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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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 - 2004 Scion XB
  By Barbie_n_ken - December 24 - 10:00 am

  After looking at the Toyota corolla, matrix, and rav 4, I decided to buy the Xb because of its impressive list of standard features, its roominess, great gas mileage, and its safety features. I could not find any other car in the Xbs price range that had standard anti-lock brakes and traction control. The Xb is lots of fun to drive and gets lots of attention everywhere I go. My 2 year old son loves the room in the back seat and I feel safe in this car.

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  Just wonderful - 2005 Scion XB
  By elgin_browntown - December 24 - 8:10 am

  This is my first new car purchase, and I couldnt be happier. Great interior room, nice gas mileage, and great customer service. When I first saw it, I couldnt decide if it was ugly or cool. It was unlike anything Ive seen, but I have grown to love the way it looks. The price, interior design, and the practicality of the whole enchilada made the Scion an easy choice.

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  Scion tC Ratting - 2007 Scion TC
  By SUE YANG - December 20 - 1:03 am

  This vehicle from my experience, is very great car, because the handling of it is pretty good, it is very nice looking, the seats are very soft, and it gets good gas mileage for a 2.4L. The only thing that I dont like is the brakes are too sqishy. Toyota needs to work on the brakes. Other than that the car is very good.

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  new scion - 2005 Scion xA
  By 2005 scion xa - December 18 - 3:20 pm

  before this purchase we owned a 2000 toyata corolla. A great car but the scion xa is roomier and eaiser to get in and out of, as well as handles so well.

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  big bang for the buck - 2005 Scion TC
  By Jack H. - December 18 - 10:00 am

  I just sold my 1998 1.8 Audi Quattro. Bought the car new and had an engine management chip put in. Though it was fun to drive, I had mucho problems, turbo, brakes, broken timing belt, and more. My Tc is as much fun, even with automatic, and my guess is the build quality will far exceed the Audi. Fit and finish is great. The standard features and solid feeling, cant be beat and a dealer that rally knew his product. Im having a blast. At 66, who says the car is only for kids?

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  SMALL OUTSIDE, BIG INSIDE - 2005 Scion XB
  By ANTONIO GUERRA - December 16 - 9:56 am

  Looking for an appropriate vehicle in which to drive clients around, I stumbled upon the Scion. Intending to buy a Lincoln or other luxury sedan for space and comfort, I inexplicably fell in love with this weird-looking vehicle with its unique dashboard. At first I kicked myself for what seemed to have been an impulse purchase...a nostalgic regression to my youth- addled tastes in the 60s, when I drove a "psychedelic" VW microbus. But The Scion xB turned out to be an excellent choice. My clients love it, and its an instant conversation piece that quickly breaks the ice. Even my tallest passengers are comfortable with its ample leg and head room, front and back. And what fun to drive!

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  Cool - 2006 Scion TC
  By Tata - December 16 - 8:23 am

  Really cool car, no gas gated at all!

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  My Foxsy Boxsy Scion - 2005 Scion XB
  By Judy - December 13 - 7:13 pm

  I love this car. I am 50 yrs old. Previously I was driving a 1996 RAV4 2dr w/dual sunroofs. I didnt think Id ever find another vehicle that I loved as much. The Toyota came out with the Box! I love this car for a fun, funky, roomy, ride. Plenty of legroom for the big guys in my life 240 lb.......63" The senior citizens are paying alot of attention to the car & liking it as well.

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  This car is very worth compare to tC - 2005 Scion XB
  By cpthk - December 12 - 10:56 am

  It looks good. The performance is so good. If you really want to buy tC that kind of sports car, choose another brand, because that is just look like sports car, but the material isnt at a sports cars level.

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  Fun to Drive - 2009 Scion TC
  By Kevin - December 11 - 3:56 pm

  I debated for quite some time which car to look at and chose this one simply because it comes with some awesome standard features for a very reasonable price. I love driving this car, I test drove the automatic but ended up getting the manual and I am glad I did. Even though it is a compact car, theres plenty of room up front. The car looks wonderful, inside and out, even considering I dont like the other Scion models.