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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  Inside the Box - 2006 Scion XB
  By ron - April 5 - 2:46 pm

  This car is bigger on the inside than it is on the outside. Entry and exit are easier than anything I have owned since 1952. Its rear seat leg room is great. The four cylinder engine has adequate power to keep up with the traffic and the gas mileage is a very nice, 31 around town. This is a keeper.

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  Love my Scion - 2004 Scion XB
  By rafapa00 - April 5 - 10:00 am

  I love this vehicle. It is great drive and easy to use, especially with children. I cen get my young infant in and out with little effort. And even with the car seat in the back, we can fit two more people nicely. My husband and I get stopped everywhere. We have let numerous people sit in it and have sold people on buying one all over. They cannot believe the room and comfort. We highly recommend it.

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  great vehicle - 2005 Scion XB
  By scott - April 4 - 12:00 am

  great vehicle for small families such as myself. easily able to fit four people in and seated comfortably. hauling is a bit of a pain because of lack of space but the seats fold down and allow you ample room to put stuff there. fuel mileage is awesome, i drove from fayetteville north carolina to killeen texas fully loaded with only 4 required gas stops one chance gas stop, it was great. this vehile can also be used for the tall also it has max headroom in it.

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  Great car - 2006 Scion XB
  By Great car - April 3 - 10:00 am

  Great car. I was an auto mechanic for 27 years. 147,000 miles and only front brakes, oil change and tires. Only thing i can tell you. Its not for sale. You need a great car buy one. Remember mine is not for sale. P.S. its also fun to drive.

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  Its about the MPG - 2006 Scion XB
  By sparksinner - April 2 - 11:56 am

  Traded a 2000 Jetta for this because we had a 2nd kid on the way. No chance wed all fit in the Jetta. Its been fantastic. I used to miss my manual, but Ive gotten over that. Im 62" and have plenty room all around. Even the infant seat fit behind me. Plus it has calmed down my driving. There was an instant 10mph slow-down on the highway. Then, as gas prices kept rising Ive dialed my old man driving skills way up.

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  GO Scikotics! - 2006 Scion TC
  By ScionAngel - March 31 - 1:43 pm

  I love this car. I belong to Scikotics your friendly neighborhood Scion club and we all enjoy Scion. I recommend this car for all ages. Many love it for the speed and at all costs try to go faster. I myself am interested in exterior customization and perfection!

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  An economy car that thinks its a sport - 2008 Scion TC
  By Eric - March 29 - 2:56 am

  I was going to buy a Mazda3 but the dealer didnt give me enough on my trade in so I went to look at the corolla and I saw the TC and thought it was a 26k car, I had never seen it before or known scion made it, I knew I wanted it right away and bought it the next day. Im very happy with it but the seats are very uncomfortable, im 62. It needs lumbar support. But honestly for 18k you cant get much more with out stealing it.

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  Very Fun Car - 2005 Scion TC
  By T - March 28 - 11:43 am

  Fun, be careful with its expensive tires. They are costly to replace. Around $200 a piece. Other than that, a great car.

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  Scion xB, Better Have Glass Insurance - 2006 Scion XB
  By LaVarious - March 28 - 8:20 am

  The main problem I have with the car is broken windshields. I have looked around online and no one seems to be bringing this little design flaw up. I have owned my xB for about six months now and I have had to replace the windshield glass seven times. That means seven entirely new pieces of glass have been installed on the car. That is just insane. This week alone I have had to replace the glass three times. Each time the glass has cracked/chipped, the first time was two days after I purchased the car, I was driving between 40-70mph and have been about 4-10 car lengths away from the person in front of me. I am taking a loss and getting rid of the car tonight.

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  What a nice little rig! - 2009 Scion XD
  By Aggie*86 - March 26 - 11:26 pm

  Purchased for my 21 year old daughter after we looked at many other cars. She instantly fell in love. Excellent service from the sales personnel. This thing gets much better fuel mileage than her previous Focus and better than posted on the window sticker. 40 mpg (no kidding) on trip from Las Vegas to San Diego. Very nice interior. Lots of standard features. Power everything. This is a very attractive all around vehicle for the youth market.