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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  Fun to drive?! - 2007 Scion TC
  By Unhappybuyer - February 24 - 6:40 am

  Reading most of these reviews here, I cant help wondering WHAT everyone else was driving before they bought a tC. If they think this car is fun to drive, and HANDLES well - they must have been driving an SUV or a minivan previously. Yes, it handles well compared to a vehicle like this with a horrible center of gravity - but the point is, its a sport coupe - it has too much body roll and the suspension makes it feel like youre driving a large sedan. I feel like I might as well be driving a Camry (possibly one of the most boring cars on the road). I guess it depends heavily on previous experiences - but this car does not handle WELL at all - and feels dangerously unsure in hard cornering.

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  lil old lady - 2009 Scion XB
  By pat zimmerman - February 24 - 2:30 am

  I am a 65 year old grandmother and absolutely love this awesome little car which I cant say for the previous 10 I owned. It is so responsive I have to really keep my eye on the speedometer (which is extremely easy to do in this car). Everyone is so impressed by the room inside. Would like to see a better armrest and a little less plastic on the door. All in all, its a keeper! Blackberry crush is a terrific color and I am getting alloys soon.

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  Scion XB - 2004 Scion XB
  By Patrick_peters - February 23 - 10:00 am

  Okay People, I was invited to the Scion Launch at the Orange Co. Fair grounds on the 14th of May 2003.. Let me tell you I was IMPRESSED with this "Car". They let us drive the Heck out of thr XA & the XB. It reminded me of my younger gocart days in the school parking lot. with the standard traction controll and the standard anit-locking brakes the car drove like it was on rails. My only recomendation is get the supercharger (an optional accessory)to take the 108 hp 4cyl. engine to a whopping 200+ hp. Like a rocket on a skateboard!

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  Compact, fuel efficient and great value. - 2008 Scion XD
  By agalcowa - February 22 - 3:04 pm

  I stumbled upon the Scion Xd while looking for a Honda Civic and Mazda 3. The Scion is most different from the Mazda, but is similar to the Civic in the following ways: reliability, fuel efficiency, and compact size. The car is decently built for a compact car. It shares many components from the Toyota Corolla (engine, tranny, etc) and knobs and other items from the Rav4. For any 4-cylinder car that doesnt have a turbo, I recommend the manual for better control and performance, especially when merging onto the freeway. Overall, Im very satisfied with my Scion and glad that I found it.

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  Scion xBox - 2008 Scion XB
  By Ramon - February 22 - 11:43 am

  Im a new owner. Ive heard a lot of positive things about the car before. Now, I can say that its true. Theres a lot of power, handles well, and a very practical vehicle. My wife and daughter love it too.

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  I love my scion! - 2008 Scion XD
  By LovemyScion - February 22 - 5:56 am

  I initially went to dealership and was interested in a Corolla. I test drove the Scion and was immediately hooked. It handles like a dream. and its a good looking car. I filled up my tank this weekend with only $27 and it was almost on empty before that. I would buy it ALL OVER AGAIN without hesitation.

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  Went From BMW to xD & Love It - 2008 Scion XD
  By Brenda Richter - February 20 - 1:33 am

  I traded in my 2003 BMW 325i for the xd car. At first I didnt even think much about looking at the Scion brand because it is marketed to younger people and I am a middle age mom. With my BMW I became concerned about gas mileage and upkeep costs. When it was time to trade the car in I had my mind set on a Prius but after driving the Prius I happened to look over and see an xD. The salesman was reluctant but I insisted on driving the vehicle and loved it. When I saw that it gets only about 11 mpg less than the Prius with a $10K price difference I was sold. My kids call it the Wii car which is funny. Avg 42 hwy & 35 city.

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  Cant Beat it for the Money - 2006 Scion XB
  By DriveBy - February 19 - 3:06 am

  I bought my xB automatic today. After looking at the Honda CR-V, the Chrysler PT Cruiser, and the Toyota Matrix, I decided upon the xB. It is much cheaper than the CR-V, yet has more standard features than any others in the wagon/hatchback class. It has just as much room as many SUVs, but gets great gas mileage and is fun to drive. It feels like a whole other world inside the cabin. Its size is quite deceiving from the outside. Its high roof gives the feel of even more room.

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  Great Car - 2004 Scion XB
  By oj411 - February 17 - 10:00 am

  Love this car bought it for my wife I flew out to Cali to pick this car up and drive 1600 miles back to Houston, Texas and become the first Xb in Texas.

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  The good & the bad - 2007 Scion TC
  By courtney - February 15 - 3:46 pm

  People who have only had this car for 2 months should not be writing reviews. Ive had my tC for two years and I have never heard more rattles in my whole life. This car is VERY reliable, but the amount of road noise and all of the rattles are forcing me to sell it. Goodbye SCION hello G35!