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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  Cant Go Wrong - 2005 Scion TC
  By smk2310 - August 12 - 10:00 am

  If you dont like getting noticed, dont buy this car. I havent been able to go from point A to point B without someone rolling their window down and asking about the car. While not the fastest car on the road, it handles great, the ride is smooth, and the driver seat(although no power seats) is very comfortable. The back seats have plenty of leg room, however the head room is tight, but then again you will never be sitting in the back if you buy it. I got the sub put into my car, and was very happy with the quality. Overall I LOVE IT

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  Love it! 2006 scion - 2006 Scion xA
  By GFS - August 6 - 3:56 am

  Im 60 and I love this car it s so much fun so roomy, has pick up, its just the greatest thing since hummm Apple pie ":) and it is very classy looking! Had it 2 months no problems, Ill be back to let ya know how it gets through the winter.

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  Holy Scion - 2006 Scion TC
  By James White - August 5 - 6:40 am

  Overall the scion has been the best car I have ever owned, out of 5 cars including a 94 ford tbird lx, 98 gmc sonoma sls, 95 lexus es 300, and a 99 honda accord ex, my scion soars over them with ease in performance, comfort and all around excitement on the road. I wouldnt trade my scion tc for the world, unless that is lexus offers me a IS 350...hehe

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  2006 Scion sB - 2006 Scion XB
  By Johnny Vegas - August 3 - 2:23 pm

  Heres why I purchased the Scion sB: Im 6ft tall and I have plenty of room. The rear seat has plenty of room for the kids. It gets 35mpg and it never breaks. Not ready for a Corolla or a minivan. It has performed beautifully in these areas. One of the main reasons I bought the 2006 was the gas mileage. The 06 has enough power and performs really well at the pump!

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  Lovin My Scion - 2006 Scion XB
  By msusnicknel - July 31 - 4:03 am

  My qualifications for picking a new car were simple, low ownership cost and big space. At 63", 300+ pounds, this eliminated a lot of the under 20 grand cars out there. It boiled down to the Chevy HHR, Chevy Aveo, Pontiac Aztec, Mazda3, and the xB. The xB was the last one I test drove and I immediately fell in love with it. There is an insane amount of room (even for me). The price is fantastic, and when you figure in the low insurance costs and great gas mileage, it gets even better. Not to mention I LOVE the no haggling pricing system. I got mine nicely equipped (even got the blue lights....ooh pretty) for around $18,000 out the door. Hands down this is the best car for the money!

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  Best Car for Teens - 2006 Scion TC
  By Khan - July 28 - 10:16 pm

  This car is incredibly great! Its a great car for its value.

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  I Love This Car - 2006 Scion xA
  By CWhatley - July 28 - 5:36 am

  My Scion aA is the very first brand new car that I have ever owned and I couldnt be more pleased with its performance and quality. I would recommend this car to anyone that is looking to buy a new car. It is wonderful on style, gas mileage, comfort, and reliability.

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  Still going strong - 2014 Scion TC
  By doug142 - July 24 - 9:57 am

  This is an update to my original review. I now have over 11,000 miles, and not a problem. I had the oil changed at 5,000 miles, I did not want to wait till 10,000 miles with there free service. It was $43.00 total, worth the money. I had purchased the 3M chip protector for the car when new also. The car is spotless, I usually have tons of chips by now, because I travel through the mountains in the winter. I have never bought this product before, I would purchase it again, but price shop it. This was the first Toyota/Lexus product to pass the IIHS small overlap test. They have since resubmitted some models that did not pass and retrofitted to pass. I still get compliments on this car daily.

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  The best car to buy! - 2007 Scion TC
  By Rob B. - July 23 - 3:10 pm

  I recently purchised my tC. I have liked the tC since it first came out in 2005. For a car this small, it has plenty of torque and HP. I can haul four people and have the AC on at full blast and and it still accelerates like a dream. And the room is amazing! I am 64" and I fit without a problem. For the money, this is the best car to buy!

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  Lots of Room, Fun to drive - 2004 Scion XB
  By Dan B. - July 23 - 10:00 am

  Im 64" and can comfortably sit and drive or sit directly behind someone my size. Has more room than anything I looked at and is at least $2K less. The interior room, standard equipement, gas mileage, and driveability makes this a great Cali commuter vehicle. Great for outings for my family of 4. Like someone else said, accels just as fast as my old F150, good enough!