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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  OOOOOOOOOOOOH Yeah - 2007 Scion TC
  By Katie - May 23 - 1:06 pm

  I was actually planning on buying an xA, and I test drove two of them, but I loved the way the tC looked...and once I saw the inside, I was in love. Its beautifully designed, it absorbs about a million times more shock and the ride is much smoother than the VW Jetta that I traded in for this car. Theres a lot more space on the inside than you would think from looking at the outside of it, and the moonroofs are just perfect. All in all, I feel like I bought a very sporty performance car for about half of what I might expect to pay for one. And Scion has about every warranty extension under the sun; the warranty I got was about $1,100 extra and it covers me for six years completely.

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  FUN, FUN - 2006 Scion TC
  By OK2NVAZ - May 22 - 7:26 pm

  I love this car. It is fun, fast, and the price is great. My friend has a tC also and he loves it too.

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  Bad paint - 2008 Scion TC
  By Terry - May 20 - 8:23 am

  I have only put 5,000 miles on the car. I do 90% highway driving and at 65 mph get 32-34 mpg. Its a good looking car, comfortable, has decent performance with good mileage for performance level. The biggest problem is the paint is thin and gets a lot of chips and this is in summer time driving. I have noted this chip comment from several reviews dating back to the orginal car and would think that Toyota would fix the problem by 2008!

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  Perfect car (MPG & FUN) - 2006 Scion TC
  By Dave - May 18 - 8:40 pm

  I replaced my 96 Ford Probe GT with a lowered (TRD springs) dark blue, 5- speed Scion tC. Its perfect, quiet, gets great mpg, and looks the part. Everyone that has looked at it thinks I made a great purchase and they are all right on the money. My first 331 miles netted 28.4 mpg. It should get better with a good break-in to! I also had heated seats and floor mats added but nothing else. I suggest you look at it if your in this market because you get Toyota build quality and some great looks to boot. Also with it being a hatchback you cant believe how much stuff you can get in one to. Buy one they rock!

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  vinglass - 2005 Scion XB
  By vinglass - May 18 - 10:00 am

  i owne one and i love it

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  Fun to drive - 2005 Scion TC
  By ImranJavaid - May 18 - 10:00 am

  Been driving a Flint Mica Automatic for a few days now. Really fun to drive although my 1.8T Jetta had more zip to it. Interior design is very good, except the flip top for the stereo. The exterior design is perfect. The Flint Mica color always turns heads because it glitters in sunlight. For the price I have no complaints.

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  Unique and Eclectic, Great for the City... - 2006 Scion XB
  By The_Box - May 17 - 6:33 am

  I purchased my xB because I was attracted to its unique shape, efficiency, interior space, and low price. I bought it with the full intention of customizing it a bit to express my personal style. After a year of ownership my xB has served me well without a single hiccup. It delivers excellent gas mileage when its warm-around 32 mpg, however falls to a dismal 25/26 mpg when its cold out. I love the xBs funk factor and unique shape. The kids especially love it; once at a drive-in, a little boy called it a little limo. However, the xB suffers from lackluster materials, and is certainly not meant for highway driving. At high speeds (75+) the xBs engine is overwhelmed @ 3700 RMP and starts to suck gas.

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  scion xb - 2005 Scion XB
  By let - May 16 - 4:26 am

  great fun to drive. plenty of room. love the standard features

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  Bang for the Buck!!! - 2005 Scion XB
  By jimmy5150 - May 13 - 10:00 am

  When reseaching vehicles under $15,000, on paper the xB is the clear winner. After driving it for a week, "the box" delivers. All of the comforts I wanted...A/C, power locks, mirrors and windows...auto....the list goes on. While being a little tight in the "hip and shoulder department", the xB has got tons of leg and headroom. The leg room does come at a cost, very little cargo room with rear seats up. The ride is choppy and rough. The vehcile is underpowered, but sufficent for most driving. And it handles well...really well. Stick in a turn and keep the gas on..it might not go fast in straight line, but it makes a turn fun!!!

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  The perfect vehicle! - 2005 Scion XB
  By dancsontos - May 13 - 10:00 am

  I bought this for my wife and she loves it so much! And I do as well! She had a 2000 Jeep Cherokee Sport and she didnt think shed like as much, but she would never look back now. SO much space, adequate power, great gas mileage, and dependibilty combined with head-turning style will keep this car in our driveway for a long time.