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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  Less than stellar - 2009 Scion XB
  By unclealan - June 9 - 4:53 am

  I used a true Klunker to get this Release Red, and I dont enjoy it as much as some. One tiny armrest, much too wide rear corners, quite hard to back up. Personally I am always hitting the gearshift knob when going to the gps/radio panel. Even the cupholder ticks me off (though admittedly I am a touchy guy). I do like the lights except for the single back-up one. Heated seats on the top should have been part of the package

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  Lovin It - 2006 Scion TC
  By moots13181 - June 8 - 6:50 am

  Ive had my tC now for 8 months and driven it 18,000 miles. I do a wide variety of driving but on average mostly city. My mileage is usually 27+ mpg even with all city driving and winter gasoline, Im looking forward to seeing what summer gas/highway driving will do. I took care to break the engine/transmission in right and the car seems to be rewarding me with plentiful power and good economy. I really enjoy the torque around town and the wide power band on the highway. Many times I never even downshift to pass. My average highway mileage is 28.5mpg also on winter gas. The interior is very open and roomy, the seats are comfortable, supportive, and very adaptable. I love the gauges/dash design.

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  Review - 2006 Scion xA
  By JoManda - June 7 - 10:33 am

  I love the car. I already used its easy to use fold down seats. With that it has tons of room for such a small efficient car.

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  Increddible vehicle - 2004 Scion XB
  By rickorama - June 5 - 2:00 am

  I bought this car when i saw it immeditaley. I drove it for 3 minutes and knew I had to have it. Come to find out, it is even more versitle than i had ever imagined. Tons of space and my huge 66" friends fit in the back better than my escalade! I get looks from everyone on the street giving me the thumbs up.

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  Bring back the funk! - 2011 Scion XB
  By johnxbreezy - June 4 - 1:19 pm

  Used to have a 1st generation 2006 xB in 5-speed manual. It was my favorite car I owned. I outgrew it, and wanted something a bit more mature, and sleek. I also wanted to go for a VIP-style luxury-look this time around, and you can’t be VIP and shift your own gears! ;) That led me to pick up a big-body 2011 xB in automatic. The 2nd generation xB in manual is pretty silly, anyway--it’s just too big for a manual. I do love the car, but I’m not in love with it. It lost it’s groove, and seems as though the Kia Soul is the newer version of the 1st generation xB—it has all the funk that the new xBs lost. I still like the 2nd generation xB more than the Soul, but just saying.

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  Great buy - 2005 Scion TC
  By gatorgirl5482 - June 1 - 10:16 pm

  This is the first car I have ever bought on my own, and so far I have been extremely happy. It is fun to drive and the back has so much room (I have lots of tall friends w/ long legs). I get awesome gas mileage on the highway and even in the city (I travel quite a ways to work and back everyday). The price was a huge factor since Im just out of college. I feel like I got a ton of bang for my buck, and got 2 out of the 3 options I really wanted. Overall, I would recommend!

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  rattling noise in the trunk - 2006 Scion TC
  By Csaba - June 1 - 3:43 am

  I bought my Scion tC last October. I drive it every day in the city and on the highway and still feel the thrill every time I get in it. Its like you slip into it first time at the dealership, except now you know what to expect of its on road performance. Ive also experienced the rattling noise and it is easy to fix. I found that the noise caused by the trunk covers short plastic pins (on both sides) sitting and rattling in their sockets. Flip up the cover and put some soft material in the sockets, such as a piece of felt, rubber or just wrap a little (black electric) tape around the pins before you push them back in the sockets. Make it well fit and that should solve the problem.

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  Scion tC - 2005 Scion TC
  By Teddy - May 30 - 10:13 am

  Comfort is great. Build quality is exceptional.

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  First Toyota Product and not my Last! - 2006 Scion TC
  By Bruce G. - May 30 - 3:26 am

  My Scion tC has about 2,000 miles now and a review was in order since I read a lot before buying my car. I get 26 mpg in combined city / highway driving, which is a lot better then my Chevrolet Suburban got. I am 6 300 lbs. and I am comfortable in the car. I enjoy driving it, although the head-room is a problem. I have not had a problem with blind spots that others talk about, but that might be because I am so awhere of them from other reviews. I test drove a lot of other cars, including Saturns, the Mitsubishi Eclipse, Honda Accord, VWs, Chevrolet Cobalt, Toyota Matrix, Chevrolet HHR and the tC won out. I even took one car to another dealership and compared side by side. I did have to wait four weeks for my car but I got the color I wanted.

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  Outstanding - 2005 Scion TC
  By Alley06 - May 26 - 10:00 am

  This car is everything I expected it to be and more. Its peppy and flashy, while maintaining an afforable price tag. Id recommend it to anyone willing to wait.