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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  Love my Tc - 2005 Scion TC
  By jagon09 - August 1 - 8:23 pm

  I bought my Tc used with only 23k miles. very rare to find an 05 vehicle with such low miles for a three year old car. it is very sporty and has a very good turn radius. love the pioneer system in it i put it on feel and its good to go. handling is very good and it handles curves very well around corners even at speeds of 80mph. not sure bout mpg yet considering im still calculating but it is way better than my old truck. i bought this car as an alternate to a mustang since my mother said i couldnt have one considering im still 17. but i love this car and what else is awesome is that it has the same name as my dad, his name is TC too. lol

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  awesome car! - 2004 Scion xA
  By matt arcuri - July 31 - 2:00 am

  Awesome and fun car to drive. Lokk of it is weird at first, but then it grows on you and you really start to like it. Always get looks from other drivers. car handles beautifuly, with a good amount of power for a 4-cyl. Great gas milage too! Awesome car all-around!

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  Best Review of an xB ever! - 2004 Scion XB
  By cbpubhead - July 31 - 2:00 am

  Let me tell you..I bought an xB in Nov. of 2003 and only having it for about a month now it is the best and most fun car i have driven EVER..this car gets so much attention its ridiculous.. everyone asks "what the heck is that".. It takes a while for the style of the car to grow on them but everyone seems to love it..I cant give a higher recommedation to any car out there right now because i have already have had so much fun in this car..buy one! you wont regret it

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  The Best Little Box - 2004 Scion XB
  By Angie Bear - July 31 - 2:00 am

  I got my Scion in October. This is a great car for any age range. For teenagers theres a great soundsystem that comes standard, and tons of room for friends. For people that like to travel, it has great fuel economy and the rear bench seat is removable for extra space. Taller people have lots of head space, and their long legs are not crammed. Its great to drive, & so quiet. It may not have a big engine, but its got a lot of zip when you need it.

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  Pretty cool ride, but nothing flashy - 2004 Scion XB
  By jadan15 - July 31 - 2:00 am

  Ive had my xB for about 6 months now, and its a great get around town car. Weve taken it on a couple of road trips (nothing flashy, just a 5 hour drive up the coast), and it can get a bit uncomfortable after a while, but what car doesnt? Good gas mileage, decent get-up-and-go, and a very cool sound system with lots of upgradables if wanted. Defenitely worth the price!! One note: get the cold air intake! It takes away the air conditioning torque deficit.

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  Love This Car. - 2007 Scion TC
  By Greg - July 29 - 11:03 am

  I just purchased my 2007 Scion tC and I LOVE it. It has a smooth ride and has so much space for all passengers to be comfortable. The design is great on this inside and outside, and I get tons of compliments on it. The controls are easy to use and the sound system is fantastic. Oh yeah, the moonroof and reclining seats dont hurt either.

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  safety - 2005 Scion TC
  By lindhn - July 26 - 6:02 pm

  My daughter was in a major accident, involving the following scenario. Person merged into the car sending into a spin, then hit again and was airborn for a full 360 landing on drivers side, sliding into the back of a flat bed big rig, righting back onto wheels and sending across 4 lanes of freeway. This occured at 65 mph. Both driver and passenger walked out of car. The car is a complete total but occupants okay, other than severe whiplash. Amazing!

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  I love my Scion! - 2006 Scion TC
  By Bella416 - July 26 - 3:20 am

  I just got my 06 Scion tC a few days ago. Ive wanted this car for over a year, and because of my stupidity I bought an 06 Mazda3 not really wanting to buy it. Lets just say I felt extremely pressured...but oh well that is in the past! I am extremely happy with my tC and I absolutly love it! Now my boyfriend wants one too! Ive made him jelous! This car is awesome to drive and you get soo much car for your money! I love it!

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  Fun, I guess.. - 2005 Scion TC
  By rjy1988 - July 21 - 1:00 pm

  I got this car after looking around at similar cars. This one seemed like the best buy. After having it for a couple of months I had to take it in to have a protective screen put on the moonroof. A few months later the moonroof had trouble closing. It would get close to closing then open all the way again, it now still takes about one minute for it to close completely. Other than that I havent had many problems with it. It doesnt handle very well in rainy/snowy conditions and I can feel the tires slipping a lot. It is a great car though for adding on aftermarket parts. I put on cold-air intake and new exhaust, and like it a lot. It is a good car for its price, but dont expect too much.

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  "The Incredible Little Box" - 2004 Scion XB
  By JOE123 - July 21 - 10:00 am

  This is our first "NEW" car in many years. Since we are much older (44 and 38) then the target demographic, we were initally turned off by the odd shape of the car. Once we took it for a drive, we were sold. With a great combination of passenger and cargo room, good fuel economy, proven Toyota reliability and a great "out the door" price, whats not to like. Its always a great conversation starter everywhere we go!