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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  Best value on the market today - 2009 Scion XB
  By Brad - June 2 - 5:10 am

  My fiance was looking for a good city car and we were interested in a low cost vehicle. I am a huge car nut, so I wanted something cool looking, reliable, and good fuel economy.We looked at everything with one determining factor being that I have to fit in it. For all of you tall guys 64+ this thing has tons of room for legs and plenty of headroom. The ride is very smooth, handling is great, acceleration still amazes me, it feels like a strong 6 cyl. Fuel economy is also incredible, we hit 28mpg avg with mix of city/hwy. Versatility is well thought out, this thing swallows as much as a truck bed could. All in all this is a best buy. I would highly recommend this car to anyone old or young.

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  Love my Scion - 2005 Scion XB
  By Suzy Mortimer - June 2 - 2:06 am

  In my youth it was MGs and then any used car that would run me all over Los Angeles. In 2000, I retired, moved back to Tucson and drove 15 mile to the gallon Jeep Wranglers. I wanted a change and spotted the Scion xB. Where ever I go, young people ask about this car. They want to sit nside and say its their car of choice. I see Scions popping up all over the place and when I talk to other Scion owners, "Love my Scion," is the first thing they tell me. Its great gas mileage, good reliability, and solid design make this my favorite car of the many Ive owned over fifty years. My husband drives a Ford Explorer and lately, Im hearing him say, "Lets take the Scion."

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  Micro Car Macro Ride! - 2013 Scion IQ
  By QA - May 31 - 11:35 am

  The car critics are too judgmental and people who expect an SUV in an 120 inch long car are not being fair or realistic. This car drives great and I have had lots of BMWs Mercedes and Porches and Japanese cars. the CVT transmission works perfectly and is smooth and quiet. Acceleration is more than adequate for freeway and passing. In town the car is in its element. It accelerates fast if necessary but half throttle is all that is needed. Stopping is smooth and sure with the front discs brakes. The radio is is only soft spot but that is a minor thing. this car is designed to get you around an urban environment and enable you to park where the smallest spot exists. It succeeds in fabulous style. Inside the car looks and feels like a big car. Loosen the backseat head rests and the seat backs fold down giving tons of cargo space. You can put a 6 footer in the front passenger and another in the right back seat without touching knees but the left back seat leg room is shorter. Big deal since you didnt buy it to carry four people ... but you can easily. The mileage is going to be lower than the 36/37 but it is always lower than the government ratings. Mileage runs in the low 30s depending on how much air is in the tires. Again there is no surprise there. You can get really high mileage but it depends on how you want to drive the car. The car looks great and people remark about it all the time. The stock wheels are some sporty alloys and the car looks fantastic. I am really pleased so far.

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  Great Little Car - 2005 Scion XB
  By Jim_NH - May 30 - 7:16 pm

  We bought the Scion xB after looking at every car at the Boston Auto Show. It replaced our 1988 Volvo 740 wagon. The xB is designed perfectly for a family of one to three people. The interior leg room is huge for a small car, as is the head room. These cars are built solid and are very cheap to buy and maintain. In 15,000 miles, we have only had one problem -- the headlights were aimed too high. That is a testiment to Toyota quality. We take our yellow xB Release Series 2 to Canada quite often where it is mobbed by people wanting to buy one (its not available yet in Canada). Overall, its like a Mini Cooper station wagon.

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  Gotta Love It! - 2006 Scion xA
  By mike - May 29 - 7:46 am

  Considering it cost about the same as my stripped Civic hatch did in 1998, its an amazing deal. I have had no problems with my xA. It is easy to change the oil and its ergonomics and switchgear are first rate, The shifter snicks from gear to gear cleanly. The clutch takeoff is much smoother than my Civics. It has a smooth engine, plenty of power and torque compared to my 1.6L Civic. Its sight lines are excellent. Everything is tight and feels high quality.

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  Great Car - 2005 Scion TC
  By Justin - May 26 - 4:56 am

  I am so happy that this car was produced i abosolutly love this car it is fun to drive. I love the design i just believe it is a great car all around. I hope that they dont stop making scions because i want my next car to be a scion hopefully another tc.

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  Love this little monster - 2004 Scion xA
  By marco - May 24 - 8:46 pm

  I am so glad i got this car when i did very economic i get around 36 to 38 miles to the gallon, that is a plus with the pricey gas now days this is a unique small car with lots of room and a nice looking exterior I will buy it again no problem

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  Take it from me -- Youre Safe! - 2006 Scion XB
  By theredhead6 - May 23 - 9:46 am

  I just rolled my Scion xb. it rolled onto the drivers side and I climbed out without a scratch! No windows broken, no roof or hood damage, no rear damage. Just point of impact (and its not that bad really) and scratches all along the drivers side since it was laying on that side. This is a safe car, guys, and Im a lucky gal.

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  Superb Value - 2008 Scion TC
  By Chris - May 22 - 8:03 am

  Great acceleration and fun to drive, but with toyota build quality and reliability. I get a lot of comments from folks admiring the car.

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  I love my Scion tc - 2005 Scion TC
  By Mar - May 22 - 3:16 am

  The tc is a sporty car,lots of extras, at a great price. For a little extra money, my dealer got me leather interior. This is a new, little known package. My tc is black and with the black leather interior it adds so much to a "high price" look but,with a very reasonable pricetag. The car has a lot of energy on the highway. It is a solid car that seems to hug the road. There is no hesitation when accelerating. The stereo/cd player has a great sound. So far, I have absolutely no complaints about my tc!