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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  a bargain - 2005 Scion TC
  By jc23 - April 2 - 10:00 am

  all u need to know about the car can be found in the specs, its a car above your civics and sentras. u have a camry engine giving you 160hp and a load of standard features and hidden goodies that makes the car feel more luxurious. be warned of availability issues, it took me a complete month to get the car and not even the color i wanted. if u want the car, test drive and then put a deposit down (usually $500, make sure its refundable) and call up other dealers, this may help you get it faster .. the car is smooth and responsive, great pickup and a/c works well, MPG is decent, mp3 player is great and a ton of other little features

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  A MUST OWN VEHICLE!!! - 2005 Scion TC
  By kjuntaz - April 2 - 10:00 am

  This is an awesome car to own. Ive only had mine for a few days now but I simply love it. And to think I nearly made the mistake of buying a Nissan Sentra - thank goodness I came to my senses after seeing this car on the Toyota lot. Their no haggling over pricing was a joy to deal with. Thank you Toyota!!!

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  Best Value... Hands Down - 2005 Scion TC
  By Damon Walker - April 2 - 3:30 am

  Can you imagine a Camry in all its greatness with more features, more power, more style and an anorexic price tag? Turn it into a TRUE sports-coupe and you have the SCION tC. This is, without question, the highest fun-to- value ratio in the modern day of automotion. Drive all you want -- its a Toyota (excuse me, Scion), it will never break. Faster than a Solara and more leg room in the back seat, this vehicle is engineering at its best. The Scion tC is tit-mouse quiet but roars when provoked. Trade in what ever you drive now while it still has any value and do the smart thing; Flint Mica... stick shift -- You wont be sorry. Let all Toyotas children say Amen... and Amen!!

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  Best value for the $ hands down! - 2005 Scion XB
  By jonbreeze - April 1 - 8:44 am

  My scion was just totaled after 8 years of ownership. I loved it so much I felt I needed to review it for others to know. I bought it as a salvage in 06 with 16k miles on it and I put 170k miles on it. I did do some routine maintenance but it wasnt super consistent and definitely not on time. I never had a single mechanical problem with it other than replacing some simple belts once. After a few years of ownership I crashed it and had to replace my good, front fenders, front bumper, radiator, and some wiring and even after it ran flawlessly. Im a younger guy and drove it pretty hard and took it On long trips with lots of luggage and it performed great! Minor cosmetic flaws but great value!!

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  AMAZING! - 2005 Scion XB
  By MrDavid - March 28 - 10:00 am

  This car is the coolest thing. The windows are like picture windows. The back seats are as roomy as the front seats. It looks like a small car so its east to park, but it is big on the inside. Its a happy car. You have to smile when you look at it. The only complaint is that it does not yet come with cruise control. When it is available I will have it installed. I cant recommend the car highly enough, and I do mostly highway driving.

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  Great car, fun to drive :-) - 2005 Scion XB
  By Ced - March 28 - 10:00 am

  Great car for the price. Great warranty. Excellent fuel economie. Fun and easy to drive. Very confortable.

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  Best Investment - 2005 Scion TC
  By Iwona82 - March 28 - 10:00 am

  This car, in my opinion is the greatest car. It is priced great and it comes standard with great features. Drives great and is real quick.

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  Good All-Rounder - 2010 Scion XB
  By camp6ell - March 28 - 12:53 am

  Traded in an 07 tC and am delighted with similar performance but much more utility. Is more pleasant to drive and has a good ride quality balance - compliant enough in corners and over bumps, but not too stiff. Tons of room inside was a big reason for buying. Does everything we need it to do well, though I would always like to see better fuel mileage.

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  So much fun! - 2008 Scion XD
  By CJ - March 27 - 11:56 pm

  Just traded in my Chevy Colorado extended cab for a xD this weekend and Im so glad we did. My wife and I share a vehicle, she loves our new xD way more than my old truck. Its fun to drive, handles like a sports car, looks great! I drove my wife crazy this weekend asking to go for drives around town!

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  Scion Xb is a FUN car - 2006 Scion XB
  By Gary - March 27 - 9:10 pm

  This is a FUN car! Consumer Reports indicated that it has too much road noise. Mine is quiet. I think, Im actually getting better gas mileage than its stated 30 city / 38 highway. It has plenty of interior room. I just wish it had came with a roof rack for carying longer items like ladders or plywood. I think anyone would enjoy this vehicle. It looks like a vehicle out of the future.