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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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:

• 

  Bang for your Buck - 2008 Scion XB
  By Razo - October 30 - 10:10 am

  EXCELLENT build, mileage, performance, and quality in ITS CLASS. Keep that in mind. My wife traded in her Chrysler T&C and she fell in love with this car. We have two kids and its so roomy. The windshield is huge and impressive. The bigger engine helps pull this small car in traffic. Its about the same size as a BMW X3 and had gotten positive comments from family and friends who never liked the previous models. Im more of an Acura guy and I have to give respect to this Scion. I would purchase it. Always test drive first.

• 

  My first purchase - 2006 Scion TC
  By Anthony - October 29 - 1:03 am

  Ive driven a 98 Corolla for the past 7 years and the occasional Camry drive, so it was difficult to push me out of the Toyota family. When I went to buy a new car I narrowed it down to the under $22,000 range because I didnt want to spend THAT MUCH on a car, though I probably can easily. I ended up test driving the 06 Impreza, and this car and it was quite easy. The Civic was another option and a relative had recently bought one so I got to play with that a bit. But it was really easy to decide. The tC has way more features, the looks, and the Toyota Camry reliability in it for the same price.

• 

  xB is FUNctional! - 2004 Scion XB
  By Debralynn - October 26 - 4:30 pm

  I fell for the xB at first sight. I needed a reliable car for a long commute, am as happy as can be with my little black box today as I was the day I drove it off the lot. Its FUNky, its FUNctional, its just plain FUN.

• 

  Great Value / Fun to Drive / Minor Flaws - 2005 Scion TC
  By shifter - October 26 - 10:00 am

  The tC is really fun to drive. I bought it based on the Low Price & Toyotas Quality. It has plenty of power & the handling is excellent. I found myself wanting a 6th gear since it tachs 3K at 65. Also, 1st gear is very short causing you to shift almost immediately to 2nd & overall itÂ’s hard to shift the tC smoothly, but it does have very good acceleration. The tCs exterior is a piece of art & I wouldnt change a thing. The interior layout is great, the gauges are easy to read, & the seats are very comfortable with plenty of adjustments for the driver. The arm rest could be a little longer and ditto about the flimsy radio cover. A great car for $16,500!

• 

  A PERFECT 1st CAR!!! - 2005 Scion TC
  By Ex_CIVIC_Dryver - October 26 - 10:00 am

  Toyota has finally come up with a contender that will be competetive with Civic and RSX in the performance crowd. This car is LOADED! Dont blow your dough on a blandly designed Civic EX, where you have to spend a ton for the same options that come standard on this Scion tC. The RSX meanwhile, due to its semi-luxury assumptions, automatically starts at $20K, and rises from there. For around $17K, ($19K TOTALLY equipped), the Scion tC delivers a host of refined standard features. The only practical options I implemented were side impact airbags ($600) and larger wheels.

• 

  No better bang for the buck - 2005 Scion TC
  By Michael - October 21 - 7:23 am

  I looked at just about every small sporty car under $20k and chose the tC. Panoramic moonroof, good stock stereo(!), knee airbag, ABS, power windows/locks and alloys all standard - plus good looks, and a tested engine (same used in the Camry) add up to an amazing deal. More than enough power to pass on the freeway, and gets lots of stares as I pass.

• 

  Perfect for a Big Person - 2006 Scion XB
  By Robster - October 21 - 4:50 am

  I just purchased the 2006 xB today and I love it! I am a large man at 64" and 285 lbs and this car is unbelievable. If you are on the bigger side and would like to have a car with great gas mileage, but can never fit in one, this is YOUR CAR! Even in full-size SUVs I sometimes have difficulty with headroom. The xB gives me as much leg room as my Suburban (just sold) and 6 inches of clearance above my head. It drives and handles like a small sports car. The stereo is fantastic, and I got 31.8 MPG on my first tank of gas! Frankly, I would drive it all night if I didnt have things to do tomorrow. Please dont buy before driving this vehicle. The quality and features are astounding.

• 

  I like it - 2008 Scion XD
  By I like - October 19 - 3:13 am

  Wife and I test drove corolla, yaris, civic, fit, suzuki. The xD had the best drivers seat for my 210 lbs. The interior did not feel cheap like the other cars did. Did not even look at the scion brand, untill salesman pointed out the new xD, at first I did not like it. It looked tiny from the outside, however after riding in the back and then driving the xD my opinion completely changed. Wife and I bought the black xD. First tank of gas mpg 41, we live in a rural area 50 mph highway, pacific northwest area.

• 

  A Scion of the times. - 2008 Scion XD
  By JT Hall - October 17 - 8:03 pm

  I bought the Scion xD after driving the xA from an ebay sale, downsizing from a pickup truck which i can no longer afford to drive. After two weeks of both highway and around town driving, I find the xD to be fun to drive,comfortable and very economical (35+ combined mpg.) Although you wont win any drag races in a Scion, it will zoom up to highway speeds quickly enough where it floats effortlessly at 75+ mph. Handling and cornering are excellent and the seats are firm and supportive. In spite of its size the xD drives like a larger vehicle. Fold the seats down and theres plenty of room for your stuff. It was a great choice. Im going to keep it.

• 

  Great Little Car - 2009 Scion XD
  By Jim - October 14 - 2:10 am

  We bought our Scion two weeks ago and are really love it. It has more power than we need, is comfortable, build quality is superb, and gas mileage is also really good. Weve only gone through one tank of gas so the following numbers may be not be real accurate. However, the calculated mileage was 31.5 mpg while the computer average said it would be 32.9 mpg. We live in the Sierra Foothills and go up and down 1,000 to 2,000 feet and that cuts into our mileage. Our driving is probably 70% highway and 30% up and down. On the highway, I believe we are exceeding 40 mpg when "straight and level" if the computer is accurate within 2 mpg.