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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  I Like It! - 2006 Scion XB
  By MYNEWCAR - September 17 - 4:00 am

  Im a professional photographer and I do a lot of intown driving and sometimes hit the road for business as well. The Scion xB is going to be one of my better buying dicissions. Its really roomy for my equipment and my Bassett Hound. The sound system is awesome. It has a really smooth ride, too. Its so roomy to drive in. Im 50 years old and I think that its great!

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  Love the Box - 2008 Scion XB
  By ronhawk62 - September 16 - 10:23 am

  Ive put about 1500 miles on the box in two weeks and it has been excellent, so far. Ive been getting over 32 mpg on trips and about 27 in everyday commuting, way better than expected. Im 63" and have plenty of room and the ride is surprisingly quiet on the highway. The engine has excellent power and the transmission works seemlessly. It handles very well and Im more than pleased with my purchase. I like this car better than my previous car, a 2002 Lexus ES 300, and I really liked it.

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  Almost glowing - 2009 Scion XB
  By PA Deerhunter - September 5 - 10:26 pm

  I like this car a lot but I find the suspension to be a little "bouncy" for my taste. Acceleration is surprisingly good and I find it to be exceptionally maneuverable. Biggest gripe: No Daytime Running Lights, not even as an option. Lights are required in work zones here, so thats annoying. My wife is petite, so she has to use a cushion because the side mirrors are in an awkward spot in her field of view. Other than that, its a real crowd-pleaser. Lots of people come up and want to talk about it.

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  Best car for the price - 2005 Scion TC
  By Bonifacio Recile - September 5 - 6:30 pm

  This car handles sweet and so much fun to drive. the interior has so much room compare to diff. coupes. my friend were amazed with the interior space.

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  Drives Like A "Go Kart" - 2008 Scion XD
  By coytheboy - September 4 - 6:10 pm

  This is a neat little car that drives like a sports car but gives you the feel that you are in a larger car that grips the road like a Jag. The xD is very responsive and well powered in spite of its economy. It reminds me a bit like a "Go Kart" the way it handles turns. On long trips she is very comfortable and the standard stereo is high quality. MPG is in the mid 30s which is great for such a peppy car. Only negative is that the mirror buttons and dimmer controls are not illuminated at night. No big deal but it would be nice.

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  Excellent Car - 2005 Scion TC
  By Dan - September 2 - 10:03 pm

  Not only one of the coolest cars ive ever driven, but with a LOAD of features that will knock ur socks off. Toyota build quality feels same as my Lexus IS 300 i bought back in 2003. Very Agile and the weight of the car makes it feel more expensive than it really is. With the power everything, sunroof, reliability, etc... id pay $22,000+ for this car as it has features not even $30,000 cars have. Strong first and 2nd gear on the manual is amazing and smokes people off the line. I get looks from the chicks all the time in this bad boy, a real head turner.

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  I love my toaster - 2008 Scion XB
  By Dan - September 2 - 12:36 am

  I love my toaster. Despite being razzed about it at work, it really is a well built car. Great functionality, a ton of room on the inside, great value. You can really soup it up, or leave it bare - youre choice! Tons of available aftermarket and TRD accessories. You cant beat this car!!!

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  love the xb - 2004 Scion XB
  By Cohpro - August 29 - 10:00 am

  Have only owned my xb for a few weeks, but love it. grand children love it also. Lots of room had intake system put on it for a bit more power and am having 2 sunroofs installed and it will be great. Looked at alot of cars fell totally in love with this one. wouldnt trade for anything.

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  Scion xB - 2005 Scion XB
  By LVBoxman - August 29 - 10:00 am

  I find the Scion xB a great vehicle to own its attention grabbing style are great,some like it some dont, but like it or not it will get your attention. The interior is very roomy with room for 5 it a good vehicle for a small family, just about power everything windows,door locks,outside mirrors, keyless remote entry. this vehicle comes standard equipped with lots of things that would be an option on many vehicles at this price range. but with many dealer installed available options the price of the car can go up very fast. With that said I think Ill be very happy with my purchase for many years to come.

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  Best Value on the Market - 2005 Scion TC
  By JustJoe - August 29 - 10:00 am

  This car looks and drives phenomenonally well, and there is no other car out there as feature rich for this low a price. PERIOD! I drove the Acura RSX and Mazda3, both nice cars, but they were $2500 - $5000 more when comparably equipped. Plus the tC outperformed both in accelleration/handling/comfort - and its a Toyota, and all that implies. The tC is, in a word - Sweeeeeeeeeeet!!!