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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  Guilt Free Purchase - 2006 Scion xA
  By GUILT FREE PURCHASE - November 6 - 10:26 am

  This was my first new car puchase, and I feel confident that I made a great choice with the Scion xA. I drive about 60 miles a day with work, and Im averaging 34 mpg which is about as good as it gets without putting out the money for a hybrid. The size of the car is deceiving from the outside, it feels very spacious inside, even in the backseat. The cuteness of this car cannot be denied, you want to pinch its cheeks.

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  Good economy car - 2004 Scion xA
  By peter - November 2 - 11:20 pm

  HAD this car for 2 months. ride is a little to firm but I knew this when I boughtit. Long term I expext it will be very reliable. I changed the bridgestone Potenza tires and put Michelin Harmony. Harmony tire has much better grip on slippery surface but did not improve ride.

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  Best Car - 2005 Scion XB
  By dess - November 1 - 6:43 am

  This is the best car ever! I love it! The driving is great, the steering, the mileage.. just everything about it is great. I cant think of any drawbacks on the car. Plus, this is a great car to accessorize with different little things Scion offers.

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  What a car! - 2006 Scion XB
  By Barb - October 31 - 5:50 am

  I love this car. We got it for our son to drive but I have fallen for it and would much rather drive it than my Honda Mini-Van. It handles very well, zips in and out of tight places and has an amazing amount of room inside. Also, you range of vision is excellent driving this car. I know it is marketed to the Gen Xers, but Toyota got this one right! Love the funky look too!

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  Best car for the money/segment - 2009 Scion XD
  By rubygem73 - October 29 - 11:26 pm

  I did my research ... I compared XD against the sentra, fit, civic, mazda 3, and lancer. I wanted a car with some power, loaded, good das milage, best resale value, and fun to drive. Hands down the civic beats all the others. The fit was close in all categories, but one test drive of the fit and youll go running back to the XD ... the fit has no power.

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  Poised for the Future - 2006 Scion xA
  By Sippin Gas - October 27 - 10:43 pm

  Ive been attracted to the Scion xA from the first test drive. Its utilitarian, reliable, fuel efficient and fun to drive. And its so darn cute! But I almost didnt buy it because Toyota does a terrible job of supplying dealers with cars that have both a 5-speed transmission and side head/torso airbags. Finally, I found one with the side balloons and bought it. Im glad that I did. The first tank of gas delivered 35 mpg overall. I knew that Nissan, Honda and Toyota (with the Yaris) will debut similar little hatchbacks next year. The spy photos of those cars revealed they lack the elan and classy look of my xA. Im sure that the xAs cache, and its excellent fuel economy, will ensure it retains a high resale value.

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  Outside the Target - 2006 Scion TC
  By tvguyjake - October 26 - 10:36 pm

  Traded in an 02 Jeep Liberty for my Scion tC...what a difference. The ride quality, tight steering, balanced handling, low-end torque...all with reknowned Toyota build-quality. I spent 4 months looking for a new ride,,,,drove them all; and still cannot believe all the standard features packed from Scion for $17,000.

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  Most Bang for Your Buck - 2005 Scion xA
  By kcturbo - October 26 - 10:50 am

  I have a silver 5-speed Scion xA with 16 inch wheels, fog lights, a security system, and tinted windows. It is the best $15,000 that I have ever spent on a car. The fun to drive factor with this car is an A+. I get an average of 30 miles to the gallon mostly driving city miles. I get lots of thumbs up. People really like the looks of the car. The location of the speedo and radio controls took some getting used to, but are OK. I still would rather have a dial control for the volume. Last month we had our first snow storm and I was worried about this little car, but it did GREAT! It has some rattles but Metallica or Shinedown drown them out just fine. If the back windows are down any they rattle a little, which is irritating. Other than that, I have not had any problems with this car. It is a great buy!

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  Sweeeeet - 2008 Scion XD
  By Joe Mahma - October 24 - 9:23 am

  Its been a few weeks and I LOVE this car. No, its not a Mazda, but for the money, its got style, gas mileage, decent performance, and a sweet interior.

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  Great car - 2008 Scion TC
  By Sandy - October 22 - 6:00 pm

  Was looking for a replacement for my 2003 Celica GT and this was the most appealing and fun choice. Great looking car that handles well and is very comfortable on my long daily commute (115 miles, round trip). Not looking forward to driving it in inclement weather because of the tires, though, but hopefully Toyota/Scion will offer options on future models. But no regrets so far. Very fun car to drive at a very affordable price. A lot of car for not a lot of money and a worthy successor to the decades-old favorite, Celica.