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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  Sporty / Luxury Car - 2006 Scion TC
  By panday - May 3 - 11:26 am

  l like the radio,air conditioning, etc set-up, its neat. l also like the exterior front and side but not much in the rear.

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  A Fun Car/SUV - 2009 Scion XB
  By Greg - May 3 - 9:16 am

  Well, I traded in my 4.7L Toyota Tundra for the Scion Xb earlier this week. I went from an average of 14.7 ml/gal to 26 ml/gal. Although the Xb is small on the road, it has a big roomy interior. Very good pick-up and go power, a little bit bumpy ride but is tolerable, a little road noise but again is tolerable. The Xb is fun to take exit ramps fast, handling curves with ease, comparable to go-cart handling, little body roll. My family loves the interior and the extra leg room in the back, and they think its a cool car over all. I did test drive many cars such as Chevy HHR, Subaru impreza & forester, Ford escape, focus, fusion, the Scion Xb won hands down.

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  Its not bad - 2007 Scion TC
  By Chris - May 2 - 2:40 pm

  Bought the car in March 07. Havent put a dime into it yet, I love Toyotas. Probably wont ever own anything but. I like the car over all, but for New England driving it isnt to practical. Has never failed me, but I would definitely like to see improvements in future generation tcs.

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  Green Goblin! - 2006 Scion XB
  By Fine car! - May 1 - 4:03 am

  My Scion xB limited edition 3.0 is a fine green car. It has lots of room inside and a good driving position. It also has a terrific DVD system with 7 inch LCD screens in the headrests. It gets good gas mileage - 30 miles per gallon in mixed driving. This vehicle is great for a family of four. Im very happy with my purchase and highly recommend the xB.

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  Great Car for College Student - 2010 Scion XD
  By rojas9204 - May 1 - 12:22 am

  I have had this car for a little over a year now (9/21/10), I must say that I enjoy driving it driven the car for long distances and short either way it has been a real fun experience. Only flaws that i would mention are A. the lack of an arm rest and in the beginning there was a leak on the passenger side, which was fixed free of charge when i took it to the dealer. Other than that I get great gas mileage about 26-28 city and 35 hwy.

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  Who Knew a Box Could be so Fun! - 2005 Scion XB
  By Seth - April 29 - 9:03 pm

  When I had originally purchased my 2005 Scion xB, I was in dire need of a car that worked, and I was sick of fixing up my old junker. I needed a reliable car to get to work and back home. Thankfully, a good friend of mine had turned me onto the Scion xB. With its spacious interior and daring new looks, it was more than just a car. It redefined what it meant to drive a car. The Scion xB is great in all aspects of a new car; great standard options, a roomy interior for friends and family, wonderful fuel economy, and a fresh new look, all starting just under $15,000. This car is truely wonderful, and Im proud to say, "I drive a box."

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  This is an AMAZING car!!! - 2005 Scion TC
  By Kiwi - April 29 - 5:23 am

  It runs smooth and quiet, but fast for those who like to drive on the fast lane. Theres an option of making the car run faster (up to 200 mph). The interior is sleek and futuristic. The exterior is unique. Its got dual sunroofs; you and the rest of ur passengers can RECLINE and relax while looking out at the sky. And best of all, being made by Toyota, its cheap when it comes to maintainance. One little flaw is that the cars body is BIG; theres still plenty of room in the back, but the car takes up a lot of space, making it as big as a sedan when it should be as big as a coupe. Another cool feature is that it was made for young drivers, therefore every owner can make his/her car unique.

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  tC - 2005 Scion TC
  By Andfx8 - April 28 - 10:00 am

  With all the standard features and low price, a consumer cannot go wrong when purchasing this car. As you know, this car comes with quality standard features such as a large sunroof with rear moonroof, 17in. alloy wheels, CD/MP3 player, 160 hp engine, cruise control, power everything, and rear seats that fold up or down (and can recline). The tC gets great mileage and offers the most power than any car in its class. This car is very stylish inside and out and is great for young and ever older buyers. The Scion tC offers a lot for any crowd at an affordable price!

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  Saved my life! - 2008 Scion XD
  By Ahowe - April 23 - 10:50 pm

  I bought this car in February 08 when we sold our Xterra. Already own a 06 corolla, and like Toyotas. This car is zippy, good gas mileage (31 city, 33+ hwy) and looks great. Standard power everything, cruise, you name it! The safety features are all standard- side, seat and front air bags. Good thing, too. A guy in a stolen car ran me off the road and into the concrete median in the middle of the hwy going about 65 mph, and I walked away with a sprained wrists and burns/scrapes from the seat belt and airbags. The car didnt make it, but it did its job. Loved that little car and will miss it, but thankful for the fun it gave me and the life it saved!

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  xb testdrive - 2005 Scion XB
  By Stephen1212 - April 21 - 2:00 am

  Very easy entrance / exit for the vehicle. Comfortable and really fun to drive. Handles very well. Test drove the vehicle on a windy day here in Lincoln - hardly noticed.