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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  Great buy - 2005 Scion TC
  By gatorgirl5482 - June 1 - 10:16 pm

  This is the first car I have ever bought on my own, and so far I have been extremely happy. It is fun to drive and the back has so much room (I have lots of tall friends w/ long legs). I get awesome gas mileage on the highway and even in the city (I travel quite a ways to work and back everyday). The price was a huge factor since Im just out of college. I feel like I got a ton of bang for my buck, and got 2 out of the 3 options I really wanted. Overall, I would recommend!

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  rattling noise in the trunk - 2006 Scion TC
  By Csaba - June 1 - 3:43 am

  I bought my Scion tC last October. I drive it every day in the city and on the highway and still feel the thrill every time I get in it. Its like you slip into it first time at the dealership, except now you know what to expect of its on road performance. Ive also experienced the rattling noise and it is easy to fix. I found that the noise caused by the trunk covers short plastic pins (on both sides) sitting and rattling in their sockets. Flip up the cover and put some soft material in the sockets, such as a piece of felt, rubber or just wrap a little (black electric) tape around the pins before you push them back in the sockets. Make it well fit and that should solve the problem.

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  Scion tC - 2005 Scion TC
  By Teddy - May 30 - 10:13 am

  Comfort is great. Build quality is exceptional.

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  First Toyota Product and not my Last! - 2006 Scion TC
  By Bruce G. - May 30 - 3:26 am

  My Scion tC has about 2,000 miles now and a review was in order since I read a lot before buying my car. I get 26 mpg in combined city / highway driving, which is a lot better then my Chevrolet Suburban got. I am 6 300 lbs. and I am comfortable in the car. I enjoy driving it, although the head-room is a problem. I have not had a problem with blind spots that others talk about, but that might be because I am so awhere of them from other reviews. I test drove a lot of other cars, including Saturns, the Mitsubishi Eclipse, Honda Accord, VWs, Chevrolet Cobalt, Toyota Matrix, Chevrolet HHR and the tC won out. I even took one car to another dealership and compared side by side. I did have to wait four weeks for my car but I got the color I wanted.

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  Outstanding - 2005 Scion TC
  By Alley06 - May 26 - 10:00 am

  This car is everything I expected it to be and more. Its peppy and flashy, while maintaining an afforable price tag. Id recommend it to anyone willing to wait.

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  Smoke the RSX... - 2005 Scion TC
  By albertu - May 26 - 10:00 am

  How do I know? cas I own a RSX! Beat it on everything: overall size, handling, look, style, etc. Maybe not on power, but wait for the TRD supercharger. Beside, tC got better acceleration because of more torque. The duel moonroof just win my heart instantly. Other then that, the design closely resemble a european car. The interial look high tech yet tasteful. And the smooth body line match close to RSX but look a little bit more beefier. Theres already a line of TRD parts for you to choose from. Supension, 18" wheels, exhaust, you name it. This is a car with a lot of potential.

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  Its worth the money you pay - 2008 Scion TC
  By DsTC - May 21 - 5:00 am

  I would recommend this car - for the money that you pay its the best. Its not something I would try to make fast, its a four cylinder. Its reliable and has just enough HP to get it done.

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  Perfect fit for a Y-gen guy - 2005 Scion TC
  By Rebaza - May 15 - 8:46 pm

  This car is amazing. It is sporty, light, quick. It has everything stock. It is amazingly affordable. And one last thing, the design and looks are incredible. People look at it, and they do not even know what it is. It looks like a $40K car. Just outstanding.

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  Best Drivers Car - 2013 Scion FR-S
  By worldrally17 - May 13 - 3:48 pm

  Dont listen to everybody who berates this car. Those are the people who dont understand its purpose. After 10,000 miles through 6 states and Canada, I can tell you this car is great in every single circumstance. City, highway, straight road, twisty road, road course, etc. I can get 34mpg on the highway, and average 31mpg even with some autocrosses and track days sprinkled in. You can fit a 6 person in the back as long as the front passenger is willing to give up some leg room. I honestly test drove every single new car with a manual transmission under $25k and this was by far my favorite.

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  Best in every category - 2013 Scion IQ
  By solodriver - May 8 - 7:28 am

  I drive alone 99.9% of the time. I want the best value, the best MPG, the best zippy performance (I dont need a race car- I just want to zip around town, hitting corners fast and going up steep grades at 80+MPH when the mood strikes me), I want my phone, including all it does (Pandora Radio, podcasts, online streaming news radio, navigation system, etc.) to work seamlessly, I want a comfortable interior, I want to use regular gasoline, to be surrounded by airbags, and I dont want a car that looks fun and not like everyone elses car. The Scion iQ is the only one that offers ALL of this. The Fiat couldnt take the hills, gets 7MPG less and requires premium fuel and costs more...