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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  My first baby - 2005 Scion TC
  By vanessabee - September 24 - 11:21 pm

  Bought the car in Nov 04. Mechanically Ive never had a single issue with it, just like other tCs Ive seen the rear hatch lever broke off, I took it to Scion to see if it was covered under warranty and it isnt I was always hoping Id get a letter in the mail saying it was a defect :| Since buying this car I had a daughter, its a pain getting a car seat in and out of, but most 2 door cars are. She also cant see out the windows, which she hated. Last week my husband rolled it down a hill. He sustained no injuries and the car survived with a couple of broken windows and dents. The car easily made it to 98,000 miles with no trips to a mechanic, just basic oil changes and what not. Great buy!

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  I AM FINALLY IN LOVE! - 2004 Scion XB
  By JEN - September 24 - 2:00 am

  This XB is simply COOL. Not only does it kinda look funkY, feel comfortable and sturdy, but its nice and cheap. Just take a drive and feel for yourself. If you are a person that enjoys personal space, good music (6 speakers are smooth & come standard!)...just take a test drive. Youll see. You could add in a few lights and some cup holders and youre set. Almost everything else was thought of. Im really enjoying my camoflauge funk.

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  Amazing! - 2006 Scion TC
  By Ash - September 22 - 9:46 pm

  The 2006 Scion tC, simply put, is one of the best deals by far! Its standard features, being too many to elaborate, cater to everyones needs. Talk about a bargain, this car is more affordable than most others with half the features. For people like me - who love customizing their cars, prepare to be in a state of bliss! Thanks to their "Plug and Play" design, installing most of their accessories (LED lights, fog lights, etc) takes a fraction of the time it would on most other cars. Finally to top it off, its backed by Toyotas stellar quality and reliability! To summarize in one word - Amazing!

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  Good ride without the superfluous stuff - 2009 Scion XD
  By VA driver - September 22 - 9:46 am

  Test drove Fit, Versa, Corolla, Camry, Civic. Liked the xD the best. Honda cars didnt respond well and the Versa didnt have a flat cargo space when the seats folded down. The xD responds right away when I push the gas. The manual transmission is geared better than the Fits. I dont find the dials as hard to read as others say. The actual gas mileage is always less than the electronic meter on the car tells me it is, but I still get around 35 highway (~75mph) and easily 32 mixed. At lower speeds (~65mph) on the highway Ive gotten higher. The cup holders are in weird places, usually low and not within reach without leaning. No armrest, but I dont feel like it needs one. Overall great car!

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  Not Amazing, but great little car - 2009 Scion XD
  By beezee - September 20 - 9:20 pm

  I bought a Scion because I loved our 2007 xD and have loved the Scion brand/product. Its a fun little car. Great pick-up when you need it. It gets great gas mileage - I do 50/50 city/freeway and get about 31mpg (and Im a lead footed driver). I do have to say, Im 63 & this isnt a great car for tall people (the xB would be a better choice). Havent had any issues in the year of ownership. The adjustable back seats are loved by passengers & there is actually ample leg room back there (the flat back floor helps too). Holds lots of stuff when you need it. Major complaints...cup holder placement stinks & where the heck is the armrest?! Not deal breakers for me, but my be for the heavy commuters

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  SCION Xb 5speed - 2005 Scion XB
  By CBP - September 19 - 10:00 am

  This is a great mini SUV for urban driving. The close ratio 5 speed manual transmission is smooth and the brakes are incredible. It has enormous amounts of room inside and gets great gas mileage - 31 mpg combined in my experience. The car handles like a sports car and is dependable and inexpensive.

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  Scion tC - 2005 Scion TC
  By scion tc - September 18 - 8:13 pm

  I love this car. It is a beautiful car and it is fun to drive. The only problem with the car is that is skids easily in the rain. I dont recommend this car if you drive in an area that it rains a lot. This car tends to fish tail making turns. It is a very light car so you would have to be careful driving in poor weather conditions. Other then that it is comfortable to drive in and is a great looking car.

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  Funky stylish little car - 2008 Scion XD
  By Lena - September 17 - 5:43 am

  My new 2008 scion hatchback is anything but boring. Great acceleration, tight turns. 16 inches wheels are making mountain dirt road fun to drive on. Stability control system is useful safety feature if you plan to take your car on a ski trip. If it is designed for young people it could be well designed to make you feel young.

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  Dont Buy It - 2007 Scion TC
  By Bob - September 16 - 8:40 am

  This is the most boring car Ive ever driven. Bad: It has huge body-roll in the corners, generally bad handling, a soft suspension, it feels disconnected from the road, has a bad clutch, and the red-line is too low. Good: It has nice wheels/tires and decent power for the price. The optional TYC taillights save the car from looking like every other econobox.

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  Worth every penny - 2006 Scion TC
  By luvcars32 - September 15 - 11:54 am

  Racked up 112,000 mile on my 06 tC, and never had 1 mechanical issue with it! I replaced the clutch after 80,000 miles, and thats it. Truth be told, this is a fun little car to drive and I beat on mine quite a bit. The reason for my review is, I was weary about Scion, because they were new. I bought it because its a Toyota. Since they had done away with their sporty cars, I took my chances on this. Im so glad I did. It was maintained with proper flushes, oil changes, tires and brakes, and never had gave me any mechanical issues.