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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  my xb - 2005 Scion XB
  By james leslie dyle - January 27 - 10:00 am

  this car is quick of the starting line and gets excellent gas milage, ive been getting 34 to 37 mpg, no wind noise and the radio is really high quality, everyone calls it my boxcar. im a big guy,300lbs and i can get in easy with plenty of room to spare

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  Fun and Value.Rare that it goes together - 2005 Scion TC
  By Winkiebum - January 27 - 10:00 am

  A great car. More power, More Feutures and more space at less than more expensive cars. I love the two moonroofs, Built in CD MP3 player and standard ABS brakes. A quiet comforatable sports car for 17,000. WOW!

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  The Box is Well Worth the Price - 2005 Scion XB
  By scott ekstrom - January 25 - 6:56 am

  With the price tag at $18,006 with all the bells the xB is well worth the price. It is fun to drive and gets great gas milage. After 1.5 years of ownership it still turns heads. The fit and finish are well done. A cross country trip was done in comfort with about 36 mpg over all with almost 40 on the highway at 60 to 65 mph. This vehicle has true Toyota quality.

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  Most awesome car at this price - 2008 Scion XB
  By Dave - January 21 - 10:06 pm

  I now have over 30,000 miles on this car in just over a year, and I love it more every day. I did have a wheel sensor that went bad, but dealer fixed it no problem. This is my second scion and as long as they make car that fit my needs, I will be a customer for life. For the first 10 months I was only averaging about 24mpg but just like with my first Scion, once I got towards 30,000 miles I am now averaging 29mpg and I do a lot of around town driving.

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  Fun Coupe for an Awesome Price - 2005 Scion TC
  By dachmo - January 21 - 7:43 pm

  For only slightly more money than a Dodge Neon or a Chevy Cobalt (non SC) the performance that you get from the Scion tC is excellent. It rides smoothly and corners tightly. It is fuel efficient and I havnt had one problem with it in over 20,000 miles so far. I knew the engine would be no problem because it is taken right from the Toyota Camry. This car has rock solid performance and is affordable!

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  Small Car With Great Versatility - 2014 Scion XD
  By Rick Papin - January 21 - 3:08 am

  For my purposes this car is perfect. Occasional back-seat passengers can be accommodating by slight adjustment of the front seats. Normally used for a driver and passenger, this car is perfect. Day to day the cargo space with back seats up accomodates groceries or whatever. In the spring, with seats folded down, it handily loads my mulch, garden soil, plants, etc. Im very disappointed that this car is no longer manufactured.

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  Great car - 2008 Scion XB
  By dene - January 20 - 7:36 am

  I purchased the 2008 Scion xB last week and have driven it all over - it handles well, has a great turning radius, little car/road noise and responds well and quickly.

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  Wow, Amazing Car! I Love It - 2008 Scion TC
  By Becka=) - January 19 - 11:36 pm

  I am the type of person who cannot stick w/1 car for very long. I tend to trade in every 6 months to a year. But this car is different. I absolutely love it and have no buyers remorse. I always get looks and comments from people on how much they like it. And it is way affordable for a brand new car and all the things you are getting standard with it. In fact, people think it is a lot more expensive than it really is. With this car you deifintly ride in style and comfort. No blind spots, easy to see. I also have 2 kids who ride in car seats in the back seat daily. Although this is a 2 door I have no inconveinences or space problems. So roomy. I love this car! Its sexy, reliable, and fun!

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  Good Car with a Noisy Engine - 2005 Scion TC
  By 99custom - January 15 - 10:57 pm

  Its my wifes car, but I do all the work on it. Its a good car for the price, but the engine is very loud. If you do your research you will see a problem with waterpumps going out, lifters tapping, and cold starts making lots of noise. Another problem I have encountered is the breaks. They always make noise in reverse, no matter what. Im not using cheap parts either. Of course my rear hatch broke, Its been JB-welded for years now..LOL. But the car runs good and does not consume oil like others have mentioned online.

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  You get what you paid for - 2007 Scion TC
  By Brakefade - January 15 - 9:10 am

  The car is great for the price. If youre buying it to throw a bunch of money into mods however, I would suggest you move up to the Civic Si. The tC has two fundamental flaws that enthusiasts will have to spend a lot of money to overcome. One is the lack of an LSD, and the other is the glass roof. The glass roof makes the car heavy at a place you want a car to be as light as possible. If youre looking for an affordable, good looking, reliable, daily driver with a hint of sportiness, this is the car for you.