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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  Awesome - 2004 Scion XB
  By jaiviar - February 4 - 10:00 am

  the best car i have ever had

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  Scion xB - 2004 Scion XB
  By nkannady - February 4 - 10:00 am

  With the cold air intake system, a car that would be considered slow is actually fairly peppy. Ive never owned a car that attracted so much attention.

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  Great Car! - 2005 Scion TC
  By Jess - January 30 - 2:26 pm

  As soon as I walked on the lot and saw this car, I knew I wanted it. When I sat in it to test drive, it just felt right, and it goes wonderfully! Mine is a 5-speed, and it handles turns great, has a lot of power, comfortable, great design, its all Ive ever wanted in a car for this price.

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  Best Car Ive ever owned - 2014 Scion TC
  By warrant001 - January 25 - 2:26 pm

  I bought my Scion TC in Apr of this year. I spent more than 6 months researching this vehicle comparing it to other models. What I discovered is this is the car for me. I dont fit the demographics Im 55. This car is an amazing vehicle I have owned it for 6 months now and driven it close to 14000 KMs. I have loved every moment of it. This car is a smooth drive on long and short trips. Its fast and agile and a real eye turner I have the metallic Blue with a few add ons I just wish it came with a turbo. I highly recommend this car lots of room for cargo and passengers. This is quality built vehicle. Its the first car that I have purchased that doesnt have a ton of little issues.

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  Couldnt be Happier - 2005 Scion XB
  By BobzBox - January 25 - 2:10 pm

  I purchased my xB because my Pontiac Grand AM was getting unreliable and constantly breaking down. I have owned the xB for over a year now and I must say that this is a great car. From the outside you would never guess it is so roomy inside. I was able to fit an entire dorm rooms worth of stuff in it! The gas mileage is amazing. I dont drive slow and I still manage 31 mpg. The fact that it comes standard with ABS, traction control and stability control make this car very easy to drive in the snow. The only downside to owning this car is the fact that bugs do not skip off of the very vertical windshield. They kinda self destruct upon contact and the windshield can get nasty fast.

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  Hey, we now own TWO of the things! - 2015 Scion XB
  By Howard Ferstler - January 23 - 3:53 pm

  We purchased our first one (light, metallic silver color) back in September, trading in an 11 year old Scion xA model that had performed superbly, but was a tad too small for serious long highway work. The new xB is excellent for serious long highway work, and is a REAL car instead of a pint-sized runabout like the xA. I love everything about the car but the 4-speed audio, since it tends to "hunt" between 3rd and 4th gear at speeds below 45 mph on hilly roads. However, while the Scion owners manual has nothing but cryptic info about the "S" transmission mode (the standard choice would be the "D" mode), I have discovered that if you leave it in that mode (which allows for manual shifting, but also shifts automatically on up to 3rd gear) the hunting ceases. Use the "S" mode for moderate-speed city driving and you will do fine. The transmission is probably responsible for the only so-so gas mileage but it is probably bulletproof in terms of reliability, just like the engine (which was used as the standard Camry engine until 2011). Anyway, last week we purchased a SECOND xB, trading in our ten-year-old xB, which had been as solid and reliable as the xA first traded. This new one (bright white in color) has the same features (including the 4-speed auto), and seems to run as well. The older xB and xA models had manual transmissions, and it did not take long for us to discover that switching back and forth between the old xB and the new xB required more mental-operation work than we (wife and I) old timers could deal with. Now, both of our cars operate the same way. Right after I got the first one I replaced the ugly plastic hubcap stock wheels, and I will be doing the same thing with the newer one this week. I hate hubcaps, and particularly hate plastic ones. Ugh! Whatever, both cars are terrific and if they are as reliable as the two previous models we will be driving them for a long time.

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  Love my Xb - 2005 Scion XB
  By ScionGuy - January 23 - 7:56 am

  The car is awesome. Wish I could say the same about the dealership...I am a former Saturn driver and the dealership could learn a lot from the Saturn dealers. Bu the car is awesome. If you are thinking about one, buy it!

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  Feels like a bigger car - 2004 Scion xA
  By jotape - January 22 - 2:00 am

  Ive been driving the xA for two weeks now. Its a small car that feels like bigger car. The room inside, plus the height of the seats makes you feel like youre driving something bigger than most other cars on the road. Yet, you can squeeze into those small spots and save tons of money on gas. The performance has been good and consistent. The controls are good except for those of the stereo (which sounds great). Ive driven it both in the city and on the highway and the performance is very good. It responds very well. I got used to the speedometer location very quickly and honestly prefer it over it being behind the steering wheel.

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  Best of the Best - 2004 Scion xA
  By SilverRarity - January 22 - 2:00 am

  After doing on-line reviews of small cars with standard features I kept finding that the Scion xA was the best car overall. I ordered the car, without test driving it, and when it came in and drove it I found it was more than I ever expected. I have a 1999 5 speed Corvette (summer car) and wanted a reliable, fun to drive winter car and man Ive found it! Its practical, great to drive, great to look at and have already have recommended it to two friends who are definately going to purchase it. The fit and finish of the car is top notch and I was shocked at the power this small 4 cylinder has. For the price and standard features it cant be beaten.

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  Love it! - 2008 Scion XD
  By Juanita - January 20 - 4:30 am

  It was between the Versa & the xD. The xD won hands down! I love the cute, sporty look. It handles very well. I only wish the wheel covers werent so ugly. I test drove the fit, versa, mazda 3 and xD. By far, the xD was the most fun to drive. I get compliments all the time. I havent seen another on the road. So, I love its uniqueness!