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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  Awesome! - 2008 Scion XD
  By JACKIE - August 23 - 9:26 am

  This vehicle is a blast to drive!! Wish the interior had more options not a big fan of black, or textured dashes. Going from a full size SUV to this was a change but I dont feel cramped in this vehicle.

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  Mileage not great but fun car! - 2006 Scion XB
  By Loveit - August 19 - 10:00 am

  I had wanted this car forever so I finally got it about a week ago. The sign on the window said "33 mpg". Right. It averages MAYBE 20 so far and thats highway miles. My VW did better than that and thats the reason I got rid of it! I NEEDED 33mpg. Anyway, love the car otherwise. I love the box, it is comfy, radio and sound is awesome and totally customizable.

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  poor cup holders and no cruise control - 2004 Scion XB
  By Panorama - August 10 - 10:00 am

  roomy, good economy, quality, ugly. no cruise, and cup holders are worthless but..... a good buy for less than 15K

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  A good box at a good price - 2005 Scion XB
  By SteveAndersonTX - August 4 - 10:00 am

  The xB is an excellent commuter vehicle for anyone who needs to drive a long distance each day. It is well designed, fun to drive, and relatively comfortable. The price point is excellent for toyota quality. Bear in mind that this is a very basic vehicle, and it will not beat anyone off the line. However, it is fun to drive, and comes with some excellent standard features like ABS and keyless entry, to name a few. Everyone has reacted positively to the unique design, once they see it up close, they really like it. I love this car!!, highly recommended for the daily commuter, no matter how old or young you are.

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  Stylish But Sluggish - 2010 Scion TC
  By Ted - July 24 - 11:20 am

  The TC shows plenty of signs of potential for excellence, but comes up short with certain flaws. The numerous standard features, and sleek aerodynamic design are unmatched. Unfortunately, the acceleration of the car is rather unimpressive, even though its fuel efficiency is one of the lowest in its class.

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  Not Much Fun - 2007 Scion TC
  By Dan - July 9 - 7:06 am

  I really want to like this car, but I cant help feeling I made a horrible decision here. Theres nothing actually WRONG with this car, its just that after a few months driving it, Ive realized that Ive just bought a pretty standard economy car, the number one issue being that its no fun to drive at all. It has good power for such a cheap car, but unfortunately its suspension is way too soft, it leans too much in corners, and its isolated from the road like a sedan, instead of a sports coupe. I like to hear some noise and feel some bumps, and I like hard solid suspension so I feel confident in corners. Put the Mazda3s suspension on this car and itd be perfect for the price.

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  Whats this? Tall Wagon? Small SUV? - 2008 Scion XB
  By XBLover - July 6 - 10:00 pm

  Its unique, Ill give it that. The fuel economy is a big disappointment, not expecting this from a Toyota brand and theres also a substantial amount of road noise. Its really a strip car, you have to pay for everything including floor mats! There seems to be some vibration at highway speeds (over 60 mph). The upgraded radio ($389) doesnt pick up all the stations in my area and there are 2 FM frequencies: FM1 and FM2 , this is a ripoff!! Save your money!! Overall its a good buy for the money.

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  Best of both worlds. - 2012 Scion XB
  By orbit9090 - June 24 - 9:53 pm

  Best of both worlds: A spacious, sporty vehicle but with decent economy and great maneuverability. Love the center mounted gauges! In fact, since they are not hidden behind a steering wheel hub like most cars gauges, the Scion xBs center mounted gauges are very easy to read at a quick glance. The occupant compartment is spacious and airy, with plenty of headroom and wiggle room. Passengers often comment how much space the vehicle has and how comfortable and quiet it is.

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  Excellent Achievement - 2004 Scion XB
  By wiharris - June 17 - 10:00 am

  The Scion xB is a fun vehicle to drive. Its exterior is deceptive. What appears to be a small car on the outside is actually a large car inside. Comfortable and firm bucket seats with enough knee room in the back for 6 foot plus passengers. Storage is minimal throughout vehicle. It low center of gravity make it stable in handling corners. In fact its low base make it very comfortable to enter and exit. No extended step down nor an uneasy pull to get up and out. Very similar to getting out of a chair. For the price and gas mileage I consider the Scion xB an excellent achievement in small cars. By the way it makes an excellent conversation piece.

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  Love it...but having mpg problems - 2005 Scion TC
  By nvi4imaqt pi - June 17 - 10:00 am

  I love it-- its a great car, and it drives great. However, has anyone else been having gas mileage problems? Its supposed to get 23-29 mpg, but Ive tested it twice and mine only gets 15 mpg! This is really scary, and I know Im figuring it out right. But besides that, Ive had no problems with it. If anyone else has noticed their tCs gas mileage is considerably worse than it should be, please respond in a review.