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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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 for the Price - 2007 Scion TC
  By Narso - September 27 - 10:30 pm

  This is a nice little car for the price. Its got pretty good handling and a very sweet engine. The cornering isnt as flat as Id like, but the steering is pretty sharp, especially after I got rid of the original tires. As is, its pretty tossable, but Im probably going to get an aftermarket rear sway bar to help flatten things out. I love the flexibility, if not the total horsepower, of the engine. Its smooth, torquey and quiet. Exactly what Ive come to expect from Toyota. The transmission has good ratios, but could be smoother. 6 speeds would be nice. I really like the styling both outside and inside. It looks like it costs much more than it actually does.

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  Overall very disappointing - 2013 Scion FR-S
  By garrett2000 - September 27 - 4:57 pm

  I have the 6 speed manual. There are 2 main problems with the car, the first being the severe lack of power. Scion claims this car has 200 HP, I beg to differ, its lucky if it has 150. The acceleration is absolutely terrible, and the hesitation off the line makes the situation even worse. However, once its in 3rd gear or later, it does get a little better. The other thing that bothers me about the car is the transmission grinds when shifting from 1st to 2nd, and from 2nd to 3rd. It doesnt happen every time, but happens enough to be severely annoying. The only redeeming quality of the car is the styling. It looks like a sports car, but thats where the similarity ends.

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  Awesome Car for Size and Price - 2004 Scion XB
  By laughattack911 - September 26 - 10:00 am

  Scions are my new saving grace, low price for a high performing car with sporty styling.

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  Incredible Value - 2005 Scion TC
  By TC Be - September 26 - 10:00 am

  The tC is the total package: fun to drive, gorgeous to look at and the quality and value is amazing. The engine is strong and TRD muffler growls to announce your arrival.

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  Affordable, Reliable and Sporty-Looking - 2006 Scion TC
  By megster - September 24 - 6:21 am

  has been a great car for me for the past 5 years. It has 75k on it and ive only changed the breaks & tires once. never had any pricey maintenance problems or any engine problems! my car has only had some weird fix-it-yourself issues like the windshield molding coming off (glued that back on), sunroof not closing (i tap it instead of pressing it down and it closes), drivers seat chair catching on track (used melted chapstick to fix), and the hatch release piece almost breaking off (bolted extra bolts in the interior to keep it on). But i cant express how RELIABLE and LOW COST this cars been. i wish it had a sportier suspension tho! also, looks like a teen car and im in my late 20s!

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  Perfect first car - 2014 Scion TC
  By Tyler Brown - September 23 - 1:50 am

  Some people get pretty basic first cars, and theres nothing wrong with that. I was lucky to get something a little more than that. The 2014 tC has seen a pretty drastic exterior styling change from 2013, and while some say its bland (how?), I think its just what this car needed. The lines are sharp and aggressive, and takes several styling cues from the F-rs. While the front grille and rear diffuser are nice, it really is a bit too much plastic. The wheels are also very nice. The interior is very well laid out, and the standard touch-screen display is great, but again, a little too much plastic. The ride is pretty good for its class, the acceleration is good, and the steering is above avg.

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  Love this Amazing vehicle! - 2012 Scion XB
  By William McCoy - September 21 - 9:25 am

