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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  Summary - 2006 Scion XB
  By Robert J. Cahill - August 29 - 3:10 pm

  The handling for a small car is wonderful. It is tight, compact, maneuverable in traffic, and its gas mileage is always over 30 mpg. I am used to large luxury vehicles but find this car refreshing and a joy to drive. I continue to appreciate the visibility from all angles. I do resent it being discontinued however.

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  just ok - 2006 Scion TC
  By cnby - August 27 - 10:47 pm

  We bought our silver TC in March 06 brand new. I will just list the pros then cons. Pros are it is fun and sporty to drive. It is a cheap sports car that is good on gas and reliable. We have replaced only the brakes thus far and normal maintenance. It currently has 120K miles. It is of average comfort. The cons are it is cheaply made. Any little thing that has touched it has left a dent. Also the paint on the side mirrors started chipping off in fall of 2007. The paint on the body is fine but the paint on the side mirrors is now 50 % gone. The rear handle to the hatchback broke completely off after 4 yrs. The sunroof button has to be tapped now to close the sunroof completely. Good overall.

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  It could be better - 2005 Scion TC
  By RobLewiston - August 14 - 5:03 am

  The storage room in this car is great. I had four 16" wheels and tires from my truck in the back once - no problem! Love the reclining back seat. The front seats have good support, but the leg room in the front is cramped. The stereo sounds best when it is turned up loud. The power is amazing for a car of this type and it is fun to drive.

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  great car for the price - 2006 Scion TC
  By tomed81 - August 13 - 8:30 am

  I would def recommend this car to anyone I have had this car since it was a yr old bought it w 22k on it it now has 68k and have never had one thing ever wrong with it I bought an extended warranty and now am realizing I wont need it I changed the break pads once and thats all it needed very easy to maintain your self and w a few after market parts its even better I put lowering springs cold air intake and trd exhaust and its def quicker def wont beat an si or corolla xrs but is def quicker than other similarly priced cars I have had only hondas and im impressed with my Toyota although if I could have afforded it I prob woulda got the si but none the less this I am happy with the tc

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  From BMW X5 to Scion xB - 2009 Scion XB
  By Former BMW Owner - August 9 - 5:36 pm

  I went from driving a BMW X5 4.4i to Scion xB and I dont regret the move. The xB is fun to drive and handles great! This purchase made economic sense and I recommend it as it averaging about 27-28 MPG. One of the easiest cars to get in and out of, very roomy inside. Lots of standard feature for the low price. I just cant say enough good things about it. It comes from a company that i feel is very reliable when it comes to maintenance as my second vehicle is a 98 4Runner which has 198,688 and still running with no problem.

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  Scion TC - 2006 Scion TC
  By David - August 3 - 4:20 am

  Good experience with the dealer. Excellent car; same running gear and power as a 4-cyl. Toyota Camry, but lighter, smaller, and more fun to drive. Great standard features. Great value, superb quality; cant be a better package on the market.

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  Good car for the Money! - 2005 Scion TC
  By GForce - July 29 - 3:46 pm

  I tested the Scion tC vs. the Pontiac G6, Mazda3, Honda Civic Coupe, Kia Spectra, and Chevy Cobalt. The Scion is better equipped for the price than all others but the Kia, and is just a much better car overall than the Kia. Its nearly as fun as the Mazda, even though its thousands less with the options. It is a good buy. You wont regret it.

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  Much better than i expected - 2010 Scion XB
  By rb7385899 - July 27 - 3:50 am

  I test drove a 2006 XB a few years ago and rejected it, too slow and noisy. This revised model is a major improvement. Im getting the advertised 23 mpg or so around town, but on a 50 mile (mostly rural) drive to Lancaster PA it returned 33 - far above the 28 mpg sticker for hwy. Its quiet, crisp handling, and has excellent visibility and interior space. Im sorry i didnt test drive sooner. And you cant beat the pricing.

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  More Bang for Buck - 2007 Scion TC
  By Andree T - July 26 - 1:56 am

  Great car at a steal of a price. Handling is great; can take sharp turns quite well at higher speeds. Gas mileage is good; I get 28 (combined) while owning a cold air intake. Comes standard with cruise control, alloy wheels, sunroof, audio controls in steering wheel, automatic power windows on both sides, outside temperature gauge, ABS, keyless entry for automatic. If you enjoy attention for strangers this is the car to own; I always get looks from all types of people.

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  Scion did it again... - 2012 Scion IQ
  By mistergib - July 24 - 9:00 am

  Im 65, and have been a Toyota fan like forever, I appreciate quality and dependability. I knew I would like the Scion iQ, I just didnt realize how much! Its has a very solid feel with nice quiet ride, ample power with a great cvt tranny... and the gas mileage is way up there at 37 mpg combined! I traded in a loaded 2010 Kia Soul Sport that actually never gave me any problems, but its a/t shifted funky from day one, the interior material scratched if you breathed wrong, and I was constantly hunting down rattles....so, I was never quite happy with it. It had only 10,600 miles on it when I traded it in. My first Kia and probably my last. Bottom line, buy a Scion iQ....A+A+A+