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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  I just love it - 2005 Scion XB
  By Ruschel - June 19 - 10:00 am

  I am a custom window decorator. I pack 5 boxes of sample on and under back- seat. Its easy to get to my samples. Backdoor is easy to use. Lots of headroom. Just perfect for day to day in-city driving and maneuvering. The gasmileage is fantastic. No complains.

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  Aseome Lava Orange Car! - 2005 Scion XB
  By Steenger - June 19 - 10:00 am

  We love our Scion XB! We have three children and two dogs. Our entire family fits comfortably and stylishly in our lava colored scion. People are so curious about the car - they love to ask questions and we get a great deal of "lovin it" feedback.

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  I LOVE MY BOX! - 2005 Scion XB
  By Khalif - June 19 - 10:00 am

  Weak in power but for a kid like me, whos not into the fast and the furious, its a fun car to cruise along the beach with or even the highway. I love the attention that it brings from the ladies. This car is great!

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  Great Car - Must Buy - 2005 Scion XB
  By BBscion - June 19 - 10:00 am

  I love my scion xb it is so fun to customize and drive.

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  My Mini School Bus :) - 2005 Scion XB
  By flosser - June 19 - 10:00 am

  My Scion xb was the best purchase I could have ever made! I just moved and I could fit a million things in there. The room in this vehicle is superior to any in its class. I love the way the xb takes turns and turns heads, its a very appealing vehicle and anyone who owns it knows that. I love my Scion xb!

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  The car of the future - 2005 Scion XB
  By JET from Florida - June 19 - 10:00 am

  Since 1996 went from Town Car to Lex LS400 to Prius. This is one terrific little package that sacrifices nothing. We call it the box car. Cant believe that a package this small on the outside can have so many feaures in and out, not the least of which is the look. It turns heads everywhere we go! We miss a speed control, may add one, but overall this is one of the best buys today, any where. I am disappointed so far with gas mileage, but car is new, hope it will improve, but was really spoiled by the Prius. Im a good American, but there is no way anyone so far can innovate the car market like Toyota. Also own a GMC 3500 Pickup, its going bye bye, too!

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  Scion is My-ion - 2005 Scion XB
  By Russo - June 19 - 10:00 am

  Pretty clever thinking regarding interior space efficiency ... larger folks in the backseat will thank you ... Ive always liked boxy cars ... Its trippy and funny and fun ... I way like it though I do have one problem which goes as follows: I wanted something very good on gas; I wanted something practical that would hold up ... with such low horsepower, I thought getting a cold air intake would give the transmission better life over the years ... it was supose to marginally increase horsepower and (I thought) not hurt gas mileage ... It did make the XB more peppy, but Im only getting 26 mpg ... Toyota doesnt seem to have much info on this though ...

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  Great Car - 2005 Scion XB
  By COMBOY - June 19 - 10:00 am

  This car is incredible, everyone stop driving to look at it, even people walking around. Is very economical expesially here in NYC, I only spend less that $20.00 for full gas every week. Me and my wife are really proud for this car so far, we love it. "THANKS SCION"

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  My Scion - 2005 Scion XB
  By CLeeS - June 19 - 10:00 am

  The Scion xB is the answer to my desire for an SUV. I have the height off of the ground and the room inside. The best part of all is that I dont pay the high gas price that goes with owning an SUV. I enjoy driving my wagon very much!

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  Toyota hits the younger market! - 2005 Scion TC
  By leonDB - June 19 - 10:00 am

  What can I say about this car??? Theres too much. Its got the look, it can perform pretty well, though I cannot wait for the supercharger... Its got enough power to satisfy me, but Ill need a charger soon.