design of the car looks nice and easy to use. The car is seriously under power, @ a mare 100HP its a joke, but the little thing generate the same amount of power as a civic or a corolla, the MPG is a joke, on the highway the engine takes alot to get up to speed and that hinder the MPG. the tC is better IMO.

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  I love my xB - 2006 Scion XB
  By Crystal - May 21 - 9:50 pm

  I love my xB. We bought it for the fuel economy and the interior room. This is one of only a few compact vehicles that my 64" husband can sit in comfortably.

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  Can It Replace a Camaro SS? - 2005 Scion XB
  By Willie McCraney - May 18 - 11:43 pm

  I bought my xB in MD after totaling my Camaro SS. I must have had a concussion, this is not my usual choice of car. I drove it 800 miles home to Alabama at freeway speeds and got over 30 mpg! I am now averaging +/- 34 mpg, up to 40. I added cruise-control. My only concern is the rough ride because of the lowered suspension and low-sidewall tires. I am considering putting the original springs back on it to improve ride. I may also mount 70 series tires on it for better comfort. This car is bulletproof. The upright windshield is a rock magnet though. Also a computer glitch has set a false check engine code, which the dealership in Alabama is trying to track down. All systems are OK.