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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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 Car - 2005 Scion TC
  By Betsy - March 25 - 5:23 am

  My experience with my tC has been awesome! I love driving it, its fun, easy to get into and out of. My daughter loves to drive it, stereo system is great. I am tall and it is very comfortable to drive around town and on long trips! Went 400 mi. on 1 tank of gas! God Bless it!

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  Puts a smile on my face when I drive it! - 2010 Scion XB
  By Eric - March 20 - 8:20 pm

  Most fun car I have had in years. Had many Camrys with more creature comforts but I added MANY options so it is now very comfortable. The Camry motor in the xB makes a huge difference in performance. It could use a 5th gear but does well with a 4- speed auto. Back seats fold flat and their is an incredible amount of space. Put after-market alloys on mine and get many compliments. My fiance loves to drive it so getting driving time is getting more challenging. Sound system is awesome. Even if they were options, needs telescoping steering wheel, heated mirrors, power drivers seat,5- speed auto, and a few other things. Otherwise, love the car.

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  My Box - 2005 Scion XB
  By lesper - March 19 - 7:50 pm

  For the price, this is an outstanding car.

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  Cool Car - 2007 Scion TC
  By tim - March 18 - 1:40 pm

  I love my new tC, it looks good on the outside as well as the inside, it runs good, and you can add a lot of cool features to customize it to your liking.

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  The Great Box - 2006 Scion XB
  By middlebt - March 17 - 7:03 am

  I have always thought the Scion xB was very unique in several ways. First being that the car looks like no other, and that it got really good gas milage. Now that I am a owner of a 2006 xB I really love its ride. I notice several people driving around me looking at the car probably thinking that it has no "ZIP". Oh how they are so wrong. This car has a great "zip" in the beginning. As far as getting the car up beyond the 85 mph its pretty hard, but that is against the law in many states. :( But anyway this car is great. I am 61 and I have tons of rooms for me to relax in the front or back seats.

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  Great Toaster - 2005 Scion XB
  By jdsusumu - March 14 - 5:33 am

  I love my xB. It is the perfect color and drives like a dream. I am always being stopped and asked what it is and how many miles per gallon it gets. I wish I could have 5 of them.

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  The Car for Me - 2005 Scion TC
  By Brett - March 14 - 5:00 am

  Fun car to drive. Sporty, quick, perfect car for the everyday driver. Not too much, nor too little power. Front seats are comfortable, and hold you in place through the winding turns. Rear seats have much more leg room, very suprising. I have a few 6+ friends who enjoy riding in the back w/me. Interior is very stylish, with a radio cover panel that looks sweet, could use steering wheel controls though. Safety ratings show its a safe car... the side impact air bags would help, though expensive, worth the safety. All of the std and opt features available made this an easy choice for me. So, roll the windows down, open the sunroof, lay on the throttle, and enjoy the ride.

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  Beats all of the competition - 2006 Scion TC
  By C.R. - March 11 - 9:30 am

  First off those people begging for a windshield sun strip: It looks awful on the tC. I had the tint applied at the dealership and was glad when given the option to decline the windshield tint. I started off my car buying experience special ordering a Toyota Corolla S edition. After waiting several weeks I went back to the dealership and picked up a black Scion tC. I am very happy that I changed my mind. The decked out Corolla only had one more feature than the tC, which was leather. Thinking about it now though, I wish I had chosen the leather.

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  Love the 08 - 2008 Scion XB
  By Anewton86 - March 9 - 8:46 pm

  I had an 06XB. Loved it when I bought it and then as the year passed on I began to find things I disliked about it. I didnt like the room between me and the passenger, the leg room for the passenger, or the lack of getting up and going. I traded in my 06 3 days ago and got an 08. I love it! They fixed everything I didnt like. The ride is so much smoother.

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  My new Limited edition scion XA - 2005 Scion xA
  By kcgeyer - March 9 - 12:26 am

  I did not like the origional version of the Scion XA, but I bought the limited edition with the rear spoiler and the different front grill. It also came in "absolutly red" which is not one of the standard available colors. Mine also has a sunroof and is a manual. It is quite and the fuel consumption gets better and better each time I drive it.