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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  a blast to drive - 2005 Scion XB
  By spinoza - November 18 - 5:26 am

  Because the car is so light and low to the ground, it is a joy to drive around in, with great handling and performance characteristics. Its very agile and quick, and easily can cruise at 80 mph. All this, and the gas mileage is unbeatable at around 32 mpg! Its great for transporting things, though I miss a decent roof rack (the Yakima rack has very light load limits). Its not an SUV replacement, but it has other qualities that outweigh the disadvantages, like the great gas mileage.

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  Unbelievable Buy for the Money - 2005 Scion XB
  By Juice Mavin - November 14 - 9:40 pm

  There is a reason this thing gets such great reviews. Everyone says the same thing...it gets excellent mileage, has good leg room, nice style, etc. I have only had my xB for a month and am confident that it has been my best purchase ever. It was super easy to wave goodbye to the horrible VW I had and I drove away smiling. It is unbelievable how much you get for the money. Traction control is standard plus all of the options that everyone else is mentioning. I love my Scion.

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  Xb 2 - 2012 Scion XB
  By cleard2land - November 14 - 1:21 pm

  Much improved from my 06 Xb. More room and power, better mpg with the same Toyota quality. Did change the tires for a much queiter ride.

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  Great, Fun Car for the Price - 2005 Scion XB
  By Iowan - November 14 - 9:50 am

  I test drove all of the current compact vehicles in 2005, and this was by far the best value, the most fun, best looking and by far the roomiest. We drive it exclusively around town with our 3 kids. We even took it on an overnight trip with the kids--had plenty of room for a large suitcase, overnight bag, small cooler and the kids DVD players. It handles well in Iowa winters with its traction control. We were lucky to snag one only a few months old, and its still worth close to what we paid for it 2 1/2 years ago. Love it!

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  You Get Your Bang for Your Buck! - 2007 Scion TC
  By cj2007 - November 12 - 9:33 pm

  I love my super white 2007 TC! I like the exterior and interior design. After I added the lip spoiler and limousine black tints, the look of the TC went from nice to fab! Those minor tweaks made the look sporty and high-end. Definitely get a lot of compliments on my TC. For people who dont know how much a TC cost, they thought my car was over $30,000.

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  Unbelievable Car - 2006 Scion xA
  By atlanta_gator - November 12 - 2:16 pm

  My last 3 cars have been 2 BMW Z3s and a 2005 Chrysler Crossfire Roadster. I sold the last car and and bought this car. My wife and I LOVE it. Its fun, practical, dependable and I dont feel ripped off. I was skeptical at first but I cant get over how much I nejoy this car. Granted its no 2 seater roadster but with gas prices the way they are its smarter to drive one of these.

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  Scion xD makes me : D - 2009 Scion XD
  By vpilot - November 12 - 12:23 pm

  We were looking for a small affordable car that got great mileage, with a good amount of flexible space, and was built to last. We compared the Honda Fit and Nissan Versa. The Versa was a distant third in price, performance, interior, and exterior. The Fit was second in price and more mundane without the costly sport package. After one year and 20,000 miles we couldnt be happier with our decision. In addition to exceeding all the above expectations, the xD is also fun to drive, has great std features we learned to love, great dealer service, and gets lots of positive attention because it doesnt seem to be as run of the mill as some the competitors. Low fixed price policy is great too

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  2006 Scion xB - 2006 Scion XB
  By Jorge - November 11 - 1:56 pm

  I bought my Scion xB brand new off the showroom floor. I have never had any trouble with it whatsoever. I average about 34 mpg. It still gets looks and questions from people and even though the engine could use a little more horsepower its still a pleasure to drive and is very reliable. I recommend it to everyone I meet, especially to owners of the Honda Element which only gets about 22 mpg and has suicide doors for those who sit in the back seat. The Scion xB is definitely an awesome, reliable, roomy car that will fulfill anyones desires for a reliable and roomy car.

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  Would Buy It Again - 2006 Scion xA
  By Dee - November 11 - 2:40 am

  I have never regretted buying my 2004 xA and look forward to trading for a new one. I moved down from an SUV to a sub-compact and I drove them all. The xA was the only one that surpassed my expectations for its ride and drive. I never care what gas costs. It has had no problems and its finally ready for new tires at just over 41,000 miles. I dont miss my SUV as the xA has plenty of cargo space. It is a great value for the money.

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  Wooo - 2005 Scion XB
  By Ciscob - November 10 - 9:23 pm

  I tell you for the price of what you get, you just cant beat the over all value of the Scion xB.