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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  Great Buy - 2008 Scion TC
  By LuvmytC - February 22 - 6:13 am

  This was my first car out of college and I love it. Ive had it for a year now and I feel like it is a luxury car without the luxury price. My friends all love it as much as I do. My old car did get slightly better gas mileage but the tC still does pretty well. The sun/moon room is awesome as is the reclining back seat and the hatch back feature gives me plenty of room in the trunk. It does pretty well in the snow. I am very satisfied and would strongly recommend buying a tC.

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  Great Car - 2007 Scion TC
  By Elbert B. - February 21 - 6:33 am

  I just got mine the other day and quickly fell in love with this car. Its fun to drive and comes with an excellent price.

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  Great Vehicle - 2005 Scion XB
  By scion xb - February 20 - 6:46 am

  I love my Scion. Its gas mileage is great! The space inside is fantastic, no kids kicking the back of the driver seat is great. Now that I invested in the armrest it is 100% great. I did upgrade the tires with 1 size larger and I can tell the difference in the handling of the vehicle.

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  Scion xB in Asheville NC - 2008 Scion XB
  By Mick - February 20 - 5:13 am

  We have owned a Mercedes, an Audi, numerous Hondas, an RX-7 and a MINI Cooper S. This is by far the most practical car we have ever had. It is not a sports car but delivers a comfortable ride, gas mileage better than on the sticker and build quality that compares with just about anything priced ten grand higher. If we only had to have one car, this would be it.

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  Great car if more mpg - 2009 Scion XB
  By SAU - February 18 - 3:16 am

  Everything is great but for somehow i get only 18 MPG on combined. On Local street, i get about 11.xx MPG which is lower than my GX470 which gets around 16 MPG. Maybe something is wrong with mine. I had another 08 xB Manual RS5.0 and that one gets 22 MPG local. Other than that, this is GREAT CAR. 1) Roomier than my GX470 2) Better leg room on back seat than my GX470 3) Performance is pretty good. 4) ABS and vehicle stability control are STANDARD!!! 5) Nice DVD / Navigation System. Nothing can go wrong with $17.000 MSRP. I paid $25,000 OTD with loaded TRDs and extended warranty. GREAT CAR.

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  Fun, fun, fun - 2004 Scion XB
  By gurkha711 - February 18 - 2:00 am

  I am not part of the demographic market of this vehicle. As a middle-aged couple, my wife and I were looking for an inexpensive, reliable, "toodle around town" car. Boy, did we make a good choice. This is a comfortable car to drive. It has more interior space than we know what to do with, power to spare, and great handling.

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  I Love this Car! - 2005 Scion XB
  By ChiCopBuddy - February 17 - 6:36 pm

  Im not really in Toyotas demographic for this vehicle, but I find Im in the REAL demographic of those who drive them...40 something, laidback. And I LOVE this car! The only complaints are the usual ones about no armrest and dome light too dim. Other than that, this is one cool car. Cargo space is unbelievable, comfort is surprising, and the looks you get on the road are great. One other drawback: it hacks people off that this car has as much pep as it does. They dont like to be passed by it, because it doesnt look like it should be able to. Testosterone kicks in, and they try to prevent you from getting ahead of them. I bought the car for price, thinking I was stepping down, but wow!

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  I love this car! - 2008 Scion XD
  By Dennis Hunter - February 17 - 12:13 pm

  I did a lot of research, including going to the auto show to compare the competition - the Golf, the Versa, the Mini, the Yaris, and the Matrix. I was stunned when I found out almost everything comes standard on the car - its a lot of car for the price, and it beat the competition by leaps and bounds! I also love how you sit high in the car while driving. It feels like driving a baby SUV. No buyer remorse here - this car is fantastic!

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  The Best Thing Ive Ever Bought... - 2005 Scion XB
  By Lisa - February 17 - 6:06 am

  I had a 2003 Pontiac Grand Am and when my friend let me drive her xB, I fell in love. Three weeks later, I traded the Pontiac in and got the Xb. I love it!! I thought the pickup would not be good, but, it is really peppy. The quality and workmanship is awesome. I am glad I decided to make the purchase. It was everything I could of wanted and more.

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  Best deal for the dollar! - 2006 Scion XB
  By Gisch - February 16 - 8:03 pm

  Before purchasing my Scion xB I researched and test drove many automobiles (Saturn ION, Honda Civic, VW Beetle, etc.). I travel frequently with my job and was searching for a good looking, reliable car with great fuel economy. I must admit my Scion xB has exceeded all my expectations. Because Scion let me build my xB I got everything I wanted in a car for less than $17,500. Gas mileage: I currently get 29 mpg in town and 32 mpg on highway. Despite the fact the xB has a 1.5 litre engine it cruises comfortably at 75-85 mph. The interior room in this car is huge. Rear seats fold for extra storage space. Car has amazing head/leg room as well. I have friends over 6 feet tall who fit comfortably.