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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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 car - 2004 Scion xA
  By Dimitri Amor - June 29 - 2:00 am

  I enjoy the car very much, the interior is more spacious than it looks, and people who have never heard of the car think that it is an expensive car when it really isnt. The only downside is the performance aspect of it, face it, you wont be speeding down the highway with one of these bad boys unless you tie a jet engine to the roof. But overall, for someone who wants a car that looks nice and is inexpensive, the scion is the way to go.

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  One Hot Box - 2004 Scion XB
  By XB in SAC. - June 29 - 2:00 am

  This is a very fun car to drive. Its very unique and it stands out from every other car in the parking lot. It has a good weight to power ratio, so the 108hp does the job. Ofcourse you could always add cold air intake for a few more horsepower.

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  RealDeal - 2007 Scion TC
  By ExcellentOne - June 28 - 9:00 pm

  I bought the tC to commute to work in. I thought it would make the otherwise boring drive fun and something to look forward to. I was right. My favorite features are the sunroof, including its shade, the manual trans and the stereo. The car handles well and gets a lot of attention. My commute is 50 miles each way and I always get at least 30 mpg. It is a mix of country roads, boulevard stop and go, and freeway. On the highway I get 32-36, depending on my level of enthusiasm. Ive had no problems after 14K miles and wouldnt change anything about this car. This is my 3rd Toyota. I suppose because it is under priced, it is compared to lesser cars. Fair enough. Its good no matter what.

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  Hulking Ccion - 2006 Scion XB
  By albert - June 28 - 8:10 pm

  I feel like Alice in wonderland...the car looks so small from the outside but once you settle inside and drive, you have more than enough room and the view of the road is like widescreen panaramic scene.

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  Coot Scoot - 2004 Scion XB
  By xB Coot - June 27 - 2:43 am

  I wanted a van w/o the huge size so I bought an xB. It fits me to a "T." It is fairly comfy for long trips, not too noisy and easy to drive. It fits my dog and two passengers plus our luggage, or me plus 3 HS Football players and their equipment with legroom to spare. I hope itll last at least 16 more years!

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  Rough ride - 2005 Scion TC
  By Peterpipper - June 26 - 10:13 am

  Ride a little stiff.You can run over a penny and tell if its heads or tails.Regular tires would help.

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  A Great Runabout - 2006 Scion XB
  By Rodger - June 25 - 8:40 am

  This car replaced my beloved 95 Honda Accord Wagon which was wrecked, so I tend to compare it with the Accord. The xB excells in ease of entry/exit, price, fuel economy, head and legroom, cargo space when the rear seat isnt in use, 360 degree visibility, and ease of parking. On the down side, its engine performance is barely adequate, its ride quality is a little rough, it doesnt have much seat comfort, has a high noise level, and its handling in cross winds are tolerable but dont compare favorably with the Honda. In general, I like the Scion for local driving but miss the Accord for trips over 50 miles and cargo space with four people on board.

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  Great Great Great that is all - 2004 Scion xA
  By Evan - June 24 - 10:06 pm

  I love my Scion xA......it is my first car purchase and I couldnt have picked a better car to buy. I love the quality and the reliability that only Toyota can offer. I love the design of both the exterior and the interior. I it small with enough room to carry me and three friends along and the gas mileage is awesome. I was paying so much for gas and now I pay a lot less.

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  Lots of Room - 2005 Scion XB
  By Jen - June 24 - 3:26 pm

  I really enjoy my scion xB. There is a ton of room and it drives nicely. It could you a little more pickup, specifically, going up hills. I would definitely buy another.

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  The Perfect Vehicle - 2006 Scion XB
  By Fixup - June 21 - 8:00 am

  I saw these cars before, but I thought it was junk - a big box usually means junky, burning of fuel, bad performance and expensive. I never wanted to know about it. A week ago I went to a Toyota dealer looking for a small wagon. They showed me a Scion xA. I got home and did some research about Scion and found the xB. Man, that junky box was exactly my dreamed car! A wagon for moving my stuff, small outside, roomy inside, fantastic MPG, with an incredible low price. It is very easy to rule out all other vehicles: SUVs and vans are too big and too gas hungry; sedans cannot take large stuff; other small wagons (including xA) are too small inside. Nothing else is this perfect.