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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  my little red scion - 2008 Scion XD
  By meame - June 23 - 2:20 am

  It is a fun car to drive I love its get up and go.It takes the road pretty will.Glad to be a owner.

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  07 tC = Great Value - 2007 Scion TC
  By Javed Uddin - June 22 - 2:33 am

  Im 18 years old and this is my first new car. I was been driving a white 98 Ford Explorer for six months before I got this car. So obviously I dont have an enthusiasts experience with cars. I can still say though that this car isnt a Mercedez-Benz, nor an Infiniti G35, nor a BMW Z4 or whatever its called. The quality isnt even close. However, its a great car for the price. All the features are nice and the fact that it has a nice list of standard features is what made me get the car. Just dont get it in the black...or else Ill have to start a crazy rumor like the paint corrodes if you get a black tC. =-)

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  All I gotta say is WOW! - 2005 Scion TC
  By Medi - June 19 - 8:13 am

  First of all, I am Mr. BMW who traded in a 1997 BMW 540i 6-speed manual for my new Scion tC. I am not only enjoying the european/japanese feel of this car, I am getting better gas mileage and love the looks of it. Everyone checks this car out and they have all the reasons to! It has a great look to it on the outside and all the features, fit and finish and comfort on the inside! By the way, I am loving the upgraded leather. MP3 is awesome!

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  Overall a great vehicle - 2005 Scion TC
  By Dave - June 17 - 5:33 pm

  Best features: Sporty & Stylish - gets lots of attention from people, everyone likes it. Power - Engine provides effortless acceleration and its fun to drive. Slight Problems: Gas Mileage - Gets roughly 30... not bad but it could be better. Stereo Cover - Doesnt seem to work all the time, hard to get open. Its not just mine, ive seen this problem mentioned in other reviews also.

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  Compared to 2003 Camry LE 4 cyl - 2008 Scion XB
  By Bob Bobsky - June 12 - 6:50 am

  I recently traded my 03 Camry LE 4 cyl. in for 08 xB. xBs acceleration is similar or better. Suspension is way more firm. I get 27 MPG in the city (Chicago suburbs), better my Camry. Its smaller outside, but it has a lot of room inside. My 11 y.o. son likes it a lot, so do his friends. On the road, we get a lot of looks from passing cars. Safety features are much better. I like the way the dashboard is configured everything is in the middle. AC/heater vents are awesome; theyre adjustable all ways. xB doesnÂ’t have a vent for the rear; however my son feels more air coming to the rear seats cause of the configuration of the vents. ItÂ’s not as wide, so 3 full size people dont fit in the back.

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  Not perfect but good - 2005 Scion TC
  By Michael - June 12 - 6:46 am

  Bought this car used privately and so far its been fantastic. The rear trunk latch/garnish is utter bs. Apparently its a big problem with the tCs, but $150 part and $80 installation fee was pretty bad for a flimsy piece of plastic. The car rattles a bit and the moonroof is extremely touchy. Gets really loud inside at freeway speeds. Kinda crappy gas mileage for such a small car, too. The interior plastics seem kind of cheap. Other than that its very reliable, fun to drive, looks very cool and the engine is very powerful!

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  Just a test drive - 2004 Scion XB
  By Edik - June 12 - 2:00 am

  Recently had a test drive and did not find what I expected (after reading all positive reviews). I have 2003 Corolla S and 2003 Mitsu Outlander. Compare to them there is nothing in this car except exterior look. The gas mileage worse then Corollas (despite smaller engine). There is less space then in Outlander. The performance much worse then on any of them two. (I was scared how easy to make 6000 RPM on this car). The price is $200 more then Corolla S and only $2000 less then Outlander. (based on the engine size this is the car from ECHO/Accent league) I think the Matrix is much better value, if you want to have the fifth door and Toyota Quality.

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  makes you smile - 2005 Scion XB
  By ked - June 8 - 11:16 am

  My third Toyota and by far the most enjoyable to drive. Fun car with lots of room and great mileage. All the safety features you expect from a Toyota.

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  Scion XA - 2004 Scion xA
  By kheinly - June 8 - 10:00 am

  Car is fun to drive, great gas mileage and fun to drive. Price is excellent for a Toyota Sister Co. Car looks small but the inside actually has good space. Trunk is small. I usually leave the back seats down for the extra room. Seats in the back limit visiablity out the rear. Overall a very good car.

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  Toyota meets Acura - 2005 Scion TC
  By Omer A - June 8 - 10:00 am

  Finally, Toyota has something to beat the RSX Type S. Only now its $4000 cheaper.