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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  RealDeal - 2007 Scion TC
  By ExcellentOne - June 28 - 9:00 pm

  I bought the tC to commute to work in. I thought it would make the otherwise boring drive fun and something to look forward to. I was right. My favorite features are the sunroof, including its shade, the manual trans and the stereo. The car handles well and gets a lot of attention. My commute is 50 miles each way and I always get at least 30 mpg. It is a mix of country roads, boulevard stop and go, and freeway. On the highway I get 32-36, depending on my level of enthusiasm. Ive had no problems after 14K miles and wouldnt change anything about this car. This is my 3rd Toyota. I suppose because it is under priced, it is compared to lesser cars. Fair enough. Its good no matter what.

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  Hulking Ccion - 2006 Scion XB
  By albert - June 28 - 8:10 pm

  I feel like Alice in wonderland...the car looks so small from the outside but once you settle inside and drive, you have more than enough room and the view of the road is like widescreen panaramic scene.

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  Rough ride - 2005 Scion TC
  By Peterpipper - June 26 - 10:13 am

  Ride a little stiff.You can run over a penny and tell if its heads or tails.Regular tires would help.

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  Great Great Great that is all - 2004 Scion xA
  By Evan - June 24 - 10:06 pm

  I love my Scion xA......it is my first car purchase and I couldnt have picked a better car to buy. I love the quality and the reliability that only Toyota can offer. I love the design of both the exterior and the interior. I it small with enough room to carry me and three friends along and the gas mileage is awesome. I was paying so much for gas and now I pay a lot less.

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  Lots of Room - 2005 Scion XB
  By Jen - June 24 - 3:26 pm

  I really enjoy my scion xB. There is a ton of room and it drives nicely. It could you a little more pickup, specifically, going up hills. I would definitely buy another.

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  The Perfect Vehicle - 2006 Scion XB
  By Fixup - June 21 - 8:00 am

  I saw these cars before, but I thought it was junk - a big box usually means junky, burning of fuel, bad performance and expensive. I never wanted to know about it. A week ago I went to a Toyota dealer looking for a small wagon. They showed me a Scion xA. I got home and did some research about Scion and found the xB. Man, that junky box was exactly my dreamed car! A wagon for moving my stuff, small outside, roomy inside, fantastic MPG, with an incredible low price. It is very easy to rule out all other vehicles: SUVs and vans are too big and too gas hungry; sedans cannot take large stuff; other small wagons (including xA) are too small inside. Nothing else is this perfect.

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  Our new Scion tC - 2005 Scion TC
  By Dave and Nancy - June 20 - 2:00 am

  This little car is awesome! It came with everything that we wanted in a car standard and there was no questions about do we want this option or that option. It looks great, is fun to drive and has plenty of backseat room for extra passengers. We got one of the very first tCs in July 2004 and it really turned heads everywhere. People would approach us in parking lots and ask us what kind of car it is. When we went to pick up the plates for the car, the salesman who got them for us pulled out the plates from the file cabinet and said "Youve got one of those rare birds". We have recommended it to several friends and now they are waiting for their new tCs to come in. Great car!!!!

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  Double the Pleasure - 2005 Scion XB
  By Just for fun - June 16 - 4:20 pm

  Just for fun I opened the back door of the limited edition yellow XB at the Denver car show and got in. Then just for fun I went to test drive one at my local Toyota dealership. You can only imagine the look on the sales guys face when I told him I wanted to trade in my fully loaded less then one year old Infinity FX35! I was so impressed with the XBs looks, handling, gas mileage and its "dress up" possibilities that I bought two of them that day. Yup, thats right two. We are a two XB family. I bought the black one for myself and the white for my son. When they are parked side by side in the drive, we are the most popular house on the block. Why should Gen. Y have all the fun by themselves?

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  Big change but worth it - 2011 Scion XB
  By EW - June 15 - 6:33 am

  After recently deciding that I needed something that was a little more flexible for a family with 2 kids than my previous 2 Tundras, I started looking at smaller utility vehicles. I also wanted to keep the cost reasonable without having to just "get by" with a tiny engine and tiny interior space, or with a vehicle that had questionable build quality. With all of this in mind, I have to say that I love the 2011 xB and it is exactly what I was looking for. It is very fun to drive, has plenty of power around town or on the highway and I can fit my wife and 2 kids (with car seats) in it and still have plenty of covered storage area in the back. Safety features are great as well.

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  1200 miles so far... - 2008 Scion XD
  By CBDBRP - June 14 - 4:40 am

  Overall, I am very pleased with my purchase. With the xD, I am consistently getting 33 miles per gallon in a mix of city/highway driving. Good stuff! When I set out to purchase a new car, I wanted a four door hatch-back that would provide the ultimate in reliability and excellent gas mileage. I find the xD delivers these things and more. If one is considering a Honda Fit or a Nissan Versa, I would suggest that person take a serious look at the Scion xD. I considered the Honda and Nissan for months before stumbling across the xD by accident. I was blown away and made the decision to buy the Scion almost immediately. I have not regretted the purchase in the least!