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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  Toyota got it wrong - 2005 Scion XB
  By Yellow Peril - March 30 - 11:36 pm

  I think Toyota may have focused on the wrong market. I see a few kids driving, but a lot more older adults. It is easy to get in and out of, loads of carrying capacity with the rear seats folded down. Room for four ADULT sized people, my two teenagers (six foot plus) sit in the rear seats with the front seats all the way back and still have 6 inches of knee room left. Even with all of us in and luggage for a weekend, still gets 30-35 mpg. Only drawback is you have to work the transmission to keep the rpm at 3500+ so you can keep the speed up on the hills. You can cruise at 85 mph with 4 adults quite comfortably. And yes, it will hit 100 mph and still feels rock solid.

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  Love My Car - 2005 Scion TC
  By dkdc68 - March 30 - 5:13 pm

  The only problem I have experienced, living in the city and parking on the street is that the body components seem extremely susceptible to dents and dings. Ive heard others comment on this as well..and body work can be expensive on the metallic paint colors. Otherwise this is my dream car, it is great in town, even better on the higway. I have been getting 34 mpg doing 73 mph in cruise control with the AC on. This car has a high head turning quotient and a good stereo. It feels a little delicate going over bumps, but its otherwise excellent.

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  So far, the XB is great!! - 2009 Scion XB
  By happy customer - March 29 - 3:03 am

  You sit a little higher in the XB than you do in normal sedans. Not as high as an SUV, (back in the day I drove a Jeep Cherokee) but high enough to provide better sight lines on the road. The interior feels very roomy, and the seats are the most comfortable of all the cars I tried before purchasing the XB. The automatic transmission works well for downshifting when roads are snowy / ice covered. Could not ask for more at this price.

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  Good Cheap Transportaion - 2006 Scion XB
  By cjb - March 27 - 7:03 pm

  I drive over 40,000 miles a year and was looking for something with good gas mileage. I bought the xB for the cargo space. With the back seats folded down, it can carry a lot of cargo. I have been averageing 30 mpg or better in a mix of highway and city driving. The car has a little pep as long as you smash the pedal to the floor. Overall its been a good cheap form of transportaion.

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  Love This Car! - 2006 Scion TC
  By Mommy of 2 - March 27 - 10:00 am

  I Traded in my huge SUV and bought my scion used. It had 47,000 on it and runs great. I have 2 small girls 8 and 6. No problem getting them in and out. Booster seat fits fine. also had my friends baby in the back with my girls. well enough room for all car seat i was shocked. Fun to drive. kids love moon roof in the back. Only thing i notice is A/C is not to cold, but i think it just need flushed. I live in Oregon and Have no problems in rain with this car handles so well. no complaints!

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  Scion XA - 2006 Scion xA
  By Fuel Saver - March 23 - 9:03 pm

  This vehicle sure surprised me,we took it on a trip Tampa-Orlando with full tank,drove around with AC going,for a week-end,the Parks,shopping,clubing, the works,then back to Tampa,arriving with just about half of a tank left,the ride to and from was also surpisingly smooth,and with the windows up surprisingly quiet,we enjoyed the ride,all four of us,it was a"guys week- end"without the girls,lucky us...the

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  What A Car - 2006 Scion XB
  By dewey300 - March 21 - 11:13 am

  1st time a wrote a review on any vehicle, but I am so happy with this car I had to write a review. Very spacious interior, cool looking, quiet ride, dependable, cant say one bad thing about the car, wonder why Clark Howard drives one and likes it. You will not be disappointed with this car.

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  Blue Fire 05 - 2005 Scion XB
  By bluefire05 - March 21 - 4:50 am

  The Scion xB is an awesome car. The only thing I would complain about is it doesnt have much HP stock. If you buy some engine mods which are pretty cheap it adds quite a bit more HP. Other than that I would say its awesome! The styling inside and out is awesome. The best thing though is the room inside. I can have my seat back all the way and my dad whos 6 feet tall can sit behind me and hes not cramped. Hes got tons of room! No one can belive how much room it has and how comfy it is. With the back seats laying down flat you have tons of cargo room. Although with them up there isnt much cargo space. I personally rate this car 9.5/10

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  tC lover - 2005 Scion TC
  By Purbred - March 19 - 3:10 am

  Usually, when you anticipate something this good, the hype can sometimes overtake what it really turns out to be. NOT FOR THIS CAR! Ive been drooling over this car since December of 2003 and Id have to say, it was worth the wait. There arent enough words to describe the thrill of driving one of these bad boys. The options are endless when it comes to tuning, but the basic model itself is loaded!

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  When you want "city power"... - 2010 Scion TC
  By Katy - March 18 - 10:30 am

  Scions are a fun, inexpensive, reliable breed of cars. My tC is 7 months old now and has been on several road trips already with two big ones planned in the future. This car is built for what I call "city power", meaning that I dont race it or expect to do lots of long haul driving or commutes. Im a city girl who like the feel and look of this sleek vehicle. Its like a grown-ups sports car without the look of grandpas midlife crisis. You can get this car standard without any special features and still drive off feeling like you bought a fun, high-end car (for under 20K).