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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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:
Showing 411 through 420 of 3,216.00-
pretty good overall - 2005 Scion TC
By andrea - March 17 - 3:40 amI have had this car for over three years and I feel I can make an adequate assessment of the vehicle. The car is not made of the best quality parts. The pain chips and the body dents easily. The gas mileage is OK, and I find it hard to believe the manual trans gets worse mileage than the auto. I take the car in every 5k for oil changes/maintenance and have treated it well. The hatchback rattles like crazy in 40 or below weather and the hatchback struts gave out on me after about a year of having the car (not covered in the extended warranty). You feel every bump on the road, but I guess that is due to low pro tires. It is slippery in the snow, but handles well in rain. Great CA car!
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Great Car For The Money - 2007 Scion TC
By mtown1890 - March 8 - 4:43 pmOne of the best cars on the market under 20Grand.Plenty of available features, Smooth shifting transmission, nice sound system. Plenty of room for customization. Great entry level performance car.
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Compact, fuel efficient and great value. - 2008 Scion XD
By agalcowa - February 22 - 3:04 pmI stumbled upon the Scion Xd while looking for a Honda Civic and Mazda 3. The Scion is most different from the Mazda, but is similar to the Civic in the following ways: reliability, fuel efficiency, and compact size. The car is decently built for a compact car. It shares many components from the Toyota Corolla (engine, tranny, etc) and knobs and other items from the Rav4. For any 4-cylinder car that doesnt have a turbo, I recommend the manual for better control and performance, especially when merging onto the freeway. Overall, Im very satisfied with my Scion and glad that I found it.
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The good & the bad - 2007 Scion TC
By courtney - February 15 - 3:46 pmPeople who have only had this car for 2 months should not be writing reviews. Ive had my tC for two years and I have never heard more rattles in my whole life. This car is VERY reliable, but the amount of road noise and all of the rattles are forcing me to sell it. Goodbye SCION hello G35!
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Some Serious Design Flaws - 2007 Scion TC
By soooner1 - February 13 - 11:06 pmSunroof rattled badly from day 1, as did wind deflector. Very irritating with no fix offered at dealers. Service bulletin recommendation may/may not work. Dash is stretched too thin and can see undergrid - appears wavy. Got worse after about 3 months. No dealer support for problem, yet seriously reduces value of vehicle. Ride is a little stiff and road noise is almost intolerable. A little higher profile tire on a 1" smaller diameter wheel might have done it.
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Great Car - 2006 Scion xA
By rodgerterrey - February 13 - 6:33 pmI have been looking for a O.K. priced mpg 2 wheel F.W.D. ...I have had 4x4 trucks, off road "ROCK CRAWLERS" & they all get poor mpg 10 to 13 was best!!!! I have gotten out of "OFF ROADING" &wanted a good ,fun , reliable, car for myself & after much, much, much reserach I bought a "SCION XA" & Im loving it!!!!!! I have found after driving it for 5mo. there is a awfull glare off the dash (after getting used to the speedo location) so I bought a "DASMMAT" cover & had all windows tinted....MUCH BETTER....
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Rock Solid Small Car - 2005 Scion xA
By Luke D - February 8 - 10:43 pmI thoroughly researched before buying this car, and fell in love with it after I bought it. I was impressed with the attention paid to details- side turn signals, pwr steering, mirrors, good headlights, a commanding view of the road, & a well-contoured front seatback. It really set it apart from the 3 Geo Metros I had previously owned, & the Chev Aveo I drove. Ive put 73k miles on it, with only routine maint - tires, brakes, plugs & engine fluids replaced. The A/C hasnt failed despite the MN temp extremes, and its ALWAYS started too. Engine has good pep on freeway if ya press the overdrive OFF button, & has good mileage-approx 31mpg overall. Has very flexible interior-can haul alot.
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Sci Fi - 2005 Scion XB
By picccc - February 6 - 5:10 pmIts a toaster, a breadbox, ugly, you name it and Im sure youll hear it. All that matters is that its a good car that needs more power and thats about it.
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Fit my needs perfectly - 2014 Scion XB
By tedstor - February 6 - 7:41 amI was in the market for a Corolla or a Camry, but when I went to the Toyota/Scion dealer, the Xb caught my eye. The boxy look wasnt exactly what I had in-mind, but I quickly came to realize that the Xb fit my needs incredibly well. I needed an inexpensive(ish) vehicle that would comfortably accommodate my 63" frame, with a back seat that would accommodate my three kids. The Xb hit the mark. I bought my Xb for virtually the same price as a Corolla, but had the larger cabin that I needed. Performance is fine. Fit and finish is good. A very easy car to drive and park. Not many features to speak of, but has everything I need. Nice stereo. Scion service boost is a nice added value.
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Poor gas milage - 2012 Scion IQ
By rgutzler - January 31 - 6:12 amI have about 2000 miles on my Scion IQ. The car has yet to get over 29 mpg. My last tank ran 27.5 mpg and the low fuel light started flashing at 175 miles on the tank of gas. My IQ is running almost 25% less milage than the stated 36/37 on the window sticker. I am 65 years old and drive slow with no Jackrabbit starts. When I contacted my dealer, Billion Motors, in Sioux Falls, S.D. the service manager was defensive and indifferent. I purchased the car because I expected good milage and now feel like a fool for having a small car that gets substandard milage.
