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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  Hotttt - 2005 Scion TC
  By Tcguy17 - July 21 - 10:00 am

  Tc stands for totally cool!!!

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  nice car - 2005 Scion TC
  By yokozoomo - July 21 - 10:00 am

  this is a very nice car it is one of the most fun to drive cars i have every driven. the sound system is outstanding and the duel moon roofs are very inovative.

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  I love my xB - 2011 Scion XB
  By Nick510451 - July 19 - 4:53 pm

  Just traded my 08 xB manual for a brand new 11 xB automatic (wife wanted an auto). Having owned a 08 for three years and having a close family member with a 06 xB I can tell you that Scions are wonderful cars. The 2.4 engine makes the car more competent in all driving situations than the 1.5. The car feels substantial, bumps are much better absorbed than in older models. The brakes inspire confidence (4wheel disc with ABS, and EBD). My 2008 averaged 27+MPG mostly city driving. One tank averaged 33mpg on a 300+ mile road trip. All of the issues I had with my 08 have been fixed on this "11 Larger armrest, larger center console, reverse lights, seats, telescopic wheel.

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  Gotta love it! - 2005 Scion xA
  By Matt - July 17 - 11:26 pm

  We have had our scion XA for almost a year. We have totally loved it. A random stranger at a stop light rolled down her window to tell me how much she loved the car. We have driven it all over the west coast. There havent been any problems whatsoever.

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  This car ROCKS! - 2006 Scion TC
  By jovan_gonzales - July 16 - 9:40 am

  I love this car. Is it very fast, I have found that it goes almost as fast (in the 0-60 and highest speed) as a Porsche. Yeah. It is pretty nimble and trust me, I push it. They are hot cars and totally blow the Hyundai Tiburon and Honda Civic out of the water for how cheap they are. The all-glass roofs rock my face off. And you can upgrade almost everything which is nice. It needs more power though or at least it needs more rumble.

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  Great Quality at an AFFORDABLE price! - 2005 Scion TC
  By Julietx86 - July 15 - 10:00 am

  I bought this car a month ago. Its the best buy you can get that comes standard with everything and is affordable as well. The interior is great, the exterior looks sharp, and it is WAY fun to drive. I was looking at the Honda Civic and the Mazda 3, but if I went with those I would have been settling for something I didnt love. This car is perfect!!!

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  Almost Perfect - 2009 Scion TC
  By lesslinger - July 14 - 3:53 pm

  My first Scion and I am not disappointed. This car has a lot of torque for a 4cyl and moves pretty fast. I would say that the fuel economy is rather low for a 4 cyl and notice that on the freeway, i ride at around 3,000 rpm constantly. Maybe a 5 gear for automatic would have been a good option for the fuel economy. Also, when you gas it for speed, it doesnt take off right away, but does build up speed very fast. Love the moon roofs, and just the over all feel. Other thing I notice is at 70 mph, on freeway, I hit a bad patch of road that made my car feel like it was bouncing. Not a big deal, but was very noticeable. Over all I love it.

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  Best Thing built since the "WHEEL" - 2006 Scion XB
  By NEHC - July 10 - 4:20 am

  I have a Scion xB, from Toyota. I bought it new and it now has 900 miles on it, but I can see why "You love it, or hate it, no gray area." It is perfect for their wrong target area, 62 year-olds, they aimed 18-40 year-olds. Id buy another in a heart beat if I could. Buy the pre-2008 model they will be instant classics. They changed the style. If I had room and the money Id get one in every color and series. Its Performance would be a 10 if it went 0-60 mph in the 4 second range, just missed :-)

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  Just a great car - 2006 Scion TC
  By Donald - July 8 - 8:43 am

  I have enjoyed driving this vehicle since the first test drive. It has all the capabilitys of sports car, and the looks of an expensive luxury coupe. People do not believe the price I paid. Took it on its first road trip (a 1600 mile round trip). Having cruise control on a 5sp was nice. From full (F) to very close to empty (E), i was over 410 miles before i filled up. The added performance parts made by toyota and put on by toyota does not affect the warranty, which makes the little extra power and performance handling awesome. Oh yeah, how could i forget the reclining back seat. unbelievable.

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  Scion Tc Limited Editon 1.0 - 2005 Scion TC
  By Matt - July 8 - 2:10 am

  I picked this car up and I can barely put the keys down before I want to get back into it. This car is really fun to drive and man does it look good. The bright red gets alot of attention so you have to watch your speed. As fas a comfort this car is amazing. The interior is very spacious. My recommedation is that if your going to buy a new car, test drive this one last because your going to take it home.