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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  Loved This Car - 2008 Scion XD
  By mcgooey - August 15 - 12:58 am

  This was my first brand new car. I stumbled upon this car when it first came out. I think I just got lucky with it. didnt know anything about the car but i had been wonderfully happy with this car. it was fun, sporty. had some get up and go. and there were alot of customizable features that you could add to the car. radio was great. love the ipod hook up feature. I was able to get 40 highway and high 20s city. this car was the love of my life. unfortunately it got squished in between a ford f150 and a ford E150. The car actually held up alot better in the accident then I would have expected from the impact, but the car was a total loss. RIP scion XD

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  tC is the best bang for your buck - 2007 Scion TC
  By Matt - August 13 - 3:43 am

  I just bought my tC and love it. Ive read some reviews of people that dont like the way it handles, but I think the suspension, steering, and brakes are top notch for a car at this price. I love how it looks, sounds, drives, and feels. Its aggressive but not overly. Has tons of potential for upgrades, I wouldnt buy anything else for this price. Best looks, best standard features, Toyota quality, 2.4L Camry engine, 4 wheel disk brakes, great stereo options, I could go on and on!

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  Scion xB (@ 750 miles - 2008 Scion XB
  By Mark19 - August 11 - 3:56 am

  Clutch has a long throw. Radio did not have a manual.

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  Value Value value! - 2005 Scion XB
  By ScionXb2005 - August 9 - 10:00 am

  Yes I did say value three times. I have had my 2005 Scion XB for about a month now and I couldnt be any happier. I looked into the Honda Civic and I said to myself why do I have to have the same car everyone else is driving. My xb also came with every power option available and cost much less than a Civic EX. You also dont have to wonder witch civic is yours in the parking lot of the local supermarket. My Scion Xb has been a pleasure to drive and own. If you want and incredible value and the awsome reputation of Toyota look into the Scion Xb.

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  love this little box - 2005 Scion XB
  By Adrinap - August 9 - 10:00 am

  i love, love, love this little box of mine. the only bummer for me is the fact that there are no plans for toyota to design a hitch or a way to add a hitch for this little thing so i can take a couple of bicycles along with me. i dont want a roof rack for the bikes (the car is just too tall for that).

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  Super Cool - 2005 Scion TC
  By czardoz1 - August 9 - 10:00 am

  My TC is just great. It rides good and handles like a sports car while getting great gas mileage. It is built better than most cars costing 10,000 more.

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  2005 Scion Tc Automatic - 2005 Scion TC
  By ActionBronson - August 9 - 10:00 am

  Great Car, Great Power, Lots of "options" that are included in the price. Well under $20k with everything youd want. Drives nice, good handling, cornering, stable, comfortable ride, good legroom (Im tall).

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  By far the best car by Scion - 2005 Scion TC
  By Michelly - August 9 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car when my 02 Honda Accord was wrecked beyond repair, I had to find a car around the same price range as the accords value. I liked the look of the tC from the outside but did not expect it to stand up to my accord, but it did. The personalization options are great and I love the original interior design and the awesome standard panoramic sunroof, blinking mirrors, and keyless entry programmed into the key definetly turn heads!!!

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  Just what I wanted for College - 2006 Scion xA
  By Mike from CA - August 8 - 7:23 am

  As a 22 year old college student I bought this car 1 year ago to help keep the gas bill down and because of toyotas reliability behind it. What I didnt expect was the amazing MPG, low maintenance costs, great sound system, and the room inside. This car has been everything I ever wanted in a car and I will own it for quite some time.

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  Satisfied with my Midlife Crisis - 2008 Scion XB
  By Eric - August 4 - 8:50 pm

  Car is exactly as advertised. The blackberry crush color is amazing beautiful. Planned on wrapping it, but I am having a hard time covering up the color. The car is great on gas mileage (just got 33 mpg on a highway trip).