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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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:

• 

  Love This Car - 2005 Scion XB
  By Sciren - February 24 - 12:23 pm

  Okay, Scion is meant for those under 30. I am 30. This is not just a Gen Y car, it is great for those of us who are 30+ and love a fun and reliable car. I made mine more er. . .grown up by having leather interior put in. Hey, I still have to commute and the gas mileage is phenomenal. For the price, it is well appointed and not chintzy in appearance/construction at all. Plus, its basically a Toyota which means you get top shelf reliability. For us older consumers who have families and careers to attend to and have no time to play dealership games, the no haggle pricing is a dream. Glad I traded my old boring Volvo for this Scion. I love it!

• 

  Saved by Second Sunroof TSB - 2007 Scion TC
  By Kitch - February 22 - 10:46 pm

  I was extremely pleased the first 12 months. However, for the past 4 months, a a sharp clicking rattle-like noise started to occur and became increasingly persistent as time went by. It took literally 8 visits to the dealer before the problem - faulty sunroof construction - was detected by me from researching tC noise rattles on the web. Upon hearing that there was a Toyota Service Bulletin (TSB) on the earlier models at a tC Owners Blog, I showed the article to the dealer. He then advised that there was a second TSB that I qualified for, and after I left the car with the dealer for 2.5 days, I got a completely new sunroof - all new glass and rails. Now, Im in "heaven" again.

• 

  happy for the most part about my purchas - 2007 Scion TC
  By BugsMXZ - February 21 - 7:36 pm

  Have had the car for roughly 7500 miles and so far- so good. Only minor issues such as a small rattle in the rear hatch- apparently there was a TSB (I believe a Toyota service bulletin) to fix it. The car is the special edition- so it comes with a Kenstyle body kit- upgraded interior, and a better sound system than the stock version. Real glad I chose to do that. Not sure if it is just mine but my car seems to have a whistle when on the highway anything over 60 mph which Im not to crazy about. Guess Ill just turn up the speakers.

• 

  Love this car - 2008 Scion XB
  By Lisa - February 21 - 8:36 am

  I love this car - its everything I was looking for and more. I was driving a Honda Civic before, and this car is so much better in every respect - handling, power, room, style, options, ride, etc. The only thing I miss is the 31 MPG I got with my old car - now I get about 27 (90% city). Even so, its worth the tradeoff for all the other great things about this car.

• 

  my 2005 Scion tC - 2005 Scion TC
  By Jose - February 19 - 9:23 am

  Handling is great, enough room for 4 adults, great mileage, good response from under the hood when needed, its a fun car to drive! And best of all at a good price!

• 

  the great Xb experience - 2005 Scion XB
  By Felix Lopez - February 18 - 11:13 pm

  to say that a vehicle that is cheap can be functional its usually some sort of marketing scheme, but after almost 10 months and almost 17,000 miles later I can attest that the vehicle is anything but a scam. This vehicle has everything that an expensive car should (abs, traction control, keyless entry, toyoguard)and yet is sold at an affordable price, and also its fun to drive, a very comfortable vehicle for long or short trips and the fact that people look at this car (is a hate or love it desing) I have had a lot of positive reactions to the car, so I recomend you go to your nearest toyota dealership and like myself start your own great Xb experience.

• 

  Expecting improvement - 2006 Scion xA
  By Joseph - February 17 - 8:53 pm

  I bought this car three weeks ago and so far the car is responding okay. The only problem I see is the MPG performance, for the last 3 weeks I have filled my tank 4 times and driven only 600 miles. That is ~ $90 or 30 gallons which translates into 20 miles per gallon. So I took the car to Toyota service and was told that they cannot improve my cars mileage and they checked for leakage. I would like to know what I should do to bring my cars MPG up. I have also noted the need for extra horsepower and some shaking when driving over 80mph (more than what is expected). I feel the comfort when in front of the steering wheel and the fun of driving a small car.

• 

  Love my xB - 2006 Scion XB
  By Jim - February 16 - 2:30 am

  At first I thought the 11 gallon gas tank would be too small, but I still get over 300 miles per tank. Its comfortable and I love driving it. When the salesman suggested it to me I said I would never buy that car, then I drove it, I am very glad I did.

• 

  Scion Xa - 2006 Scion xA
  By pat - February 15 - 11:33 pm

  I like the performance and pickup of this car. The price is economical and the mileage is great. My model is great looking and it is a whole lot of fun to drive. I previously drove a Toyota MR2 for 190,000 miles and wanted to stay with Toyota. This car is a great car for the price, performance and economy. I have a 2005 model and will buy another one.

• 

  TC For Toyota Coupe. - 2011 Scion TC
  By mikey_day - February 14 - 5:31 pm

  Aggressively styled exterior, although not sure what to make of the dash materials them coming off as a coated plastic, nothing felt cheap nor did I feel slighted in the least. This is a fun point a to point b vehicle with some extra curricular teases. This car was too easy to fall in love with for what it was and hard to hate for not being what would cost another 4-5 thousand green backs out of pocket to get. If youÂ’re looking for sporty DO NOT LOOK HERE. But if youÂ’re looking for a convenient, stylish way to get around without sacrificing efficiency or your pocket book this should be in your considerations. Overall this is a Toyota and its drive, comfort and lives to that name.