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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  Good all around car - 2009 Scion TC
  By Bootlyus - August 23 - 1:06 pm

  All around a good car. If you are all about TOKYO DRIFTU then this is not the car for you. I think this car has a bad reputation in some circles because there are too many Tc owners that think this is a sports car. Its not. Test drove an auto but bought the manual for price reasons. Auto was a little slow to shift but other than that it was fine. The car handling is excellent, it feels like you are driving the car not the other way around. A lot of the electronic assist stuff Toyota loves to put in their cars now is pleasantly absent in the TC give you the feeling of having more control over your driving experience. Fuel economy, torque and HP is what you would expect from a 2.4 L 4 cylinder.

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  Great Car - 2006 Scion TC
  By great car - August 22 - 3:20 pm

  The Scion tC is a great car. It is very fun to drive. I highly recommend it to everyone!

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  My Scion tC....a Dream Come True! - 2006 Scion TC
  By streaknzac - August 22 - 11:13 am

  I absolutely fell in love with this car the moment I laid eyes on it! Its basically an all around great sports car for the modern society we live in today. Its a very affordable new car with excellent fuel economy. Its sleek, yet simple design is very captivating just knowing that how you buy it stock is still satisfying because you know people"s heads turn when they see this car driving through the city. Also knowing that the amount of customization is practically endless. It is a wonderful feeling because you can have a one of a kind vehicle. The performance is just another area that ceased to amaze me! I love this car so much and am proud to be the owner of one.

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  It is what it is - 2007 Scion TC
  By Jacob - August 21 - 8:16 pm

  Now, first off, I am sick of people complaining on here about the mileage, yes, it is a small car, and the Corolla does get better mileage, but this car has a 2.4L engine, and the Corolla has a 1.8L on 95% of them. And, most people complaining are driving it to hard, thats the problem. Secondly, complaining about rattles? Well, when you buy a cheap compact car....that is what you get, thats why Mercedes cost a lot. This car gives you what you need, a GREAT sound system, PHENOMENAL Wheels, DAZZLING looks, SURPRISING Space and Comfort, and 60 cubic feet of space when the rear seats fold down flat....it is practical and sporty. This car DESTROYS the Civic Si, because the Si is more expensive..

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  Peppy Performance, Sticky Cornering - 2007 Scion TC
  By Trin1 - August 21 - 3:30 am

  I purchased my tC on Sep 11th, and I regret nothing. This car looks good, goes like a rocket (3rd gear to 5,200 RPM - WOW!), and corners like its on a rail. I added the window tint, pedestal spoiler, TRD lowering springs, strut tower bar, BORLA exhaust and cold air intake to the deal, although Im still waiting for the intake. It seems the bore for the MAP sensor is too big for the 07 sensor and the dealer estimates a two week to two month wait while Toyota corrects the problem. I intend to get it and Im saving up for the supercharger too! All in all, this is a great ride.

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  scionxd - 2010 Scion XD
  By pat downey - August 20 - 11:20 pm

  I have only about 500 miles on my xd manual transmission car. Overall it is a good little car and decent on MPG (about 33 on combined driving). It has a lot of features,standard equipment, that you normally would expect in higher priced cars. The one thing that I was surprised that it does not have, is a water coolant temp gauge. I bought a standard transmission because, in my experience, these little engines dont do very well with automatic transmissions. The car seems to be a little short on performance even with the 5 speed. At Interstate speeds, 70-75 MPH, there is what I think is a harmonic vibration that is very annoying.

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  My Favorite Car Ever - 2006 Scion TC
  By Nawlins Guy - August 19 - 3:06 am

  I have only had it for 100 miles, but I am already in love with it. The handling, the power, the long list of standard features. This car feels like $30m000, not the $17.500 I paid. The only option that we have is the sidecurtain airbags. We almost wrecked it with only 70 miles on the odometer! Some jerk tried to dart through three lanes of heavy traffic, then stopped. This was my first experience with 4 wheel ABS disc brakes. We managed to stop just inches from this fools door. The tC is a major bargain. It has lots of safety features. It is 100% Toyota with a Camry engine. I was looking for basic, reliable transportation, I ended up with all of that in cool little rocket!

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  Love my xB - 2008 Scion XB
  By randy - August 13 - 2:56 pm

  Just purchased the xB today and am very pleased with the vehicle. I am 65" 350 lbs and I fit very comfortable in it. The 2.4 engine is more than enough power. I am getting 27 mpg overall so far. I am very satisfied with the XB. The only thing is dealer had xB but no radio or hubcaps. They will get them monday and will add them then.

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  I love my Tc - 2005 Scion TC
  By Maria - August 12 - 9:00 am

  What I like about the Scion Tc is that you can customize it how you want it. Its also a great car to drive, it handles great.

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  Great choice - 2009 Scion XD
  By AZ - August 10 - 1:00 pm

  I bought the car 3 months ago, after researching cars (mostly) in the same category (e.g., Honda Fit, Nissan Versa, Mitsubishi Lancer, Mazda 3). The two finalists were the Scion and the Honda... the Honda dealers attitude (that I didnt like) and the Scions "pure price" with a nice set of standard features tipped the decision in favor of the Scion. Soon after purchase, I made a 2000 mile trip with the car--a true test for it! It aced the test and Ive been very happy with it after the trip as well. Gear shifting is smooth and acceleration is awesome for this car category. Gas mileage is much better than advertised. Comfortable for me (58"), could improve for taller people.