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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  Best for the Cost - loaded with features - 2008 Scion XB
  By Gani - February 16 - 6:36 pm

  After a careful research of all sedans with a combination of all features - safety, comfort, space, design, power and fuel economy, I bought this wagon which has them all for a price that is far less. It has everything in it. You cannot get a car which has everything in the right combination. Well, who cares if it looks like a box. In fact the 2008 XB looks much sportier. An excellent value for the money!!

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  Love da Box - 2009 Scion XB
  By Chaz - February 15 - 9:10 pm

  I wanted something affordable, roomy, and unique. The Xb fits the bill. I really enjoy the ride, the look, the decent power, great sound system that syncs seamlessly with my iphone or ipod and the great ergonomics. I managed to "pimp" my Xb from the $17g starting price to $23g with options, tax, title, blah blah blah. Added the the 19"TRD rims/wheels, dealer installed power sunroof, spoiler, fog lights, XM radio to my black box and shes a looker!! Word to the wise: I lost about 5 mpg by upgrading to those rims/tires, they look AMAZING, but definitely cost you in mpg and ride quality on crappy pavement. Overall, the absolute best for my $. Salesperson and dealer have been top notch.

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  Scion Rules - 2007 Scion TC
  By scionrules - February 14 - 5:50 pm

  The Scion tC is amazing. for $5,000 you can get a 200 HP turbo kit from Turbonetics that gives you up to 361 HP, which can destroy any Acura RSX or Type-S no matter how much you soup them up.

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  Fun car - 2004 Scion XB
  By scionbeliever - February 14 - 10:00 am

  I love this car!Im a 27-year old female and i dont regret buying the car for a minute.Its good-looking, lots of interior space,and an incredible price.People have given me mixed reviews on what they think of it,but the nay-sayers are just set in their ways and afraid of anything new.The only bad thing about this car is my insurance is more expensive, because theyre expecting 20-something unmarried males to be buying the car.Also, I would have liked to have the option of a sunroof.Otherwise, no complaints at all.

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  Scion xB - 2004 Scion XB
  By Jeremy Hanna - February 14 - 10:00 am

  This car is a quality vehicle.

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  boxed n - 2005 Scion XB
  By bretsuaz - February 13 - 5:10 pm

  I love this car. Needed something reliable, and affordable. Nothing else compares at this price. Would buy one again.

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  cindy loves her scion xa - 2005 Scion xA
  By cynthia - February 12 - 5:26 pm

  I am 56 years old and not of part of the target market for this vehicle. I main reason I bought it is because it is a Toyota, and have experienced Toyotas reliabliliy. I needed a small, roomy, economical car and the Scion Xa fit the bill. Needless to say the price was right. I make regular trips to Lake Tahoe. I fill the car with my luggage and other items and have pulled all of the passes with no problem. It runs well at high altitudes. I have never experienced a reduction in horsepower or sluggish performance. I live in Southern California and its peppy on the freeways. It drives at 80 mph with no problem and handles well. All in all, I love it!!!

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  Glad I bought it! - 2011 Scion XB
  By Brian - February 12 - 3:50 pm

  I bought the car for my daughter, replacing a 2001 RAV4. I drove it from Jacksonville, FL to Baltimore, 865 miles and was totally comfortable. I would drive it across the country, no problem. Im 65" and the seats feel like they were fitted for me. It has more fromt seat room than our 2006 Sienna minivan! I can also fit in back for short distances without it feeling like a torture chamber. It feels like a much larger vehicle inside. If choosing between a 2010 and 2011, go for the 2011. The interior improvements are worth it. The center gauge cluster is also much improved over the 2010. Fuel economy has been excellent. Manual transmission and clutch are excellent.

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  completely satisfied - 2004 Scion XB
  By zperformance2003 - February 8 - 2:00 am

  our son told us about this vehicle a couple of years ago...when the Scions hit the local dealership we took a look and found the standard equipment, and overall design appealing as well as the price...he is very happy with his Scion XB and we are too

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  2006 Scion xB - 2006 Scion XB
  By Ruth Breul - February 7 - 1:33 pm

  The 2006 Scion xB is a wonderful auto. I came from a much larger one and would not trade back. Every aspect of this car is better than I expected. I love the positioning of the instrument panel and think it would be a good trend for other auto makers. Its gas mileage is fabulous. It is very roomy with lots of headroom, great cargo space, and seats that go down in a flash without any struggle. The price is more than fair!