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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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:

• 

  fun to drive in city - 2004 Scion xA
  By syedwh - September 4 - 10:00 am

  It is realy fun to drive in the city. You feel comfort in it. First time I took my X-A from Orange County to Ventura county ( Simi Valley ) about 70 Miles one way I found ride on freeways it is not as comfotable as in city you feel even small bumps or uneven roads on the freeways. Also suddenly brake at the speed of abve 60 mph can shfit the car left or right hand. Must be carefull. Have fun and ejoy it.

• 

  Love my XB! - 2004 Scion XB
  By BOXCAR RACER - September 4 - 10:00 am

  I love it! Mine came with leather and a sunroof installed by dealership. They knew people would want this feature! I love driving it, oh how everyone stares! Sound system is excellent, soooo much room! It feels sooo huge inside compared to how it looks on the outside!

• 

  I Like My Scion XA! - 2006 Scion xA
  By Gloria - September 3 - 11:26 pm

  This is a stylish inexpensive car made in Japan and with high quality parts, good gas mileage, and a fun interior, especially at night when it goes NEON colors!

• 

  great car for the price - 2007 Scion TC
  By twingo - September 2 - 10:00 am

  I used to drive 90 miles round trip for work and got 32 mpg. now I do more city driving and get about 25 mpg. With 92K on the odometer it still has lots of power and quiet engine. It is great car on smooth roads but kinda choppy on bumpy ones. Plenty of leg room even in the back seat but head room is tight in back. Fun to drive and sound system is great. Good car for price.

• 

  Great Car! - 2006 Scion TC
  By lunar71 - September 2 - 7:00 am

  This is a great car! I had problems before with a Mazda but this surpassed all my expectations!! I highly reccomend, plus you will fall in love with it when you hop in the drivers seat!

• 

  tC = terrible choice - 2011 Scion TC
  By subytrojan - September 2 - 1:59 am

  The new Scion tC seems to be the same car in a new wrapper. The 2.5L inline-4 doesnt provide enough power to make this car feel sporty. The huge C-pillars present the driver with large blind spots. The large rear quarter panels also make the car look longer and heavier than it needs to be.

• 

  Awesome Car - 2006 Scion TC
  By aidilyn2319 - September 1 - 11:13 pm

  Driving the Scion tC is amazing. Its smooth and has great pick up. Its a sporty car which is good for an 18 year-old like myself. Im a proud owner and I love that the tC is a reliable car and from the makers at Toyota.

• 

  Suggest Scion - 2006 Scion XB
  By WAyne Van Zui - August 31 - 2:43 pm

  The Scion xB has so much room in the inside with comfort in mind. In many vehicles in this price range, power windows, power locks, etc. are an option. They are all standard in the xB. Although the engine is only a small 1.5L, it does have the get up and go that I need. It does have a little trouble getting up steep hills but this is only a small thing considering all the things that can be done with this vehicle. The drive feels like you are riding on rails. I get a lot of compliments from people who like this car, but as you will find either you like this car or you dont. Many people criticize it for being too boxy, but for me that is the allure of it.

• 

  Exceptional bang 4 the buck! - 2008 Scion XB
  By tom - August 31 - 9:40 am

  A blast to drive! Mine is the 5.0 release series, in gold. (only way to get a factory sunroof) as a 55 yr male, I get a lot of looks, and laughs as well. Has a "gangster car" interior feel to it. Tons of headroom, lots of space between you and the windshield. Front seats-backs a bit soft, but accommodating. Takes a little to get used to. Low seating height, high door sills might be a problem for shorter drivers, but is really where the vibe of this vehicle comes from. Definite blind spots in rear pillars. 4-speed auto-trans ratios are perfect. Some reviewers mention the need of a 5 speed, I disagree. I dont believe the 2.4 motor could pull it. Too quick to downshift.

• 

  OWNING AN XA IS SIMPLE - 2006 Scion xA
  By bigdaddyb - August 31 - 9:20 am

  I bought it used & for work, chasing probationers @town. I now have @ 68k. I have had no mechanical problems,zero! I dont take it to the dealer because at 50k, the dealer wanted to charge me over $350 at the 50k mile maintenance appt. I took it to the local garage (& pepboys) and I get my interval 5k mile maint. checks there (oil change and rotate tires). There are no brake problems, sounds like you need an honest garage. *see previous review about the brakes and rotors*. The gas milage goes from 26 to 32 city (winter lower, due to mix of gas) and 36-8 hwy. I have snow tiers for winter and put weights in(@ 6 50lbs plates) the car during snow stormss and travel the same roads as the 4wd cars.