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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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 Review - 2005 Scion TC
  By Jamie Robinson - October 20 - 5:00 am

  I have had this car for almost 7 months and so far am very happy. It drives smooth and in the winter it handles well. Gas on it is pretty decent. I get about 24mi/gl. Not too bad.

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  Just what I was looking for - 2012 Scion XB
  By Bradley Knisley - October 11 - 2:07 am

  This was the first car that I bought brand new. I did a lot of research over a couple years to find just what I was looking for. I was at the Cleveland auto show when I sat in the 2012 XB for the first time. It was love at first sight. It now had an arm rest, which is a must and adjustable steering. I love the electronic steering because I work real hard at work and would much rather not fight with the steering wheel after a hard days work. I was looking for a SUV that was good on gas, reliable, could haul just about anything and looked good while doing so. I love the center mounted dash because the steering wheel doesnt get in the way of what you need to see. I upgraded the radio, purchased the cold air intake and TDR muffler. The car felt sluggish to me because I traded in my Jetta turbo for my new XB. This improved the performance and gave it the pep I was looking for. You honestly can fit almost anything in the back of this beast. I purchased a 60 inch TV that fit it in the back, in the box but did have to move the front seats forward a couple inches. I moved everything in my house except for a few pieces of bedroom furniture and my kitchen table. Lets face it, you can not get by with just a sedan being a home owner. This vehicle has meet my expectations and has exceeded them. I look forward to owning this vehicle for many many years.

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  Cant complain - 2009 Scion XB
  By gman - September 29 - 10:16 pm

  This car is super reliable and practical. Thats why I bought it and it didnt disappoint there. But I just dont find it very fun to drive, which is turning out to be more important to me than I thought. Also the interior feels a bit cheap and I find the ride to be jarring over rough pavement.

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  Longest Ive ever owned one car - 2006 Scion XB
  By Rocker Dad - September 29 - 1:56 am

  I bought my Scion after news of our second baby arrived, so the xB replaced a V8 Magnum Dodge Dakota 4x4 with extended cab (sweet truck). Hard as it was to trade in my cool & manly truck, I was thinking about 3 things: Ease of getting baby and belongings in and out; passenger room; and gas mileage (my truck guzzled gas!). I test drove several cars, including a new VW Jetta, but none of them had the gas mileage, ease of entry and egress, and passenger room as the xB. Considering my needs it was a no brainer. Ive never had a failure, breakdown, broken part, etc. with this car. It drives great in deep snow with cables, and the Pioneer stereo kicks. The features for the price were unbeatable.

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  decent car for the money - 2011 Scion TC
  By vickat - September 26 - 10:29 am

  Bought TC11 1 month ago, now have >3,000 miles on it. After having driven RSX for almost 8 years, needed to adjust to TC. TC feels larger and heavier than RSX, steering is lighter. Turns need to be initiated, while RSX turned effortlessly. That said, TC seems to to be quite a decent H-back, even tossable, with plenty of room in the back, and good gas mileage.

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  2005 Scion tC - 2006 Scion TC
  By RS1.0 #1790 - September 23 - 5:20 am

  My first car. I got the Release Series 1.0 in Absolutely Red. My RS numbers is 1790 of 2500. Great car especially for the "first car" experience. Greate price and very dependable seeing as how its from toyota. Overall a great buy for any age.

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  Parking in Boston? HA! no problem!! - 2006 Scion xA
  By Professor X - September 17 - 7:56 pm

  I dont understand why some owners are getting less than 35 mpg on the highway. I visit my mom in NY every other weekend; exactly 250 miles. It has a 10.9 gallon tank. On average I get there with half a tank left. It breaks down to 38+ mpg. I purchased the xA because of the price. At first I was deeply concerned about its size. Thats no longer a problem. As an average college student, theres plenty of room for friends, laundry, computer parts, etc. Should you need more drop one of the seats. Another concern was its engine. Since its only 1.5 liter, I feared it will be too small for a car. Again its not a problem. Its a very nimble car for me and...a date. 4 adults is a different story

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  Great Affordable Mruck - 2004 Scion XB
  By TTalliere - September 16 - 10:00 am

  This vehicle has been really fun to drive, feels much bigger than it looks. I love it! The options are overpriced, better off getting them as aftermarket features. For the price its a great car.

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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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  I own one - 2011 Scion TC
  By tcelikel - August 25 - 2:47 am

  Cant stand when people review a car that arent driving it everyday, so I thought I would add a few comments. Dont buy this car if you are looking for a sports car. Its not. Buy this car if you are looking for a much more attractive looking 2-door Corolla with a tiny bit more juice and a lot of extras. For only a couple thousand dollars more than the Corolla, the decision was easy for me. The only reason I gave it a 4 performance wise is that it seems like Toyota markets the car as sporty. Sporty looking/feeling yes, but not a sports car. For commuters, the performance would easily be a 5. Nothing wrong with it.