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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  My Scion XB - 2005 Scion XB
  By Bob - September 30 - 8:16 am

  I bought the car 2 weeks ago. The two things that impress me most about the car are the value you get for a car priced at $15,000 and the gas mileage. It has a lot of options for a car priced so reasonably. It is also a Toyota and I do not know where you can purchase such quality for the price.

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  Nice Little Economy Car for the Money - 2006 Scion xA
  By lanae - September 28 - 10:03 pm

  I traded in my Saturn for this little Scion so I could save on gas for city driving. So far I dont see the excellent fuel savings that I was expecting but, I am assuming it will take some time to break the car in - maybe!?! It is easy to drive. The stick shift is different than the one that is in my Saturn as it was told to me from the sales lady it was a short shifter. It has great steering control. It is nice to have ABS after driving a car for five years without it. The Pioneer stereo system is nice. I feel it will last for a long time. My car has the spoiler and fog lights and I must say that the fog lights help light the road better! I would recommend this car to anyone that has a tight budget that is looking for reliable transportation.

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  NO - 2010 Scion XD
  By buttersstotch - September 28 - 4:40 am

  Im going to go with no. I leased this car NEW in 2011 and have had nothing but problems. Since February of 2011 Ive had 3 batteries, 2 leaking A/C lines replaced, and now my CD player is eating my CDs. And like another reviewer said, my brakes suck. They have been very slow to respond since I got the car. I have had my car in the shop at least 4 times this year. Im glad its a lease and that Toyota is so awesome that they are letting me out of my lease early without penalties since this car is a pos. It is really cute on the outside, but the mechanics (which is the most important part of the car) suck. I only have 15,000 miles on it which is really sad because it runs like it has 45,000.

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  xB: The Style Wagon - 2008 Scion XB
  By LJN - September 22 - 4:50 am

  For the last seven years Ive been driving a 1995 BMW 325is coupe. Although I loved the car, repair bills, two-door limitations and so-so gas mileage got me looking at a new car under warranty. After much research, I was ready to buy a Honda Fit. Then I noticed the Toyota xD was getting rave reviews and from there found the xB. For about $2,000 more than the Honda Fit, the xB delivers nice hp, great room and functionality and a whole lot more style. We got black, and my wife says it looks like a hearse. I think it has a 1940s gangster car look. But we both love it!

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  Not your "Typical" XB owner - 2010 Scion XB
  By Joe-in-DC - September 20 - 7:46 am

  Not the target demographic 20 something, more like 40 something. Had the car a week and I love it! So much fun to drive. With my add-ons, (Alpine sterio, Cold-Air-Intake, TRD shocks and struts, fog lights, alarm system, 17" Alloy wheels) this car is great! I live DC and we are having a rough winter and this car handles great in the snow and performs great in "High-speed" traffic.

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  engine stopped - 2008 Scion XB
  By boo21 - September 18 - 6:40 am

  on a major highway the engine stopped. had to get towed. mechanic is now looking for a used replacement engine. car has abouy 88,000 miles. i will never buy a toyoya product again.

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  Thunder - 2005 Scion TC
  By thunder - September 18 - 6:13 am

  this car is awesome.. but it needs better interior functions... (A/C controls looks lame)... they need to have a convertable version of tC. and more horse-power/ torch-power... the exterior looks good except the back lights... thats all for NOW!!

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  I love it - 2005 Scion TC
  By Felicia Dixion - September 15 - 4:30 am

  For the price of the car and the standard features that it comes with, it just seems too good to be true. I would have expected to pay more. I also love the no haggel, no hassel, policy. You shouldnt feel like youve been raped when buying a car.

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  Scion XBOX - 2004 Scion XB
  By John Medina - September 14 - 2:00 am

  I recently traded my 2001 Acura 3.2TL for 2 Scions I gotthe XB for me and the XA for the wife, I cannot tell you how happy I am with these 2 awesome cars, For the price I paid for both and the amounts of money I am saving in gas and specially in Insurance and the incredible amount of interior space that this car has it leaves my Acura in the dust as far as space goes. This car is super light weight and it feels like it has mor HP than it really has. My XB is 5spd and its alot of fun to drive, every one on the road looks at it and even guy in Porches drive by and cant help but to stare.

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  Great Overall Performer - 2009 Scion XB
  By halljsf - September 13 - 5:06 pm

  I have a young son with mobility problems. Most SUVs are a challenge for him because of the step in height. The XB is easy for him to get into (mostly without assistance), and the cargo area is big enough for his foldaway wheelchair. I like the clean design of both the interior and exterior. Although, I wish the materials used in the interior were nicer and of better quality. Most interior surfaces are hard to the touch and black. I added a custom leather steering wheel cover because the standard steering wheel was rough and uncomfortable to grip.