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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  Smoke the RSX... - 2005 Scion TC
  By albertu - May 26 - 10:00 am

  How do I know? cas I own a RSX! Beat it on everything: overall size, handling, look, style, etc. Maybe not on power, but wait for the TRD supercharger. Beside, tC got better acceleration because of more torque. The duel moonroof just win my heart instantly. Other then that, the design closely resemble a european car. The interial look high tech yet tasteful. And the smooth body line match close to RSX but look a little bit more beefier. Theres already a line of TRD parts for you to choose from. Supension, 18" wheels, exhaust, you name it. This is a car with a lot of potential.

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  Tires are garbage - 2008 Scion XD
  By cfeather - May 21 - 6:03 am

  Research this carefully. The Goodrich tires that came on this vehicle new are garbage. Had to be replaced at 24 K. But there are only 2 manufacturers who make a tire for this car. Both are garbage. So what good is reliability, fuel efficiency, etc. if the tires are failing? New tires (Dunlop) were $600 at dealer cost. Wheel bearing went out on my XA at 32K, so I have that to look forward to next! GM parts used on these cars, so this is to be expected.

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  Its worth the money you pay - 2008 Scion TC
  By DsTC - May 21 - 5:00 am

  I would recommend this car - for the money that you pay its the best. Its not something I would try to make fast, its a four cylinder. Its reliable and has just enough HP to get it done.

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  Perfect fit for a Y-gen guy - 2005 Scion TC
  By Rebaza - May 15 - 8:46 pm

  This car is amazing. It is sporty, light, quick. It has everything stock. It is amazingly affordable. And one last thing, the design and looks are incredible. People look at it, and they do not even know what it is. It looks like a $40K car. Just outstanding.

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  Im too sexy for my car... NOT - 2005 Scion XB
  By nibor - May 15 - 10:26 am

  I love my Scion XB. I wish I had more disposible income so I could dress it up a bit, but overall, Im very proud to be seen in this car. My only complaint is that I cant get the gas mileage out of it that Im supposed to. Im about 5 mpg short both hwy and city.

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  Best Drivers Car - 2013 Scion FR-S
  By worldrally17 - May 13 - 3:48 pm

  Dont listen to everybody who berates this car. Those are the people who dont understand its purpose. After 10,000 miles through 6 states and Canada, I can tell you this car is great in every single circumstance. City, highway, straight road, twisty road, road course, etc. I can get 34mpg on the highway, and average 31mpg even with some autocrosses and track days sprinkled in. You can fit a 6 person in the back as long as the front passenger is willing to give up some leg room. I honestly test drove every single new car with a manual transmission under $25k and this was by far my favorite.

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  Would not buy again - 2008 Scion XD
  By ts16240 - May 13 - 2:02 am

  The XD was my first brand new car, and I am very disappointed in it. I will be trading it in soon. First off the tires are not great on it. It slides all over the road, rain and snow. I did however find winter tires this year and it went much better, but the cost was high ($600). Driving on the highway is horrible because any little bit of wind and it blows you all over the road. Also when driving with just the front windows down is impossible, it makes a wind tunnel effect and is a killer on your ears, so the back windows have to be down too. I also replaced the charcoal canister twice in it, which happened at 38,000 miles. $1,000+ each time replaced. Not the vehicle I expected.

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  Best in every category - 2013 Scion IQ
  By solodriver - May 8 - 7:28 am

  I drive alone 99.9% of the time. I want the best value, the best MPG, the best zippy performance (I dont need a race car- I just want to zip around town, hitting corners fast and going up steep grades at 80+MPH when the mood strikes me), I want my phone, including all it does (Pandora Radio, podcasts, online streaming news radio, navigation system, etc.) to work seamlessly, I want a comfortable interior, I want to use regular gasoline, to be surrounded by airbags, and I dont want a car that looks fun and not like everyone elses car. The Scion iQ is the only one that offers ALL of this. The Fiat couldnt take the hills, gets 7MPG less and requires premium fuel and costs more...

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  Pitfalls of an xD - 2008 Scion XD
  By Duke - May 4 - 9:20 pm

  Due to sluggish brakes I rear-ended another car at 30 mph. The cars airbags deployed and i was fine, but the cars front end was demolished. Insurance estimates show repair cost to be half the price I paid for the car!

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  Best of the best - 2005 Scion TC
  By tctinkerdc - May 4 - 4:50 am

  tC is the best of the small coupe market. I drove up to Boston from DC in mine and only had to fill up two times. The tC is great for the passing lane as you pass the small nasty Civic.