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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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:

• 

  Scion tC - 2006 Scion TC
  By Mike - April 29 - 1:23 pm

  Awesome car in every way. A real looker and performs beyond my expectations. It has a great stereo, is comfortable, great A/C, and handles like a sports car.

• 

  Fun, Practical, and Good Milages - 2004 Scion XB
  By kelvin Chen - April 29 - 10:00 am

  XB is my first new car. I love is so much in terms of its style, good milages, and fun to drive. For a regular small cars price, it has all the features I need,like ABS, Traction control, stability control, auto-lock, auto window, and AC. All my friends love to drive it around town! Its just fun to drive!

• 

  Good for a Small Car - 2006 Scion TC
  By Mike - April 29 - 9:33 am

  Overall the Scion tC is a good car, although it is not the best car for me. At first I loved everything about the car but the more I used it the more I realized how little space was actually available in it. It has a great 4-cylinder engine that is quicker than you would expect. The ride is a little rough and the seats are not very comfortable. However, the interior visually is very appealing. One note: I got the Scion Sirius installation when I bought the car--big mistake! The radio flashed the antenna and neither the dealer or Scion could help. I eventually I re-routed the antenna and installed a plug and play Sirius tuner and quit using the Scion installed one.

• 

  Best Bang for the Buck - 2005 Scion TC
  By Oz - April 27 - 1:43 pm

  I purchased my tC a year and a half ago, it now has 32,xxx miles. Stepping down to this economy car from my 1990 LS 400 with 200,xxx miles was a wise decision, especially with skyrocketing gas prices. I average around 26-28 mpg mostly highway, my highest on single tank was 32 mpg. I once fit 3 adult friends + me + mountain bike in it. I replaced the hatch struts at 30,000 miles =( . Also, it has spongy brakes. The large tire / fender gap makes it feel like I am driving an SUV. Please remember that the tC is an economy car and in stock form is a nice daily driver. It has a soft suspension and seat belt buzzer. Many of the tCs pitfalls can be remedied with upgrades. The tC is the perfect blend of comfort, convenience, and sportiness (or lack thereof). I am happy with my purchase.

• 

  The "Lunch Box" - 2005 Scion XB
  By rhinoman - April 26 - 8:36 am

  With a handle on top it would look just like a lunch box. I have driven it to work, (round trip 54 miles) and now have 36,500 miles on it. Averages about 33 mpg. It would be best in the urban runabout mode, but makes for a fine enough commuter. Took awhile to get used to the wheels out at the corners - ran onto a parked cars bumper and did $2K damage to the right side doors early on. Mine is an automatic and for the price theres little to complain about and lots to like.

• 

  Awesome - 2006 Scion TC
  By john smith - April 23 - 7:23 pm

  It is awesome with all of the features and accessories. it is also very fun to show off and fun to drive.

• 

  A Fun Car to Drive - 2005 Scion TC
  By Melvin Nudelman - April 22 - 1:33 am

  The Scion tC is a fun car to drive. It burns rubber when the need hits you. The sound system in the car is awesome. The hatchback is a great feature. It turns into a station-wagon when you need to move cargo. Three adults fit into the back seat with comfort. The best part is that the car acts like a sports car and looks like one.

• 

  We love our 2009 Scion XB - 2009 Scion XB
  By K Planellas - April 18 - 5:30 am

  After trying out over 20 different vehicles my husband asked me to look at a Scion XB. With our 1st visit to the 1st dealer we were sunk and it became only a matter of time before we would buy one. Then the day came that we were shown the new 2009 color, Stingray and that was it. Next day we bought it. We love the handling of the car, the roominess inside, and the sound system is terrific. The seats are quite comfortable for us. Weve tinted the windows even darker, added custom chrome rims, and its added to the overall look. For the price we feel weve gotten a wonderful vehicle that is fun to drive and meets all our requirements. We are averaging 26 mpg on city streets, not bad!

• 

  Car is great - Dealership is horrible - 2004 Scion XB
  By Scion Lover - April 17 - 2:00 am

  Love the car - drives great, looks great! Roomier than my big SUV - easier to drive, load and park. Turns plenty of heads too! Will be buying another one for my son - but from another dealership - unless they can pull it together real fast - before legal action.

• 

  Typically Toyota - 2006 Scion TC
  By FraVal - April 15 - 8:03 pm

  My wife started out wanting a Honda Civic. She test drove a Civic and then we visited the Toyota dealership where she test drove the Scion tC. We bought it based on good looks, value, and its much quieter ride than the Civic. She has driven the car since 5/06 with no problems. The car is reliable (typical Toyota), comfortable, good on gas and always gets a second glance. The Scions automatic transmission shifts flawlessly and has good power from the time tested Camry 4-cyl engine. I highly recommend a test drive, youll buy one too.