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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  What a Lemon! - 2005 Scion TC
  By jcf - March 23 - 7:20 am

  Lets see, theres the soft paint that chips too easily, the long doors you usually cant open, the squeaky rear hatch, the sagging rear deck cover, the annoying bright beam light indicator, the horrible stereo cover, the inconvenient stereo buttons, the stupid partially lit brake light, the unsteady cruise control, the marginal air conditioning, and the mediocre gas mileage. Most of all, theres the popping, cracking, rattling moonroof thats plagued my car for most of its 20,000 miles, despite four dealership repairs. The car looks good and runs great, but its so full of problems that Id never recommend it to anyone.

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  Super White tC - 2006 Scion TC
  By swtc - March 23 - 1:13 am

  This car is lots of fun to drive, it has good pretty good handling and the acceleration is nice considering its a 160 hp car.

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  Former BMW Owner - 2010 Scion XB
  By Former BMW X3 Owners - March 19 - 4:30 pm

  We just traded in our 2005 BMW X3 on a 2010 XB. The XB is almost the same size inside and actually fits a booster seat for our 3 year old daughter better in the back. The BMW was a terrible fit for car seats and the the booster seats. Nothing would fit in between the seatbelts. This car fits much better, but still not perfect. Its nowhere near as quiet inside, but hopefully it will not have the problems. We were getting ready to spend over 3k in repairs as our BMW has many issues including bad all wheel drive motor (1.8k to fix), A/C wasnt working, passenger seat wasnt working, and bluetooth stopped working.

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  Quick Hatchback for the money! - 2006 Scion TC
  By Hondaman - March 19 - 6:46 am

  This is a nice 3 door car for the cash. The standard goodies are a really nice surprize for under $17,000. So far the gas mileage is better than the EPA estimate of of 22/29. Its more like 24/31, which is not bad for a 2.4 liter! The fit and finish are great for any car in this segment. Honda is all I have ever owned and now Im a Toyota believer! A test drive is the only way to see for yourself.

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  pretty good overall - 2005 Scion TC
  By andrea - March 17 - 3:40 am

  I have had this car for over three years and I feel I can make an adequate assessment of the vehicle. The car is not made of the best quality parts. The pain chips and the body dents easily. The gas mileage is OK, and I find it hard to believe the manual trans gets worse mileage than the auto. I take the car in every 5k for oil changes/maintenance and have treated it well. The hatchback rattles like crazy in 40 or below weather and the hatchback struts gave out on me after about a year of having the car (not covered in the extended warranty). You feel every bump on the road, but I guess that is due to low pro tires. It is slippery in the snow, but handles well in rain. Great CA car!

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  All Around Quality - 2009 Scion XB
  By TexasTennisChamp - March 14 - 6:36 pm

  I traded in my SUV for a car with better mileage. I researched and test drove all of the competing brands and could not find a car with as much quality. I have been amazed at how much fun this car is to drive. It handles like a go-cart after driving an SUV for years. The power is great, much quicker than the SUV. Plus you can put it in manual shift and downshift for passing power. With the seats folder down i have put two 80 lbs. Dobermans in the back with plenty of room. The interior is very nice with comfortable seats and a great stereo. There are more standard features than in any other car I drove. The iPod connection is great with controls on the steering wheel. Great car!

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  Great car - 2008 Scion TC
  By alanegr - March 12 - 11:20 am

  I got this car at the beginning of November last year and I am very pleased with it. This car is fun to drive and very economical on gas especially for a young people. We like to spend our money in something else besides gas

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  Great Car For The Money - 2007 Scion TC
  By mtown1890 - March 8 - 4:43 pm

  One of the best cars on the market under 20Grand.Plenty of available features, Smooth shifting transmission, nice sound system. Plenty of room for customization. Great entry level performance car.

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  Inexpensive, Economical, and a Blast to Drive - 2006 Scion xA
  By Rich B. - March 7 - 3:30 pm

  Just hit 1,000 miles and one month on my Flint Mica XA and I am delighted with it. I love the exterior style and the stereo. This car came well equipped for a great price. I feel younger than my 50 years when driving it, my teenage daughters friends call it "cool", I keep playing Springsteens "Born to Run" - really loud. I pulled into a parking lot once and a woman had followed me to ask me about all about it. I love the peppy ride, the nimbleness, and the overall look and feel of the car. About 75% of my driving is in the 35 to 40 mph range - conservative driving, so far it looks like Im north of 35 to 36 miles per gallon. Economics aside, my xA is a blast to scoot around town in.

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  2005 Scion xB - 2005 Scion XB
  By JohnB - March 5 - 5:00 pm

  The 2005 Scion xB is a great, fun to drive car. It actually did better than I thought it would in the winter weather. I am pleased with the total package. It is a lot of car for little money. You cant go wrong with it.