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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  Most bang for the buck! - 2010 Scion XB
  By john - September 17 - 7:40 am

  1. Great car! Better than the 94 Acura Legend GS it replaced. 2. About 29mpg for my daily commute (25 miles through local roads each way). 3. 100% made in Japan. 4. Best value!

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  Most Fun one Can Have While Driving - 2005 Scion xA
  By Jessica - September 16 - 6:23 am

  Was looking for an inexpensive, reliable car that would last me 10-15 years. The moment I saw the Scion I knew I wanted one. Almost a year to the day later I bought one. Situations had changed wasnt in the market for a car but all of a sudden found myself needing one quick. The Scion pure - pricing concept really helped out here.

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  Scion xA - 2004 Scion xA
  By KillerBunny84 - September 16 - 2:00 am

  We bought one after our Neon was totalled. Despite being smaller on the outside (and cheaper), it has more features (MP3 capability), is fun to drive, is quiet, is RELIABLE (the Neon is NOT), and can still hold 5 people without too much complaint. I think that it is the best buy in the small car market. And 38 mpg on the freeway (with the 5-speed) isnt bad either.

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  this lil box is pimped out! - 2004 Scion XB
  By dat scion - September 16 - 2:00 am

  the first time i seen this car on the street i wanted one, now that i have one im very happy with the "XB" version. if you want alot of attention, i suggest you get this vehicle! i get stopped all the time by people, i even got pulled over by a police officer just to tell me how unique and stylish my scion is... but if you want my opinion pay a little bit more money and get it fully equipt, you wint be sorry.

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  nunus box - 2005 Scion XB
  By nunu - September 13 - 4:23 pm

  I love my black cherry XB. I call her the Box. Overall, the Box is fun to drive and I love the all the leg space.

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  Looks are Deceiving... - 2006 Scion XB
  By MattMoore - September 13 - 5:20 am

  Many of you probably think of the xB what I used to think before I got to really know one. Many of the same thoughts of claustrophobia and public humiliation crossed my mind when I first saw it. Then one of my friends bought one, truly a day to remember. This thing had so much headroom, legroom, and cargo room in such a small package it was astounding (and a bit dumbfounding initially). I have always like Toyotas for their reputation of build quality and reliability, this box is no exception. It is surpisingly quick (mostly due to its low curb weight) in the 5-speed variant and a joy to drive (mine isnt stock though). It has lots of handy features and plenty of aftermarket support.

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  I love my scion xBox - 2004 Scion XB
  By J.D. Slacker - September 12 - 10:00 am

  I got an extra $400.00 for being a recent college grad. I was driving a full size GMC P/U 8 cylinder and it was big & gommy to drive. Thscion xB is so much fun to drive & the mileage is awesome. I did my first test drive in the xb with a automatic but it was a little sluggish so I ordered a manual tranny. the standard tranny is much more peppy. The shifting is still a little stiff but I am sure it will be better after I put some miles on it.This car is affordable & loaded with cool standard features.

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  My tC - 2006 Scion TC
  By actstwo - September 11 - 4:53 am

  This is truly a fun car to drive. Compared to other cars in its class, you truly get more bang for the buck with the Scion tC.

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  Great car! - 2007 Scion TC
  By Jarman - September 10 - 9:56 am

  I have not had any problems so far with my tC. I am currently averaging 27.5 MPG which is great since I drive a mix between highway and city. The car rides very smooth, and gets going really quick. The look is classy yet sporty. Lots of room in the back for people and storage. Headroom for rear passengers is the only problem I could say.

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  Best Value For Money Bargain - Best Buy - 2007 Scion TC
  By Akshay - September 9 - 11:23 pm

  This is the best car out there for the money. I shopped many cars when buying this one and took a good three months before deciding after test drives and reading reviews. This car beats the Corolla, Civic, and Sentra hands down for the money. You can get many more standard features in it than in a Honda Civic EX. With this car you save at least $5,000-$7,000 with the same features. I drive it 100% in the city and it gets just 19-22 mpg as advertised. You can get up to 33-35 mpg at 70 mph on the freeways. Overall I am a very satisfied Toyota customer. Dont go by the negative reviews out there, some people dont understand cars at all. Period.