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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  Finally they get it - 2005 Scion TC
  By CortPrince - March 21 - 10:00 am

  This car comes with many features that I would never have dreamed would be made available at such an affordable price. Many of those features are made available as either dealership options or after-market enhancements. I am thankful for this companys gracious and bold move in this direction.

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  Air Conditioner Drains into Vehicle - 2009 Scion XD
  By JRN - February 27 - 10:00 am

  The vehicle is made w/o a filter and debris clogged my air conditioner drain twice. $600 later times 2, Im getting rid of it. I dont care to have the condensation from the air conditioner draining on my feet!

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  Lovin it at age 40 - 2006 Scion TC
  By Paul - February 18 - 1:00 am

  Who says this is for the young generation? Im having fun driving this thing. Im usually the SUV type a guy but ever since the gas price started going up, I will be driving this baby spring thru fall! I feel like Im driving in a sports car. I get an avg of 25 mpg in mixed highway / city driving. Although, once broken in...it will be better on gas. I think this car will bring out the midlife crisis in me. Im already thinking of modifying it...uh oh! This car has a lot of torque. It will take time getting use to the 1st gear. It has a lot of wheel spin, but definitely stick with the manual tranny.

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  The New Box - 2008 Scion XB
  By Brandon - February 16 - 1:33 pm

  The new xB is a very functional vehicle with amazing luggage space with the rear seat down. What else impresses me is the acceleration and the quiet ride. You really do feel isolated driving the xB which makes for a good road trip car.

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  05 xA stone gray - 2005 Scion xA
  By xascion05 - February 15 - 7:23 am

  My xAs gas milage is great. My average city mileage is 33 mpg. Thats even with goosing it a bit. Mine has a lot of the acessories - fogs, red steering wheel with red led int. lights, spoiler,15" 10 spoke rims, cruise, tinted glass, auto, carbon door sills, ect. The biggest waste is the led cupholders and floor lights, they are just a silly gimic. But thats how it was put together at the dealer when I saw it. This has been a reliable car. It has even hauled 800 yes 800 lbs. of materials to job sites in a pinch with the seats folded flat.

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  Nifty Thrifty Handy Dandy - 2006 Scion xA
  By cats_meow - February 6 - 11:12 am

  PRos: -Excellent on gas (better than my bfs 03 civic hybrid) -Standard Mp3 AUdio Aux -Sits high which gives the illusion of more space & provides the driver w/false bravatto in traffic -Rear-seats fold down for strange situations that require adequate storage Cons: -Blind Spots -WIde handling on turns -Slippy-slides in rain -Poor AC power (On the highest setting, its not comparable to a low setting on my 03 Saturn Ion) -Low placement of cup holders, similar to a truck (I dropped a tea on the floor of the car, a wk after I owned it trying to get it into the cup-holder) Conclusion: It can provide flat-bed space, low maintanance costs & poor AC power but your pockets will smile!

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  Great car - 2008 Scion TC
  By wizard2788 - February 3 - 11:53 pm

  Its a pretty good car for an affordable price. Very good looking and decent mileage as well as performance. Comes with lots of great standard features and no need to spend more time/money trying to add features.

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  I love this car - 2012 Scion XB
  By T.C. Howard - January 5 - 4:04 am

  This is the first new car Ive ever purchased for myself. It was purchased to offset my other car, a 2006 Dodge Magnum with the Hemi, which doesnt get good gas mileage in city driving, but is acceptable on the highway. At the time of purchase for the Scion, August 2012, I was still working a 9 to 5 job that I am now retired from, and my drive to, and from work averaged about 7 or 8 miles round trip, city driving, and I was getting around 13 mpg in the Magnum. I am also a musician, and need a vehicle capable of hauling my equipment, which was one reason I bought the Magnum after the van I had died. I liked the concept of a squared off car, and had looked at a couple of XBs that people at work had bought. I looked at other small SUVs that got good gas mileage, and considered the Kia Soul, but it was smaller, and the brand didnt have the reputation for dependability as did a Toyota, which the Scion is. The price was higher for the Scion, but I figured it would pay for itself with it reputation for longevity, and the extra cargo space. The car is the base model, but I love the way it handles, and can only imagine how it would handle if I add some improvements like better tires, and suspension parts. Im a big person, and weigh over 300 pounds, but can easily get in and out of the car, and the seats are fairly comfortable for me, even on long trips. This is my "daily" driver, and I love this car. I wish it had a six or seven speed automatic transmission, and all wheel drive option. I love, and enjoy driving my Magnum, but I have to consciously choose to drive it, which happens about once every two weeks. My choice for driving is my Scion. My warranty is out, since it has been over three years, although I only have 27, 000 miles on it. I understand that the XB will not be made for 2016 which is a shame, as I would consider trading mine in if an upgraded transmission, and all wheel drive were offered. They apparently will offer nothing but cars/sedans in the upcoming year. So, Ill make my XB last.

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  Loaded tC - 2007 Scion TC
  By CAROLINAJACK - January 2 - 5:20 am

  I purchased tc in may 2007. It is the release series 3.0 #737 of 2500 produced.$21,000.00 price tag. All options, except for the standard 5- speed manual trans. Added trd lowering springs, short throw shifter, anti-sway bars, strut brace, exhaust for additional $2000.00. Now my $23,000.00 investment feels like 30 grand. If there is something you dont like, just adjust to your application.

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  It corners better than my old Honda. - 2005 Scion TC
  By FMChuck - December 31 - 10:00 am

  I bought the car the third day our dealership had it. I was supposed to get the stereo put in the next day. It has been a week and still no stereo. With the silence, I have noticed a few items I dont like. 1. Those high performance tires are noisy. 2. There are a couple of rattles around the sunroof. 3. The brakes sometimes make a clicking sound when engaged and disengaged. Another thing I dont care for is that it seems like the transmission takes an extra second to engage when slowly coasting through the neighborhood. It is suprising how much leg room the rear passengers have. Head room is another story. Kids should be plenty comf