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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  tC 1st new car - 2005 Scion TC
  By dkdoc - July 2 - 10:00 am

  A mostly refined, solid, safe, fun 2- door true 4-seater with hatch -- cant beat it. 30 mpg on highway with regular gas and zoom-zoom 0-60 -- cant beat it. Barely 20k fully loaded -- cant beat it. Custom-picked options from menu with no-haggle price - cant beat it. This is how cars should be built, priced, and distributed. Go go go for it.

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  My favorite car Ive owned, so far - 2012 Scion IQ
  By jhw21 - July 1 - 5:12 am

  I really enjoy and appreciate having a car that suits my needs. I no longer not feel I am driving around in 5 or 6 x as much car as is necessary. I love the way the iQ handles, I love the gas mileage, and I love the statement that it makes, which I see as something like, "Lets get real, people. the survival of our planet is more important than looking like a bigshot."

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  Fantastic Value - 2005 Scion xA
  By smalls77 - June 16 - 4:26 am

  The Scion xA really surprised me. I was originally looking at the Mini Cooper (for fuel economy and style), but since Im starting a family I decided to check out four door cars. After seeing what this car had to offer for such a low price, it was the clear winner. My brother purchased an xB shortly before I bought my xA, and they weighed heavily on my decision. Were both extremely satisfied with our purchases. The xA is deceivingly roomy inside. I drive about 90 miles per day (round trip), so the fuel economy was the biggest selling point for me. The interior size, sporty styling, and spirited ride are just icing on the cake.

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  Value for the money - 2005 Scion XB
  By Missouri Box Driver - June 15 - 12:10 am

  This is a first rate ride!! Dealer was great!! Overall this car is awesome the only things lacking are a somewhat choppy ride on less than perfect roads and no cruise control.Performance and fuel mileage are very good.

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  Scion xA Rocks! - 2006 Scion xA
  By david mindrup - June 12 - 6:33 am

  My Scion xA is just GREAT! At 31/38 mpg, I can drive, drive, drive!

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  Great and Fun to Dive - 2009 Scion XB
  By James - June 11 - 10:26 am

  I did a lot of research before I purchase this car. It is my run around car, but this is one I will keep for a long time. I have had no problems at all with almost 20000 miles. I average about 26 miles in mixed driving and 33 miles on the highway. I added several things to it from the dealership (Sun Roof, Fog lights, Alloy wheels, Spolier, Bumper name on the back, Rear cargo deck, TRS exhause system, TRS Air Filter.) I have taken it on several long trips with no problems. I will let the seats down and carry things. This car beats The HHR, Mazda 3, and the Element, I test drove them all.

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  I wasnt sure I was going to like it... - 2005 Scion XB
  By nkeithf - June 11 - 12:06 am

  I had driven an xB last year, and coming off of cars with considerably more pep, it really seemed sluggish--I have kind of a lead foot. But Im going back to school after 25 years, and wanted to lower my car payments, so I looked at it again...and you know, the price was just too powerful an incentive...Ive realized that once I bought it and got into it, theres actually completely adequate power...sure, its a little slower pulling out into traffic and all, but once youre up to cruising speed it goes as fast as I want it to...and its just damned fun to drive. It handles great in snow, you sit up high, and it gets the strangest looks...its really very cool!

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  Why I love my Scion xB - 2005 Scion XB
  By brodiegal - June 10 - 4:56 am

  When looking for a new car with great gas mileage, I was drawn to a number of smaller, gas efficient cars. But one look at this boxy, "kitchie" that whispered to me, "take me for a test drive, honey!", and I was hooked! What a great car! Fantastic gas mileage (I get 30-33), big enough inside for a small basketball game to take place, and everything I would have asked for comes standard (I did add cruise control for longer trips at a reasonable price). I loved the fact that there was no haggling over price since the Scion price is fixed, like Saturn, and our knowledgable salesman was warm and efficient. Thank you, Scion...love that car!!

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  Lovin It - 2006 Scion TC
  By moots13181 - June 8 - 6:50 am

  Ive had my tC now for 8 months and driven it 18,000 miles. I do a wide variety of driving but on average mostly city. My mileage is usually 27+ mpg even with all city driving and winter gasoline, Im looking forward to seeing what summer gas/highway driving will do. I took care to break the engine/transmission in right and the car seems to be rewarding me with plentiful power and good economy. I really enjoy the torque around town and the wide power band on the highway. Many times I never even downshift to pass. My average highway mileage is 28.5mpg also on winter gas. The interior is very open and roomy, the seats are comfortable, supportive, and very adaptable. I love the gauges/dash design.

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  Review - 2006 Scion xA
  By JoManda - June 7 - 10:33 am

  I love the car. I already used its easy to use fold down seats. With that it has tons of room for such a small efficient car.