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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  This Car Turns Heads - 2005 Scion XB
  By bhuddaboy - January 23 - 10:00 am

  My XB is very responsive and is great for city driving. I am able to zip around. I am impressed with the interior design and cavernous space, especially considering it has a narrow wheel base. Nothing compares to the driving experience. You sit alomost as high as an SUV. The reactions of strangers has been the most fun. Reactions range from laughter to surprise to "What the....?" to "Thats not right". Outside of the PT Cruiser, what other vehicle elicited such reactions when it was first introduced to the market?

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  Sweet Bang for Buyers of ALL KINDS Bucks - 2005 Scion TC
  By Fixtion - January 23 - 10:00 am

  The Scion tC comes from the highly reputable Lexus and Toyota Family, which makes it the entry level line for the newer aggressive driving generation that expects butt loads of goodies for as little money as possible. How can you go wrong with Scions new approach of pure pricing and no corners cut with butt loads of standard features. The car is absoultely amazing on the road and screams to be taken to the race track. 15.8 on regular octance is pretty damn sweet for a four banger that comes from the company that makes the cars your parents and grandparents drive. For the quality and reliablity you purchase the tC is hands down the best buy of the Year.

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  i love this car - 2005 Scion TC
  By __EviL_cLoNe__ - January 23 - 10:00 am

  Very fun car to drive. The power is good. This car is way way way better then my nissan sentra 1992. The space inside the car is HUGE. The inside is well designed. I got a different shift knob and silver pedals and the sub. i plan to get tinted windows and black rims.

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  a really good car - 2005 Scion xA
  By tony - January 22 - 2:26 pm

  purchased in 05 and the only thing I had to do to it is oil changes and I replaced the tires at 40,000, I am planning on a new battery come fall, other than that nothing serious very dependable car

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  What a Car! - 2006 Scion XB
  By Govind - January 19 - 7:40 pm

  The 2006 Scion xB provides a perfect combination of great gas mileage and space. SUV owners who dont switch to this are making a mistake!

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  my scion tc - 2005 Scion TC
  By she11ry - January 18 - 4:10 pm

  I really love my car. I have purchased a different spoiler because I wanted a larger one that what scion offered. the experience has been way worth the money.

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  Besides fuel economy a great buy - 2008 Scion TC
  By orlando - January 18 - 12:13 pm

  Besides the fuel economy being a little low ex. Honda civic 35 mpg. This car has a nice size engine, great ride, great sound system, and overall a great car

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  Getting It Right! - 2005 Scion xA
  By Sr. Scion - January 16 - 2:00 am

  This is my third new car and my favorite by far! I was on the hunt for a commuter car with good fuel economy. I got that and more! The list of standard features is excellent. Power everything! Building ones own Scion is a great merketing strategy. Add the accessories you want without having packages of unwanted features shoved down your throat. The interior styling is clean, functional and attractive. Very comfortable for such a small car. The exterior is sleek with a smart attitude - a true head turner. I had people get up off the bus bench and rush to see the nameplate and call out, "Nice car!!"

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  ScinergyIA.com Scion Club - 2005 Scion xA
  By Joe.H - January 16 - 2:00 am

  The best cars ever made ! I love this car and i will continue to buy it! Check our club and more pictures at scinergyia dot com . I am recomending this car to everybody specialy tC i have both of them and really i didnt lost no money and have great NEW cars!!!!!

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  Better Mileage Than Advertised - 2010 Scion XB
  By Shubunkin - January 14 - 10:33 pm

  Ive had the XB (Blackberry Crush) for about 3 weeks now, and driven around town as well as on 500 mile trip. With the 5 sp manual, I am getting 28-29 mpg regardless of city/hwy (disclaimer, I am older and dont do jackrabbit starts.) The car has a lot of pep, handles very well, and has much more comfortable seats than a lot of cars we considered. After a minivan the size seems small, but the interior is surprisingly spacious. We hesitated because the EPA mileage estimate is only 24 mpg, but my experience mirrors that of others who have had 28-30 mpg overall. We are very happy with the XB.