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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  Pure Fun TO DRIVE - 2005 Scion TC
  By ff7raven - August 12 - 10:00 am

  This car is just plain fun, no ifs, ands or buts about it, it is just fun.

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  Cant Go Wrong - 2005 Scion TC
  By smk2310 - August 12 - 10:00 am

  If you dont like getting noticed, dont buy this car. I havent been able to go from point A to point B without someone rolling their window down and asking about the car. While not the fastest car on the road, it handles great, the ride is smooth, and the driver seat(although no power seats) is very comfortable. The back seats have plenty of leg room, however the head room is tight, but then again you will never be sitting in the back if you buy it. I got the sub put into my car, and was very happy with the quality. Overall I LOVE IT

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  2006 Scion xB - 2006 Scion XB
  By nzl - August 9 - 8:03 am

  It can be a fun car and for most people it probably is, but the construction is POOR. If I had to do it over again I wouldnt buy it. If you want a car that is fuel efficient and performs reasonably well on the freeway, this car is it. But it is really noisy. All the doors and dashboard rattle so loudly that you can hear it over the radio, unless you set the volume high all the time. Its been to dealer three times, the first two times they fixed it, now they claim they dont hear any unusual noise. If you dont mind loud rattling noise they buy this piece of junk. Note: the dealers loaners with less than 10,000 miles were extremely bad with rattling noise as well, so this is a pattern is all their cars.

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  I know 4 People who have this same issue - 2010 Scion TC
  By tanya1977 - August 7 - 10:22 pm

  I love my car . My husband has a 2006 my friend has a 2007 and another friend has a 2008. I was backing up and this loud squeeking sound came from my car, my husband was with me and said his car does the same thing, I had my breaks checked and the pads are fine . I was leaving work one day and it happened again and a co worker who owns a tc came out to stop me and said her car does the same thing, Where I live is an aparment complex and I could not beleive it a girl that drives a tc was backing up and her car did the same thing I stopped her and she said it started out of the blue , This only happens when you back it up . This should be looked into i think it is a manufacture issue

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  Love it! 2006 scion - 2006 Scion xA
  By GFS - August 6 - 3:56 am

  Im 60 and I love this car it s so much fun so roomy, has pick up, its just the greatest thing since hummm Apple pie ":) and it is very classy looking! Had it 2 months no problems, Ill be back to let ya know how it gets through the winter.

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  Holy Scion - 2006 Scion TC
  By James White - August 5 - 6:40 am

  Overall the scion has been the best car I have ever owned, out of 5 cars including a 94 ford tbird lx, 98 gmc sonoma sls, 95 lexus es 300, and a 99 honda accord ex, my scion soars over them with ease in performance, comfort and all around excitement on the road. I wouldnt trade my scion tc for the world, unless that is lexus offers me a IS 350...hehe

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  2006 Scion sB - 2006 Scion XB
  By Johnny Vegas - August 3 - 2:23 pm

  Heres why I purchased the Scion sB: Im 6ft tall and I have plenty of room. The rear seat has plenty of room for the kids. It gets 35mpg and it never breaks. Not ready for a Corolla or a minivan. It has performed beautifully in these areas. One of the main reasons I bought the 2006 was the gas mileage. The 06 has enough power and performs really well at the pump!

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  Lovin My Scion - 2006 Scion XB
  By msusnicknel - July 31 - 4:03 am

  My qualifications for picking a new car were simple, low ownership cost and big space. At 63", 300+ pounds, this eliminated a lot of the under 20 grand cars out there. It boiled down to the Chevy HHR, Chevy Aveo, Pontiac Aztec, Mazda3, and the xB. The xB was the last one I test drove and I immediately fell in love with it. There is an insane amount of room (even for me). The price is fantastic, and when you figure in the low insurance costs and great gas mileage, it gets even better. Not to mention I LOVE the no haggling pricing system. I got mine nicely equipped (even got the blue lights....ooh pretty) for around $18,000 out the door. Hands down this is the best car for the money!

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  Best Car for Teens - 2006 Scion TC
  By Khan - July 28 - 10:16 pm

  This car is incredibly great! Its a great car for its value.

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  I Love This Car - 2006 Scion xA
  By CWhatley - July 28 - 5:36 am

  My Scion aA is the very first brand new car that I have ever owned and I couldnt be more pleased with its performance and quality. I would recommend this car to anyone that is looking to buy a new car. It is wonderful on style, gas mileage, comfort, and reliability.