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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  Wheel bearing problems - 2005 Scion xA
  By pvg1 - December 30 - 11:08 am

  171,000 miles. Replaced both front wheel bearings 3X. Rear bearings 1X. Too bad because everything else is original. Out of 6 cars I have owned this one is the first I ever had to replace a wheel bearing. I guess I made up for that with this one. I am looking for a new small car and since I dont want another car with wheel bearing problems I am not even going to look at the 2012 toyota yaris.

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  Love car, hate front seats - 2005 Scion XB
  By julie - December 29 - 11:10 am

  Bought car 1 month ago. Former car Toyota tercel 4wdr which I loved but it got rear-ended. Love the look & mileage. Have a stick and do not have any power problems. Daughter and friends love all the room in the back. 1 BIG COMPLAINT: My husband & I both have backaches after riding more than 1 hr in either front seat (we are 56" and 510"). Nobody else has written about this and it worries us. Any suggestions?

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  Scion - 2006 Scion XB
  By StevenR510 - December 28 - 4:13 am

  This car is great in town. We have never taken it on a long road trip. It is a little sluggist on hills though. It has lots of interior room. It is fun to drive and attracts lots of attention.

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  Scion tC, Center Console FIRE! - 2006 Scion TC
  By kelswer - December 27 - 4:40 am

  All around this is a nice car but...its reliability is poor! An iPod plugged in to the center console (designed and factory installed by Toyota) caught fire and caused over $8,000 worth of repairs NOT COVERED BY MY WARRANTY. Toyota blamed it on the iPod which miraculously STILL WORKS! We were told that Toyota had never had any problems with this. My thoughts...there is ALWAYS A FIRST ONE! We will never buy another Toyota.

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  I love my car!! - 2008 Scion TC
  By junebug - December 23 - 4:20 pm

  The car is great! No complaints. Got the navigation system and the security system and the extras are worth it for me. The sunroof is cool!

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  teener loves her tc - 2008 Scion TC
  By teener loves her tc - December 19 - 6:03 pm

  I think that the gas mileage is great. i purchased the car in november of 2007 and it still feels like i am getting into a brand new car. Although leather seat would be nice, they stain very easily and the material is very hard to get anything out. The lighting inside should be all one color and not blue and orange, but thats not that much of a big deal to me. I have a manual transmission and have driven on the highway many times. I think it should have a 6th gear, it always sounds reved out over 80 mph. The exterior of the car is beautiful but, I would not suggest the color white. It gets very dirty and is hard to keep shiny. but over all I love the TC

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  The tC (tooCool) - 2006 Scion TC
  By Me. - December 16 - 4:26 am

  well, this car has been pretty reliable, its fun to drive, and it gets...decent gas mileage. and i mean decent. it gets 23 mpg, city or highway, always. yeah. not as good as id hoped but oh well. basically its a good car, fun, reliable, safe.

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  Solid Car thats Stylish too - 2006 Scion TC
  By billy - December 13 - 12:30 am

  This car is my first new car purchase, after graduating college I was looking for a stylish looking car that would be reliable as well. The scion tC is that car. Pros: Great looking, nice stereo, quick for a 4-cyl., interior design is stylish, back seats a roomy and all seats are comfortable and this car defenitly looks more exensive than it is (will get expensive when you add options like I did) and you can customize it. Cons: loud engine, rims scratch real easy, small trunk (but who really cares about trunk space). Overall I give this car a B and it is the perfect choice for a first car.

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  Get the Shifter! - 2007 Scion TC
  By Nick - December 6 - 10:53 am

  I have put only 300 miles on the car, but I love it. I drove it for two days with stock shifter and then had a short throw installed. It was the best money I ever spent, it makes a huge difference. I highly recommend this as an upgrade. Also, the strut bar has really stiffened up the front end. The accelerator is touchy and the hydraulic clutch takes a little getting used to. I still havent mastered it yet. For the money, you cannot beat this car. But I truly think it is for someone who wants a inexpensive sporty car, not a touring vehicle. For those of you who are interested, 75mph = 3,500 RPM so dont be surprised on the freeway when there is probably a little more engine noise then you are used to.

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  Good people/stuff Hauler - 2010 Scion XB
  By Ollie - December 4 - 10:00 am

  I have owned a 2009 Scion Xb for over 2 years and have driven mine for 44,000 miles. It is a good car but not a great car. I bought it for fun to drive, which it is very fun the way mine is equipped, but not a great commuter vehicle. Fit and finish are ok, not as good as other Toyotas and definitely not up to Honda/Subaru like quality. There are some rough plastics and some of the interior design elements are quirky(like the useless drivers armrest). Mine has the TRD lowering springs and 19" TRD alloy wheels which make it look killer. However, as a commuter vehicle it makes the ride extremely harsh. Honda Fit a better choice for a similar price or stretch the budget and get a VW Golf.