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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  The best coupe ever - 2005 Scion TC
  By Poetic Mind - June 19 - 10:00 am

  I have been a long time admirer of this car for a long time and this car is just the best car that you can find for the money hands down. I mean if you are looking for a sexy, stylish and sporty coupe, this is it.

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  I Love This Car! - 2005 Scion TC
  By janaluke - June 19 - 10:00 am

  Great car with all the extras! Limited availability, but this car looks sharp and is fun to drive!

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  Most Bang for Your Buck - 2005 Scion TC
  By DimSumDude - June 19 - 10:00 am

  I cant believe all the standard features of this car for the "no haggle" price that theyre asking for. Makes you ask "whats the catch"?! Bought the car because I was so impressed with it even though I already own a 2004 4Runner.

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  Awesome - 2005 Scion TC
  By Chris1019 - June 19 - 10:00 am

  I just bought my tC, what a great car. The car is incredible, its a blast to drive, and handles great. If you can get your hands on one I would recommend the car to anyone.

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  My Scion xB results at 11,000 miles - 2006 Scion XB
  By Michigan_Mark - June 19 - 9:53 am

  This car does what it should do. Its lifetime MPG is about 30 mpg. My xBs gas mileage improved after about 5,000 miles

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  I love my Scion tC - 2006 Scion TC
  By Susana - June 17 - 6:46 pm

  I simply love this car! I bought it two weeks ago and it is my first new car. I am getting ready to leave for graduate school and I wanted a reliable car that looked good, had many standard features, yet was safe. This car definitely meets all those catagories. The car is also extremely comfortable on long drives and in the city it performs like a dream. Maybe it is the fact that it is my first new car, but I would definitely recommend this car for the first time new car buyer!

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  scion needs some improvements - 2005 Scion TC
  By kls0383 - June 17 - 5:16 am

  This car is great on handling, and its fun to drive. The engine seems very reliable thus far.

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  What is Wrong With the Car - 2006 Scion TC
  By John Markle - June 16 - 8:26 pm

  After owning the Scion tC for over a year I think that this car is an awesome car to get and is the best car for the price range it is in. I have many suggested improvements, but the car is in my opinion much better than the Civic (my brother owns one and I have driven it in comparison) or any other car in the market. My main suggestion is that if you are getting a manual transmission to be aware that a new set of tires would be a great investment due to its ability to peel out easily.

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  Love my XB - 2009 Scion XB
  By kelmack - June 16 - 1:36 am

  I have been driving a suburban since 2001. I recently totaled the vehicle and had to purchase something new. I was looking for something with good gas mileage, smaller, not too small, lots of leg room and could still haul stuff in the back if need be. The Scion XB was the perfect solution. I absolutely love this vehicle and look forward to driving it. I havent found anything negative about it. I added the spoiler, and leather. Its a great car!

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  Awesome Car - 2005 Scion xA
  By Worm - June 15 - 7:40 am

  Really simple, I love this car. Went to the dealership looking for economical Toyota and fell in love with the Scion.