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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  Surprisingly fun and inexpensive car - 2008 Scion XD
  By Carl - December 27 - 12:46 am

  Bought this guy a couple of months ago as an all-around hauler. I drive about 75 miles a day for work, was looking for practicality and fun. Also use on weekends for trips to see our daughter at college, etc. Very pleased with the xD. Lowered with TRD springs from dealer, rear spoiler, bumper protector. Have not used for overnight trip, but hauls four adults with ease (we are all short) and occasionally five for trips around town. Looked also at the Honda Fit, also nice, but glad I chose the xD. 33-36 miles per gallon (measured at fill-ups), 35-39 average on readout. Ride (w/TRD springs) is firm but comfortable. Co-worker has an xD also and has had good experience, highly recommended!

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  Lovin the TC - 2006 Scion TC
  By JT - December 26 - 4:46 am

  Ive owned this car for about 2 and half years now. I absolutely love it! The backseat is roomier than my friends Corolla, the interior and exterior design is refreshing and cute, and the ride is unbelievably smooth and quiet. I still get second glances at my car- -and its over two years old! Ive never had a single problem out of it. The features that are found on the TC are amazing and unrivaled by any other small car (Satellite interface, plenty of aux. ports, 17" rims, power side mirrors, turn signal on side mirrors,etc). The car has some serious pep, the air conditioning works like a charm, and the handling is great! Even the gas mileage is pretty darn decent! Such a great lil car!

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  Goodness Me - 2006 Scion xA
  By Brian Bratcher - December 20 - 5:20 am

  I love everything about this vehicle: the awesome interior to the stylish exterior (or as the ladies say, "cute" :) ). Not much get-up-and-go, but for $13,000 no one expects that. It is a lot of fun to drive, though.

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  Gotta Love the Box - 2006 Scion XB
  By trek777 - December 18 - 10:03 am

  I find the Scion xB to be quite roomy. I was going to buy an xA untill I drove the xB and I wanted the extra room that the xB provides. It handles great, its fun to drive and it begs to be customized. I spent over three months researching and agonizing on what car to buy before I came to this decision and I feel you cant go wrong with an xB. It has everything I could ask for: reasonable fuel economy, seating for five, and cargo space when I need it.

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  Best Car Yet - 2005 Scion TC
  By zhanje - December 16 - 1:15 pm

  This is by far the best car Ive owned yet. Quality, interior room (surprisingly, back seats are very spacious), performance, style and appearance are all top-notch. I had 130K without a single issue (besides rear-brake replacement), and its unfortunate were switching it out for a more family-friendly vehicle. Great car!

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  Well built, well equipped - 2008 Scion TC
  By ScionTc59 - December 15 - 11:10 pm

  I compared similar models in the tCs price range (Mazda3, Honda Civic, Nissan Sentra) and found this to be the best bang for the buck, very well equipped, and lots of room for modifications. Very smooth and quiet ride, could be a bit roomier as I am tall (64") but I fit ok. Looks great and overall fit and finish are excellent! Would highly recommend!

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  New xB - 2005 Scion XB
  By SMusick - December 13 - 8:06 pm

  I had researched the Scion line, and was already impressed by the features for the money. I had originally intended to buy an xA. A quick drive in the xB and I knew that was the Scion to own. As a previous Toyota owner I was already sold on quality and reliability. My xB is amazingly fun to drive.

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  Good Value - 2008 Scion TC
  By Ken - December 13 - 10:00 am

  Have owned this vehicle for about 2.5 years, with 22K miles. So far no repair issues. Vehicle is essentially used by my daughter, who is off to college in January. Only complaints are paint does not resist scratches very well and stock tires are simply crap. I guess this is the real cost of having this vehicle being priced quite low in comparison to other similar vehicles. I do question why a manufacturer would put tires with a tread wear rating of only 160 on a vehicle, the cost of adding better tires would only increase the cost of the vehicle by a couple of $100! The stock tires were Yokohamas - I made sure the replacement tires were not!

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  Very Poor Gas Mileage - 2006 Scion xA
  By Kevin - December 11 - 6:23 pm

  I am not sure if this car has ever been able to get above 30 mpg. Everyone I know that has one gets about 27 mpg. The only reason I bought this thing is its supposed good mileage. I am selling it in the summer.

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  Great Vehicle - 2006 Scion XB
  By LARRY - December 11 - 3:33 am

  I couldnt be happier in my Scion xB. This car rides better than my 2004 Toyota RAV4. It is fun to drive and I am getting about 31 mpg around town. Its seats give great support and the interior cabin noise is almost nothing. The style of the vehicle takes time to grow on you since it is so radical but really love the looks now.