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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  One unique best kept secret.... - 2005 Scion TC
  By Trent - March 16 - 2:23 pm

  I work for a dealership selling cars (sorry) and when I saw this car roll into the lot I knew I had to have it. I got the light blue, auto(if it was manny then that would be sweet), with 9 thousand miles and change on it. This was my first NEW car and I knew that this would be a great investment. The great thing is that you dont see many of these on the road. The Tc is a sweet ride!

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  Great Car for Price - 2005 Scion XB
  By Dawn - March 15 - 9:06 pm

  I have had my xB for over 4 months. Its a blast to drive. Always getting comments on it. Only real thing I dont like is the windshield. I totally recommend this car for anyone that wants a car that is fun to drive and get great gas mileage. Also you would become part of an elite club as a Scion xB owner.

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  Fun Economical Car - 2009 Scion XD
  By Steve - March 14 - 1:46 pm

  Bought this car for use as my wifes and myself commuting car and to keep the SUV in the garage to keep the miles off it and save some money in gas. We keep the rear seats down and use the area as a cargo area. The dogs love the cargo area as well. We purchased an after market rubber mat that covers the complete cargo area (with the seats down). The car looks small on the outside, but inside there is a lot more room than youd expect. We did look at the Honda Fit, but liked the look and the wat the xD drove. Also, the local Honda dealer marked up the price of the Fit by $2500 over MSRP and unwilling to negotiate off that price. Glad we passed on the Fit. The Xd fits our needs.

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  Fantastic Car - 2005 Scion xA
  By lvenee - March 13 - 9:28 am

  We bought 2005 Scion brand new when gas prices started going up. We wanted a disposable car if you will, something cheap, good on gas. What we got is a fantastic car, we have 115 thousand miles on it and have done nothing to the car but replace tires. Its fun to drive, zips in and out of traffic, can park anywhere even if theres not much room. My husband and I are both tall people and it has a lot more space inside than what you might think. Ive driven this car a lot on small road trips (under 1000 miles) and just love it. I believe we will get over 200,000 on this vehicle and considering we paid a total of $14,000 including tax, title, license, I think we got a great deal.

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  Great Performer - 2005 Scion xA
  By Randy Wells - March 13 - 3:36 am

  The Scion Xa is a fun car to drive. It helps me navigate the congested traffic in a major Metro area with ease and confidence. Driver visibility all around is excellent. The sound system is a pleasure to use. All in all, it is worth every penny I have invested in it.

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  Great Car - 2006 Scion XB
  By Lisa - March 11 - 6:56 am

  The Scion xB is a great town car for the money. It has room for everyone and split seats for those special shopping days. The interior has great head room.

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  tC model - 2005 Scion TC
  By ANN GRIMES - March 10 - 2:26 am

  great car, hit road debris on I-95 and part took over 3 weeks to get that was real frustrating car is back now and i am happy tc owner

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  Scion tC - 2006 Scion TC
  By Airmenstc - March 9 - 12:06 pm

  Ive had my tC since December and really love the car. Its got a lot of power, style and comfort. I also liked the price for all the standard features. It is a solid, well built car and I feel great about Toyota products.

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  Ban Boring! Unexpectedly Nice xB!!! - 2006 Scion XB
  By Synthetic - March 8 - 3:10 pm

  Fun to drive, very versatile, reliable, economical, and safe. 1. Fun: with decent tires this handles like a mini-BMW. Firm yet smooth ride, with good cornering. Noisey, but the 160 watt stereo takes care of that. 2. Its a minivan & SUV with a cavernous interior. "Ten gallon hat" headroom and expansive leg room front AND rear. Both front seats fold flat creating a double bed (dont tell your teenager), OR fold the rear seats creating a minivan cargo space. 3. Toyota reliability and smart simplification. 4. It gets 30mgh city and 34mpg highway, its True Cost to Own is among the lowest in the world. 5. Dual airbag, ABS, stability control, brake assist, and great visibility.

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  Scion xB Newbee - 2006 Scion XB
  By Happy Mororist - March 7 - 2:36 pm

  The xB has a great ride with super visibility. It handles well with very tight turning radious. It is easy to park in city parking slots with good road handling and comfort. It is slightly under power for high end passing on the freeway however up to 50-60 mph it has plenty of power. So far so good!