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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  so cool - 2004 Scion XB
  By drater - June 25 - 10:00 am

  the ultimate urban transpot/party wagon. Looks good, drives good, dirt cheap. What more could you ask for?

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  i wish - 2004 Scion XB
  By car - June 25 - 10:00 am

  excellent but too small engine not enough power especially going uphill

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  Highly impressed - 2008 Scion XB
  By Impressed - June 24 - 4:03 pm

  I laughed when I first saw the older Scion "boxes with wheels". The more I saw them the better they grew on me. We just bought the 08 xB and we are really impressed with the ride, performance and accessibility. We really went overboard on extras and ended up with a remarkable classy vehicle. We added the Alpine navigation/radio system, leather interior (charcoal and ash), Camry alloy wheels and sports steering wheel. The audio system is awesome and navigation system has largest screen I have ever seen. You can sit and play DVD movies in the nav system while you are sitting and the surround sound is spectacular. I recommend that you become a proud owner of one.

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  All I gotta say is WOW! - 2005 Scion TC
  By Medi - June 19 - 8:13 am

  First of all, I am Mr. BMW who traded in a 1997 BMW 540i 6-speed manual for my new Scion tC. I am not only enjoying the european/japanese feel of this car, I am getting better gas mileage and love the looks of it. Everyone checks this car out and they have all the reasons to! It has a great look to it on the outside and all the features, fit and finish and comfort on the inside! By the way, I am loving the upgraded leather. MP3 is awesome!

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  Overall a great vehicle - 2005 Scion TC
  By Dave - June 17 - 5:33 pm

  Best features: Sporty & Stylish - gets lots of attention from people, everyone likes it. Power - Engine provides effortless acceleration and its fun to drive. Slight Problems: Gas Mileage - Gets roughly 30... not bad but it could be better. Stereo Cover - Doesnt seem to work all the time, hard to get open. Its not just mine, ive seen this problem mentioned in other reviews also.

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  Compared to 2003 Camry LE 4 cyl - 2008 Scion XB
  By Bob Bobsky - June 12 - 6:50 am

  I recently traded my 03 Camry LE 4 cyl. in for 08 xB. xBs acceleration is similar or better. Suspension is way more firm. I get 27 MPG in the city (Chicago suburbs), better my Camry. Its smaller outside, but it has a lot of room inside. My 11 y.o. son likes it a lot, so do his friends. On the road, we get a lot of looks from passing cars. Safety features are much better. I like the way the dashboard is configured everything is in the middle. AC/heater vents are awesome; theyre adjustable all ways. xB doesnÂ’t have a vent for the rear; however my son feels more air coming to the rear seats cause of the configuration of the vents. ItÂ’s not as wide, so 3 full size people dont fit in the back.

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  Not perfect but good - 2005 Scion TC
  By Michael - June 12 - 6:46 am

  Bought this car used privately and so far its been fantastic. The rear trunk latch/garnish is utter bs. Apparently its a big problem with the tCs, but $150 part and $80 installation fee was pretty bad for a flimsy piece of plastic. The car rattles a bit and the moonroof is extremely touchy. Gets really loud inside at freeway speeds. Kinda crappy gas mileage for such a small car, too. The interior plastics seem kind of cheap. Other than that its very reliable, fun to drive, looks very cool and the engine is very powerful!

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  makes you smile - 2005 Scion XB
  By ked - June 8 - 11:16 am

  My third Toyota and by far the most enjoyable to drive. Fun car with lots of room and great mileage. All the safety features you expect from a Toyota.

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  Scion XA - 2004 Scion xA
  By kheinly - June 8 - 10:00 am

  Car is fun to drive, great gas mileage and fun to drive. Price is excellent for a Toyota Sister Co. Car looks small but the inside actually has good space. Trunk is small. I usually leave the back seats down for the extra room. Seats in the back limit visiablity out the rear. Overall a very good car.

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  Toyota meets Acura - 2005 Scion TC
  By Omer A - June 8 - 10:00 am

  Finally, Toyota has something to beat the RSX Type S. Only now its $4000 cheaper.