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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  Beezers Box - 2005 Scion XB
  By Brad - November 30 - 4:13 am

  I bought a Black Sand Pearl Scion XB back in 2004. It is so much fun to drive and because of the uniqueness of it compared to other vehicles on the road a lot of attention is drawn to it. Many people have complimented me on it and asked me how I like it. There is a tremendous amount of leg room in the front, and even more leg room in the back seats. The Pioneer CD/AM/FM radio which is standard sounds great. The gas mileage is also very good. I put alot of miles on per week, and just love driving my Scion XB.

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  Best Car Ever - 2009 Scion XB
  By Jessica - November 29 - 2:16 pm

  Im just in love with this vehicle. I traded in an 07 Nissan Altima which I absolutely hated and Im so happy I did. There is not one thing I dislike about this car. Its so roomy but still small and incredibly fun to drive. I love how you sit up in it and can see out of it so well like an SUV. Its very peppy with the 2.4L engine and it handles perfectly. I have the Stingray color and it is just beautiful. I adore the styling of this car...its so cute! This is an awesome ride for truly anyone. Im a 25 year old girl on the go and it does everything I want it to. Test drive one of these and you will understand why this car rocks.

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  Best Kept Secret - 2008 Scion XD
  By Bud - November 28 - 2:53 am

  Next week, I will have had my Xd for 6 months and have seen only one other, so hence my choice of title. I traded an 01 Highlander and think this is a better vehicle when considering everything; styling, ride, comfort, gas mileage, etc. Also I think it is better than my 98 Landcruiser and my 95 4Runner, all things considered. I have had people quiz me about it and everyone loves it. Why doesnt Scion push this vehicle? When I tell people I have an Xd they assume it is an Xb. Nobody has heard of it. Also, Toyota is bringing out a vehicle called the Urban Cruiser, currently only for Europe. Guess What? It is a 4-wheel drive Xd! Buy this car---youll love it

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  Best car so far!!! - 2008 Scion TC
  By lauchard - November 25 - 1:33 am

  After going from my 13 yr old base style Corolla to this standard loaded out car I feel like Ive hit the jackpot for a great price. I absolutely love it. It has pep and looks very smart. This is my favorite car Ive ever had. Well worth every penny even if you dont add a thing. Feels like Im gliding on glass it is so smooth. With the Toyota name behind it you cant go wrong. Get one!!

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  My gocart with an A/C - 2011 Scion XB
  By bilbowill - November 23 - 10:00 am

  Just that, it preforms like a 158 hp go cart, , I chose the White color with Gray/black interior, , the center dash does take some getting used to, but I got over that as soon as I plugged my iPod, , and my iphone in, I even use my iphone as the iPod and can get calls, the cargo area is large enough to slid my 3 wheel bike in I get 30.2 mpg in the city, , thats great, , went from a murano, with only 64 cubic feet of storage to this, , 70 cf, its great

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  09 TC RS - 2009 Scion TC
  By jromine - November 21 - 8:00 pm

  I bought this vehicle trading in a Mazda 3. I live in WI so driving a Mazda 3 hatch without ABS was difficult to say the least. This car handles great in the winter. We had a pretty bad winter this year and I had no problems with its handling. Much better than what I had before. More room in the back then what youd think for passengers who sit in the rear. Car stayed on track in the snow and when ABS kicked in it stopped. Ipod hookup is awesome in this car, better than a lot of Pioneer aftermarkets out there right now. Car looks great on the outside, I get a lot of stares and comments. Roomy interior, but the build quality could be better.

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  What fun! - 2008 Scion XD
  By kstroup - November 18 - 1:00 pm

  This is a great, funky car. Because of the driver position I feel like Im driving an SUV, but it handles like a sporty little car! Plenty of room for passengers. Has great pickup when you need to accelerate fast. Good gas mileage for a non-hybrid vehicle (averaging 33 MPG and I drive mostly city).

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  Fun to drive - 2006 Scion XB
  By Kathy - November 17 - 3:03 am

  I traded in my luxury van for better mileage. At first I thought I had made a mistake because I have had vans for 14 years so this was a big jump backwards at first thought. Ive driven it for a few days now and I actually like it, the mileage is great and its fun to drive. Thought this was only for the younger crowd but everyone I see driving it is my age (almost 40) or older. Glad I made the decision to buy a Scion xB I think Ill be real happy when I finally need gas!

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  Dont Let the "Toaster" Deceive You - 2008 Scion XB
  By cmoriarty7 - November 16 - 9:38 am

  As someone who is 64", Im astounded by having 4 inches of clearance over my head when I sit in the car. At the same time, I loved having plenty of leg room in the rear even with the front seats all the way back.The trunk has held up to 4 sets of golf clubs as well. You cant go wrong with the city MPG constantly between 25-27 and the highway between 28-30. The Toyota turning radius and engine is a joy and the engine has enough pep that sub-160 HP feel like a lot more. The acceleration capability is hard to comprehend with the thought of it being a box. I never had a vital part come close to failing after 60K miles. The car also handled in a way that tire wear was incredibly slow.

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  xB = Fun - 2006 Scion XB
  By RLC - November 16 - 5:23 am

  The xB is fun to drive in the way that my VW van was fun to drive. It has lots of room inside and it is cheap to run. Load it up and go to the beach, or river or whereever.