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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  My Scion at 72 - 2005 Scion XB
  By Sam - October 23 - 2:33 am

  I am 72 and feel 40 in my xB.

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  I Love This Car - 2007 Scion TC
  By DSTEVE23 - October 21 - 8:03 pm

  I love everything about this car. I have no regrets at all about purchasing it. I have made a couple up grades to it and I love it even more. You cant get a better car for the price and that no haggle price on the car does not mean a no haggle extended warranty. I got a 7 year extended warranty, the wheel and tire warranty, and the anti-theft for practically nothing.

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  Best car Ive ever owned!!! - 2005 Scion TC
  By tabby9111 - October 19 - 10:47 am

  I just recently had my Tc totaled by a giant truck and my car gave as much damage as it received.I walked away with out a scratch. I had 161000 miles on my car and it ran perfectly, even though I drove it like I was dale earnhardt. I was so happy with this car that my next car will be another Tc..

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  Good Economy Car, But Not Great - 2005 Scion xA
  By Ted Mer - October 16 - 11:43 am

  The Scion xA delivers good fuel economy, decent power, and has good features. Its road noise is a bit bothersome, as are a few rattling noises from the windows and dashboard. After 1.5 years of use, I have made no trips to the dealer except for maintenance. The turning radius is a bit large for so small a car, which is good for safety but bad for tight city driving. It handles wind, bad weather and city speeds well. It delivers okay performance on the freeway if youre not used to driving muscle cars.

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  Great car but not for all - 2007 Scion TC
  By buckeyedrifter - October 15 - 2:33 am

  I had to get rid of my TC 2.5 years because of an accident so I figured now would be a good time to write a review. Things I liked: Fun car to drive Great car to learn/relearn manual Very flexible so easy to haul big things Things I didnt like: Not very good in rain/snow Tires wore out too quickly Mileage would go down unless driven on perfect road Bottom line: This is a great car for a small commute and if you want to learn manual. But there are better cars IMO. I bought this car after having a 97 Civic for 9 years and the Civic would drive no differently rain or shine and I always got the same mileage even with my foot all the way down. Tuner parts are expensive too.

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  Gas relief - 2005 Scion XB
  By chiza_maniza - October 13 - 7:43 pm

  I save allot on GAS. Handles real good and it has allot of room inside.

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  Fun 2 Drive - 2007 Scion TC
  By andyhaines - October 12 - 10:06 pm

  This is my first time with Scion. I love the car more every day. I cant wait for it to warm up so that I can open up the sunroof.

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  Good For the money - 2005 Scion TC
  By Peter - October 12 - 8:40 pm

  Im 17 years old and my mom just bought me this car. The car is very good in all of its aspects, it can go fast, beleive me, handles well and love the way you can modify it at the dealership. The car audio system is some what overrated because they are hyping it up because of its pioneer sound but the bass isnt realy there so dont expect the best sound in the world but it is good. The car suits me very well and have had no problems with it so i would recomend it for people.

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  great except final - 2005 Scion TC
  By LCR chicago chapter - October 12 - 2:00 am

  i love the tc, but its so new im makin all the parts from custom companies at 10x the price

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  I Love, Love, Love this Car! - 2006 Scion XB
  By Scikotic - October 10 - 10:50 am

  Ive been driving my 2006 Scion xB for two months now, having previously owned a Honda Odyssey. My xB is so much fun to drive, and handles corners so well, that Im having a blast. My husband was hesitant, but is now thinking of getting one for himself! My college-aged daughters are begging to drive it during their school break. This car is really deceptive, being unbelievably roomy inside, handling the road well, and generally just zipping through traffic and into the smallest spaces. I added the rear bumper guard, cruise control, and an armrest, and really felt that everything else I would ever need was included. The visiblity is wonderful, I get from 29-36 mpg, and, even being fully loaded, insurance is cheap!