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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  Great car and a great price - 2008 Scion XB
  By Yvonne - February 5 - 8:30 am

  I bought this car in March 08 and I like it a lot. It handles well and it is fun to drive.

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  Awesome - 2004 Scion XB
  By jaiviar - February 4 - 10:00 am

  the best car i have ever had

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  Scion xB - 2004 Scion XB
  By nkannady - February 4 - 10:00 am

  With the cold air intake system, a car that would be considered slow is actually fairly peppy. Ive never owned a car that attracted so much attention.

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  Great Car! - 2005 Scion TC
  By Jess - January 30 - 2:26 pm

  As soon as I walked on the lot and saw this car, I knew I wanted it. When I sat in it to test drive, it just felt right, and it goes wonderfully! Mine is a 5-speed, and it handles turns great, has a lot of power, comfortable, great design, its all Ive ever wanted in a car for this price.

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  Best compact base model - 2005 Scion TC
  By jc - January 28 - 6:23 am

  After many test drives, I think the tc is the best compact base model for the money. It is more desirable than focus, cheaper and better looking than mazda 3, impreza, lancer or eclipse, faster and roomier than rsx/civic, and better built than vw or mini or hyundai. with side airbags it is much safer than neon or beetle. The interior and exterior design is completely derivative, but looks and feels as nice if not nicer than the competition it one ups. Other cars in the segment offer premium trims like the sti, evo, or type-s but thats apples and oranges. All around good car.

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  Best Car Ive ever owned - 2014 Scion TC
  By warrant001 - January 25 - 2:26 pm

  I bought my Scion TC in Apr of this year. I spent more than 6 months researching this vehicle comparing it to other models. What I discovered is this is the car for me. I dont fit the demographics Im 55. This car is an amazing vehicle I have owned it for 6 months now and driven it close to 14000 KMs. I have loved every moment of it. This car is a smooth drive on long and short trips. Its fast and agile and a real eye turner I have the metallic Blue with a few add ons I just wish it came with a turbo. I highly recommend this car lots of room for cargo and passengers. This is quality built vehicle. Its the first car that I have purchased that doesnt have a ton of little issues.

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  Couldnt be Happier - 2005 Scion XB
  By BobzBox - January 25 - 2:10 pm

  I purchased my xB because my Pontiac Grand AM was getting unreliable and constantly breaking down. I have owned the xB for over a year now and I must say that this is a great car. From the outside you would never guess it is so roomy inside. I was able to fit an entire dorm rooms worth of stuff in it! The gas mileage is amazing. I dont drive slow and I still manage 31 mpg. The fact that it comes standard with ABS, traction control and stability control make this car very easy to drive in the snow. The only downside to owning this car is the fact that bugs do not skip off of the very vertical windshield. They kinda self destruct upon contact and the windshield can get nasty fast.

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  Hey, we now own TWO of the things! - 2015 Scion XB
  By Howard Ferstler - January 23 - 3:53 pm

  We purchased our first one (light, metallic silver color) back in September, trading in an 11 year old Scion xA model that had performed superbly, but was a tad too small for serious long highway work. The new xB is excellent for serious long highway work, and is a REAL car instead of a pint-sized runabout like the xA. I love everything about the car but the 4-speed audio, since it tends to "hunt" between 3rd and 4th gear at speeds below 45 mph on hilly roads. However, while the Scion owners manual has nothing but cryptic info about the "S" transmission mode (the standard choice would be the "D" mode), I have discovered that if you leave it in that mode (which allows for manual shifting, but also shifts automatically on up to 3rd gear) the hunting ceases. Use the "S" mode for moderate-speed city driving and you will do fine. The transmission is probably responsible for the only so-so gas mileage but it is probably bulletproof in terms of reliability, just like the engine (which was used as the standard Camry engine until 2011). Anyway, last week we purchased a SECOND xB, trading in our ten-year-old xB, which had been as solid and reliable as the xA first traded. This new one (bright white in color) has the same features (including the 4-speed auto), and seems to run as well. The older xB and xA models had manual transmissions, and it did not take long for us to discover that switching back and forth between the old xB and the new xB required more mental-operation work than we (wife and I) old timers could deal with. Now, both of our cars operate the same way. Right after I got the first one I replaced the ugly plastic hubcap stock wheels, and I will be doing the same thing with the newer one this week. I hate hubcaps, and particularly hate plastic ones. Ugh! Whatever, both cars are terrific and if they are as reliable as the two previous models we will be driving them for a long time.

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  Love my Xb - 2005 Scion XB
  By ScionGuy - January 23 - 7:56 am

  The car is awesome. Wish I could say the same about the dealership...I am a former Saturn driver and the dealership could learn a lot from the Saturn dealers. Bu the car is awesome. If you are thinking about one, buy it!

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  Warning for Scion xA Buyers! - 2006 Scion xA
  By scionwarning - January 22 - 6:53 pm

  I just paid $707.00 for repairs to the air vac system because I was told that "topping it off" can cause gas and air flow problems. I do not top my gas tank off. I may round off to the nearest 10, but I do not top off. My car has only 51,000 miles. I am 53 years old. My contention is if this is a problem with all Toyotas as I was told at the dealership, then a disclosure from Scion/Toyota should be made available and placed on the gas cap or sun visor or the warranty manual - somewhere. Buyers beware!! I am writing to the CEO and President of Scion as well.