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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  A great change of pace! - 2009 Scion XD
  By jseejr - January 3 - 1:10 am

  What an unbelievable car for the money! Went from a 2008 Honda Accord coupe, needed a 4dr for upcoming baby, and have not been disappointed. Great interior features like ipod hookup, steering wheel controls, cruise control, stereo cranks for a little car, and superb gas mileage. Originally thought styling was a little goofy, but have adjusted to it because its so much fun to drive. Best bang for your buck out there right now if downsizing. You wont regret this purchase!

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  Loaded tC - 2007 Scion TC
  By CAROLINAJACK - January 2 - 5:20 am

  I purchased tc in may 2007. It is the release series 3.0 #737 of 2500 produced.$21,000.00 price tag. All options, except for the standard 5- speed manual trans. Added trd lowering springs, short throw shifter, anti-sway bars, strut brace, exhaust for additional $2000.00. Now my $23,000.00 investment feels like 30 grand. If there is something you dont like, just adjust to your application.

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  MUST HAVE CAR - 2005 Scion xA
  By MEXMEXICANANGEL - December 31 - 10:00 am

  I BOUGHT THIS CAR BECAUSE IT WAS UNEXPENSIVE AND HAD A BETTER FUEL ECONOMY.MY FAMILY THOUGHT IT WAS WEIRD LOOKING BUT AFTER THEY SAW THE SPORTY LOOK DESIGN.THE SOUND STEREO SOUNDS GREAT ALSO.THE TRUNK MIGHT LOOK SMALL BUT IT CAN FIT ALOT OF THINGS!

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  The It Car - 2005 Scion XB
  By mabu - December 31 - 10:00 am

  Predict that more cars will be built to include Scion Xb features such as small exterior,large interior,good gas mileage,much standard equipment,funky styling with encouraged ability to transform it into your own ride. How sweet the concept and the result.It is the car version of a Harley.

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  A neat boxy beast - 2005 Scion XB
  By wb8wsf - December 31 - 10:00 am

  Ive only had my Scion xB for 10 days, but I really like it so far. It has a lot of room inside, such that my son can fir in it without slouching. The sound system is great, and the XM radio is fantastic. Add the MP3 player and Ill never have to listen to standard am/fm crud again... All in all, I would say that this is a lot of car for the money. It seems to be marketed towards younger people, but thats a little foolish: a good value is just that, good. My last Toyota lasted till 273K miles; I have every hope that this one can do that as well. It isnt boxy, its cute... --STeve Andre (wb8wsf)

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  It corners better than my old Honda. - 2005 Scion TC
  By FMChuck - December 31 - 10:00 am

  I bought the car the third day our dealership had it. I was supposed to get the stereo put in the next day. It has been a week and still no stereo. With the silence, I have noticed a few items I dont like. 1. Those high performance tires are noisy. 2. There are a couple of rattles around the sunroof. 3. The brakes sometimes make a clicking sound when engaged and disengaged. Another thing I dont care for is that it seems like the transmission takes an extra second to engage when slowly coasting through the neighborhood. It is suprising how much leg room the rear passengers have. Head room is another story. Kids should be plenty comf

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  Still Adore Mine - 2006 Scion xA
  By sigh-on_not_sky-on - December 30 - 6:13 pm

  Bought my Scion (release series 3) new at the end of 06 and I still love it. Everyone who gets in loves it. Great fun to drive.

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  Wheel bearing problems - 2005 Scion xA
  By pvg1 - December 30 - 11:08 am

  171,000 miles. Replaced both front wheel bearings 3X. Rear bearings 1X. Too bad because everything else is original. Out of 6 cars I have owned this one is the first I ever had to replace a wheel bearing. I guess I made up for that with this one. I am looking for a new small car and since I dont want another car with wheel bearing problems I am not even going to look at the 2012 toyota yaris.

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  Love car, hate front seats - 2005 Scion XB
  By julie - December 29 - 11:10 am

  Bought car 1 month ago. Former car Toyota tercel 4wdr which I loved but it got rear-ended. Love the look & mileage. Have a stick and do not have any power problems. Daughter and friends love all the room in the back. 1 BIG COMPLAINT: My husband & I both have backaches after riding more than 1 hr in either front seat (we are 56" and 510"). Nobody else has written about this and it worries us. Any suggestions?

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  Great Car - 2005 Scion xA
  By ITSAXA - December 29 - 8:46 am

  I love my Scion xA. I got 260 miles from 8.4 gallons of gas today, thats 30 mpg in CITY driving, and I wasnt realy trying to save. If I had stayed below 2,000 rpm, it would of been better. I have the bazooka tube in the trunk and that adds punch to the great stereo. The motor is smooth and it moves the car very nicely. I have the 5-speed transmission because it was in the car on the dealer lot already. I would normally have bought the automatic (I think its $800) because the car motor is buzzy on the highway (4,000 rpm @ 80 mph). A friends car with the auto goes 3,000 rpm @ 80 mpg and sounds and feels much better at that speed. Other than that, this car scores a bullseye on everything. It comes loaded with stuff for $13,100 and you can add lots of aftermarket stuff. It is a nice car thats not boaring and does everything well.