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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  TC For Toyota Coupe. - 2011 Scion TC
  By mikey_day - February 14 - 5:31 pm

  Aggressively styled exterior, although not sure what to make of the dash materials them coming off as a coated plastic, nothing felt cheap nor did I feel slighted in the least. This is a fun point a to point b vehicle with some extra curricular teases. This car was too easy to fall in love with for what it was and hard to hate for not being what would cost another 4-5 thousand green backs out of pocket to get. If youÂ’re looking for sporty DO NOT LOOK HERE. But if youÂ’re looking for a convenient, stylish way to get around without sacrificing efficiency or your pocket book this should be in your considerations. Overall this is a Toyota and its drive, comfort and lives to that name.

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  Tango-Charlie - 2006 Scion TC
  By carnut1973 - February 13 - 7:31 pm

  Purchased my Scion tC brand new for $15,900 (manual transmission)...an outstanding value for that price. Only thing I added was the rear wing, aluminum shift knob and the aluminum pedal covers. Decent styling in and out, good on gas, fun to drive and very reliable. Seating was comfortable for a long drive and the performance was decent for an economy-priced car. Where the economy-priced traits showed up were in interior noise, squeaks and rattles and poor paint quality--at least with the dark purple paint. Perhaps the lighter colors (i.e. white or silver) would wear better.

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  Toyota Does it Again! - 2006 Scion XB
  By runninone - February 11 - 8:16 pm

  It is remarkable that a company can continue to build quality machines at three different price levels. Ive owned an Avalon, Camry and now Scion xB. While the xBs engine noise is rather loud at times, it gives the driver a great deal of confidence in handling and relability. For the Eastern winters I purchased four Bridgestone Blizzack snow tires; the traction and snow/wet handling are excellent. My gas mileage is climbing upward as I break the car in I expect the gas savings to be a big plus. One gets the sense that this car is well built for the price. Above all, it will be cost effective and have great utility. I expect the Scion lines to grow rapidly.

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  Out with the old, in with the new - 2011 Scion XB
  By Chris - February 8 - 7:16 am

  I reluctantly traded-in my 06 xbox after reading about the new improvements (telescopic steering wheel, better seats, gauges, etc). I wasnt a fan of the 2nd gen initially, but eventually it grew on me. A week later, I am loving my new 2011 xB. I was pleasantly surprised by this new gen 3 version: the comfort and power were the first two things that jumped out. The ability to shift the auto transmission manually is a nice bonus. The dash/stereo controls are a little confusing at first, but theyre starting to make sense now. Gas mileage (24 MPG) is definitely lower than my old box (~31 MPG), but the trade-off of more power is worth it. The ride is smooth and quiet.

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  Great car and a great price - 2008 Scion XB
  By Yvonne - February 5 - 8:30 am

  I bought this car in March 08 and I like it a lot. It handles well and it is fun to drive.

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  Best compact base model - 2005 Scion TC
  By jc - January 28 - 6:23 am

  After many test drives, I think the tc is the best compact base model for the money. It is more desirable than focus, cheaper and better looking than mazda 3, impreza, lancer or eclipse, faster and roomier than rsx/civic, and better built than vw or mini or hyundai. with side airbags it is much safer than neon or beetle. The interior and exterior design is completely derivative, but looks and feels as nice if not nicer than the competition it one ups. Other cars in the segment offer premium trims like the sti, evo, or type-s but thats apples and oranges. All around good car.

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  Another celica - 2005 Scion TC
  By SusuBendera - January 17 - 10:00 am

  Its a good car with a great value, but doesnt mean that this car is on the same level as the celica and rsx.

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  Not the quality I expected from Toyota - 2008 Scion XB
  By belowexpectation - January 13 - 7:00 pm

  We have been driving this xB for about 20,000 miles for two years, and disappointing since about 10,000 miles. Besides a major problem with engine (the dealershop fixed it), it rattles with the breake pushed, and plastic fell apart from under the passenger chair. This is not the Toyota quality we used to know. Although it has a unique design and some functionality, the overal quality is below my expectation considering the price tag.

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  Commuter Alternative - 2013 Scion TC
  By calcarnut - January 13 - 3:32 pm

  I finally decided to get economical and go with a commuter. Since my wife and I ride together to work and the kids are grown, we decided on a coupe. Choices were the TC, Honda Civic and Hyundai Veloster. The Civic was comparable in gas mileage but was $3K higher. The Veloster was better in gas mileage by 5 miles/gal and was comparable in price for the base. But the TC had much more power due to its 2.5L 4-cyl. The front passenger seat has so much room it leaves ample space for a rear passenger up to 6 (my wife is 56"). In my opinion, it also looked better than the Civic and the Veloster. Our avg. mileage in the city and highway has been 28 mpg.

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  great vehicle - 2005 Scion XB
  By juanb - January 12 - 10:00 am

  one of the best cars low on miles per gallon.