  Very recently bought a used 2012 Scion xB Wagon, 2.4L I-4, 16-valve, ohc, 5-spd Manual, to replace my hard-driven 97 Toyota Tacoma Xtra Cab with 221,800+ miles. My Tacoma also had an earlier iteration of the same power plant as the xB. Consumer Reports review for the 2012 xB are all full red dots (excellent) except for Trim/Paint, which was half-a-red-dot (very good). The example I found and bought had been a personal lease vehicle, returned to its original dealership, with only around 15, 586 miles on it; very low for a 2012. I consider myself fortunate to have gotten this car. This is a very dependable, long-used Toyota engine design. Build and assembly quality is very solid. I have yet to put 500 miles on this vehicle, but I absolutely love driving it, and its getting better as Im becoming accustomed to the feel and handling. Positives: Handling: Very quick; sports-car like. Small turning circle accentuates this. Front-wheel drive also accentuates this, tending to understeer because the steering wheels are also the driving wheels. Cornering: like being on rails; flat, little tip; the boxy shape is deceptively stable. Very wide stance plus low profile; a box with a wheel on each corner. Center of gravity is pretty low; not as low as a Subaru or Porsche, which have boxer engine configurations that lay flat, but its still great. The I-4 engine is tilted back slightly with the weight approximately centered over the front wheels. Most fun Ive had since I first drove a 64 VW Beetle 4-speed. Clutch: Moderately light; easy to hold; an advantage in LA traffic. A bit grippy in 1st, shift to 2nd quickly and smooths out. Brakes: As much as I have so far experienced, the 4-wheel discs bring it to a stop really fast. Vented discs in front, solid discs in rear. Gearing: Surprisingly, what seems to me to be a little low; at 70 miles per hour, Im running 3,000 rpm in 5th (my 97 Tacoma with same engine but rear-wheel drive, ran 2500 at 70 mph). However, I can see the logic of the design, because theyve tweaked it to be just under its peak torque curve at common highway speeds. You can still accelerate away pretty well in 5th without downshifting. The tach doesnt show redline until 6500 rpm! If gearing were slightly higher, fuel mileage could probably be improved a bit, but it might not be as much fun to drive! Interior: Nice fit and finish. Little cubby bins everywhere, cup/can holders front and rear. Drivers seat could benefit from an infinitely-adjustable electric design. While this model features tilt-telescope steering wheel, and a six-way manually adjustable seat, the slightly odd driving position within the confines of the "box" cry out for more adjustability, particularly with the 5-speed, because of active clutching and braking. Automatic drivers wont care. The manual adjustable seat adjusts seat-cushion angle, seat-back angle, and forward-backward seat position. There is no height adjustment The seat adjustments, plus the steering adjustments mean most drivers can find a combination that is CLOSE to what they want, but they wont be able to make it PERFECT. Many Toyota models without electric seats suffer from this problem. Weakest spot, by far, Scion: INADEQUATE SUN-VISORS. The big windows, which contribute to great visibility for most drivers, ALSO puts ones head at a low angle compared to the top line of the windows, thus allowing indiscriminate BLINDING BY THE LIGHT. A simple fix would be to use sun-visors with those slide-out-the-end panels to extend them the full width of the window, thus keeping our eyes functioning. Dont forget to bring your "shades" when you drive, and wear headgear with a bill or brim. Inadequate cargo area lighting: One little light on the left side of the rearmost cargo area. Low, and manually switched. Better placed above, inside the top of the hatch frame to spread light over the area. Flat floor due to front-wheel drive allows for lower placement of space-saver spare, and a "storage tray" which rests on top of the spare, but under the floor panel. And in my particular car, carpeted/monogrammed mat on top of that. Storage cubbies around the spare under the floor panel, and open storage bins on right and left side of cargo floor. There was room for more storage on inside of rear roof support pillars, if it had been utilized. In the molded paneling, there are depressions as if some designer thought about making a storage bin, but just didnt follow through with it. As I said, I havent had this car very long, but I anticipate driving it for a WHILE, and enjoying every minute of it. So far, have seen very few things to criticize. My biggest disappointment was reading in someone elses review that Scion will not be making the xB after 2016—is that right? Thats a shame, because its a great car. Of course, the up side is, that itll make mine worth more down the road, because itll still be desirable!!

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  The xB is the bEst car out there - 2005 Scion XB
  By Anchal - September 20 - 10:00 am

  This Car is worth every penny you spend. It cut, its reliable I have not had a problem yet Its just the best car I have owned

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  what a car. - 2005 Scion TC
  By jaye west - September 20 - 10:00 am

  This truly is a great car. I traded in a nissan maxima for this.Its affordable, fun to drive and looks great, what more can you want. More torque and horse power than the rsx

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  TC heaven - 2006 Scion TC
  By sdsu12 - September 18 - 4:14 am

  Great road handling small sport car. If you do not enjoy sport cars do not buy this car. Interior is small, only 2 doors and hard to get people in the back seat. This car is good for two people to drive around town. My doughter currently drives this car but she now is 22 and wants a small SUV. I might keep it for the weekend driving in SOCAL.