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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  Super White 2010 Scion xB - 2010 Scion XB
  By smb1234 - August 27 - 6:56 pm

  It has been 4 days since I picked up my xB. So far the car is great. It has plenty of pep. It handles nicely and is very roomy inside. I purchased it because I have dogs and needed something that would accomodate them and still be fun to drive. There are some things that I would wished were better, but overall the car is great for my purpose.

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  A real Gem - 2013 Scion FR-S
  By pukalady - August 25 - 11:54 am

  I owned a 2006 Scion TC that I bought in 2007. Loved that car and was searching the internet for more two door cars and the 2013 Scion FR-S came up and I was hooked. I went to my Scion dealer here in Kahului on Maui , Hawaii on May 25th . They told me the car would debut on June 1. I had to wait a week! June 1st, 2012 back to the dealer I went and three hours later I drove out with the "whiteout" color (not a good name for the color, its a real pearl oyster white). I use ethanol free gas right now and get 35 mpg. I just love the way it "gets out of the way" of everyone else . I did get the automatic and wont be using the snow mode. And by the way Im 67 yrs. old and LOVE my car

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  The Scion tC is great! - 2006 Scion TC
  By Adam Neiderhiser - August 24 - 2:26 pm

  The transmission in my Scion tC is smooth. It has a lot of horsepower (160) for a cheap price. I think its the best buy I have ever made. There are also so many modifications that you can do to this car. They are pretty cheap, too. The engine quality for this inexpensive a car is amazing. I lvoe the 2.4L VVT-i DOHC. I also like that its a 5-speed and not a 6-speed transmission. I mean I can use the gears longer before I need to shift, which is better for racing. The fuel economy is pretty damn good, too.

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  Perfect - 2009 Scion TC
  By Lauren - August 22 - 6:26 pm

  I just got my scion tc as a first car. it is perfect! after going to 8 dealerships i did find haggling. i special ordered it and pretty much got the spoiler and upgraded radio for free. everything on it is great. my friend has one and says the only con is that the tires only last about 15k.

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  Love this box... - 2004 Scion XB
  By nosymp - August 22 - 2:00 am

  I absoluley love this box! A lot of my friends knock it, untill I let em drive it. For 108hp, it feels pretty peppy. I absolutley love driving it, the stereo sounds nice, and still lets you hear the engine, the automatic felt underpowered to me, so I bought the manual trans, and its been a great drive ever sence...

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  Best car value out there - 2008 Scion XB
  By tomrass4 - August 21 - 12:10 pm

  I traded in my 06 xB for the 08 model because it addressed the weak motor and added side air bags. I loved my 06 xB and it is a perfect urban car where you drive in congestion and less than 45 MPH. I do a lot of freeway driving and the new version is vastly superior in this area. I currently have over 400 miles on it and here are my 1st impressions: more solid, safer feel; performance is way up; ride noise is down; better base stereo; improved instrument cluster; mileage is down (28.7 mpg in mixed driving so far); visibility is down but still very good. In conclusion, I believe this is the best car value out on the market for what you get and end up paying.

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  Happy - 2008 Scion XD
  By Joey - August 18 - 9:03 am

  Love the car. Traded in my 05 Nissan Crew Cab. Dont miss it at all. The xD is way more fun to drive. Plenty of room and so easy to park. Went with the Navigation system and 18" black wheels. Tinted the windows too. Only wish I added the performance stuff. Oh well, it will happen down the road.

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  Black Cherry Pearl - 2005 Scion XB
  By River Styx - August 16 - 3:36 am

  I like it. Roomy, comfortable, hauls lots of stuff (if you leave the children at home), a real eye catcher... Good gas mileage & it rides nice for such a small car. It DOES NOT DEPRECIATE like a FORD or CHEVY or a DODGE. I would definitely purchase another.

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  I love this car! - 2005 Scion xA
  By gmark - August 13 - 9:43 am

  Ive only had this car for a few months, but so far I love it. I drive hard, I average about 75-80 mph on the highway and Im quick off the lights in town, and Im getting an average MPG of 32 between city and highway. Its fun to drive and relativity quick. I have noticed when the temp gets down around 0 f. it needs the heater on full most of the time to stay warm inside so if you live in an area where that temp is typical, youll want to consider that. But even on the coldest mornings it has no trouble starting up. The sound system in mine is real nise as well, good solid bass and clear highs with great volume for a stock unit. I have no problem recomending this car!

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  Pure Fun TO DRIVE - 2005 Scion TC
  By ff7raven - August 12 - 10:00 am

  This car is just plain fun, no ifs, ands or buts about it, it is just fun.