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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  The It Car - 2005 Scion XB
  By mabu - December 31 - 10:00 am

  Predict that more cars will be built to include Scion Xb features such as small exterior,large interior,good gas mileage,much standard equipment,funky styling with encouraged ability to transform it into your own ride. How sweet the concept and the result.It is the car version of a Harley.

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  A neat boxy beast - 2005 Scion XB
  By wb8wsf - December 31 - 10:00 am

  Ive only had my Scion xB for 10 days, but I really like it so far. It has a lot of room inside, such that my son can fir in it without slouching. The sound system is great, and the XM radio is fantastic. Add the MP3 player and Ill never have to listen to standard am/fm crud again... All in all, I would say that this is a lot of car for the money. It seems to be marketed towards younger people, but thats a little foolish: a good value is just that, good. My last Toyota lasted till 273K miles; I have every hope that this one can do that as well. It isnt boxy, its cute... --STeve Andre (wb8wsf)

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  Still Adore Mine - 2006 Scion xA
  By sigh-on_not_sky-on - December 30 - 6:13 pm

  Bought my Scion (release series 3) new at the end of 06 and I still love it. Everyone who gets in loves it. Great fun to drive.

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  Great Car - 2005 Scion xA
  By ITSAXA - December 29 - 8:46 am

  I love my Scion xA. I got 260 miles from 8.4 gallons of gas today, thats 30 mpg in CITY driving, and I wasnt realy trying to save. If I had stayed below 2,000 rpm, it would of been better. I have the bazooka tube in the trunk and that adds punch to the great stereo. The motor is smooth and it moves the car very nicely. I have the 5-speed transmission because it was in the car on the dealer lot already. I would normally have bought the automatic (I think its $800) because the car motor is buzzy on the highway (4,000 rpm @ 80 mph). A friends car with the auto goes 3,000 rpm @ 80 mpg and sounds and feels much better at that speed. Other than that, this car scores a bullseye on everything. It comes loaded with stuff for $13,100 and you can add lots of aftermarket stuff. It is a nice car thats not boaring and does everything well.

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  Terrific Vehicle for the Money - 2009 Scion XB
  By Perry - December 26 - 6:06 am

  I purchased this vehicle after extended research on comparable vehicles; there really is no other that offers this kind of space/efficiency for the price. On the first test drive I was smitten with the overall feel and build quality and decided to purchase then (of course no mention of this to the salesman). The car handles just like a small car, the power is much better than expected and the noise levels during driving are very low. It feels as though this is a more expensive car than the sticker indicates and that itself is very impressive. The manual transmission is silky smooth and engagement of the gears is quite accurate with a solid high quality feel. Sound system is great, buy it!

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  My First 2006 Scion tC - 2006 Scion TC
  By gilbert - December 25 - 3:30 pm

  Had trouble finding a dealer that would sell a tC basically stock. I ordered it thanks to an Edmunds.com referal. Ordered on a Wednesday, picked it up the following Wednesday. All I added was the mats.

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  Glad I Didnt Buy the Honda Fit - 2008 Scion XD
  By Aleida - December 23 - 5:50 pm

  I should be getting speeding tickets every time I drive it...Im having tons of fun driving a stick again. On the freeway Im doing 80 without realizing it. In the beginning gasoline would splash back out at every fill up. It took two visits to the same dealership to get the problem fixed. My description was not adequate so the second time the service manager hopped in and we went to a gas station and he saw it happen.

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  love the scion - 2008 Scion XD
  By andy - December 19 - 12:50 am

  just bought a new scion xd and love the car. i am getting about 35 mpg which is the main reason i got it. you get a lot for your money with the car from the stereo system to all the airbags that come with it. i live in vermont and it handles the snow somewhat like an all wheel drive. i feel like the car is a mini suv, with height of it, plus the excellent gas mileage.

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  gotta love scion xbs - 2005 Scion XB
  By chester - December 15 - 4:40 pm

  ive had my scion for 2 months and have been following since it was a concept car from toyota... it drives wonderfully and its appearance speaks for it self. plus the no hassle buying program is amazing. in 6 months im getting my wife a scion tc cause i love what this company is doing so much plus its toyota so how can you go wrong!!

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  Outside the demographic - 2008 Scion XB
  By oldman - December 14 - 8:20 am

  Although I am outside the standard age demographic, they let me buy an Xb anyway. After years of driving a fairly large SUV, I was looking to go smaller and more fuel-efficient. I looked at a handful of other sedans/wagons and the Scion Xb was the only car in which I felt comfortable (I am fairly tall). In the others cars, I was either staring into the sun-visor or hunching over to see out of the front window. The Xb also has enough back seat and cargo room for traveling with my kids, a worry I had in giving up the SUV. On a recent trip, we fit four suitcases and three bags of golf clubs in the back. No more worries on space. I also got 31 MPG on that trip.