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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  not there yet - 2006 Scion XB
  By lag - January 6 - 12:40 pm

  i really like this car, mostly for its height. getting out i only need to swivil and stand up. i bought it used, i think the previous owner beat it up. its new to me but i just tested the mileage andonly got 26mph, very disappointing,will try to find out why. my criticisms are 1. the only headlight is inadaquite, should have one over the front. 2. needs alot of rm. to park if you need to open the back,3. a little too noisy, and i bought it with a cracked windshield. didnt know it was a cronic problem. but i love how much you can see, lots of window space. also all the little spaces to hold things, fall all over the place. not deep enough. i love toyot, cant imagine driving any thing el

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  good bang for the buck! - 2008 Scion TC
  By SxRacer108 - January 4 - 10:13 pm

  Great little car, needs a bit more power though. Coming from a Nissan sentra ser spec-v with the 6 speed. This car is a little more sluggish but not bad at all! Decent gas mileage and great radio... And gotta love that price tag =)

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  The Firster - 2005 Scion XB
  By Edward - December 29 - 6:16 pm

  The cup holders in my Scion xB are in a bad location. They are on the floor. The gas mileage has been good at around 30 mpg this past month. It also handles really well. I like how it can get into a tight parking place with ease. I am 6 ft. 7 in. tall and have no problem geting in to it. It has lots of head room and good leg room. You have more leg room in the back than in the front.

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  Its ok. - 2009 Scion XD
  By Communter! - December 27 - 9:06 pm

  I really like all of the XDs features. The IPOD connection, steering wheel controls, and mpg calculator. I love the styling of the car. The downsides: I seem to be too tall for the car. I am 59, and my knees touch the bottom of the steering column. I try to get comfortable since I am driving 200 miles each day...but I just cant. I installed an aftermarket armrest...but its just not the same. The seats are not as comfortable as you would like, and they force you to sit up, and do not hug you like many cars.

• 

  Great value - 2004 Scion xA
  By JP - December 23 - 12:13 am

  It has been three and a half years since we got our xA and we have been very pleased. We have had no problems with the car; havent had anything fixed yet. We still get >30mpg, even with city driving. The car is great for the city: easy to zip around and park in tight spaces. It still looks great outside and inside, although the audio controls are not very good. It is a capable vehicle for the highway, but you will feel when tractor trailers pass you. While it looks small it has a lot of room inside and is very flexible. You wouldnt believe the amount of stuff you can fit in.

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  Great Car for the Money - 2005 Scion xA
  By Scion Shark - December 6 - 10:00 am

  I have had the car for a month and I am very happy. It has been reliable and good on fuel. Averaging 40mpg on mostly highway driving. Its cute gets lots of looks and still unique in my area.

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  Value Package - 2007 Scion TC
  By Eric Yabumoto - December 4 - 9:06 pm

  I am 22 years old and straight out of college looking for a reliable way of getting around town. It came down to the Mazda3, Civic Si, or the Scion tC. The overriding factor came down to the overall package that the car gave me. The Mazda3 was asking for over $23,000 (OTD) with all the features I wanted and I couldnt stretch my bank account that far even though I know it was a solid car. The Civic Si has superior handling, performance, and interior design over the Scion tC but like the Mazda, was asking for a tad more than I wanted to pay ($22,000 OTD). I compromised with the tC paying just under $20,000 because of the value package being my overriding factor in purchasing the car.

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  Loved everything except the noise - 2005 Scion XB
  By nyc to california - December 2 - 5:56 am

  Got the car used, researched a long time for it. great values, have all safety features except side curtains. Easy to mod. Added sound deadening material to the hatch and doors, but the noise is just too much for me.

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  Pebbles in a can - 2005 Scion XB
  By marvin andrson - December 1 - 7:30 am

  Between the discomfort of the pint-sized seats of the Scion xB and the feel of every grain of sand on the road, this vehicle is totally a pain to drive on long trips. By the time my family and I reach a destination of more than 100 mles, after being shaken like pebbles in a can, with tail bones and legs aching from the seating and the jarring of every slight bump in the road, no amount of good gas mileage can compensate for our discomfort and regret for buying this vehicle.

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  Nice Car, Some Problems - 2005 Scion TC
  By Blake - November 21 - 10:56 am

  I like my 05 tC, for the options you couldnt beat the price. However there are some issues that irk me. I have driven six tCs, two on a regular basis for about a year now. I find that each one is different in terms of performance, shifting, handling, etc. Some to the extent they feel like a completely different car. This inconsitency along with several interior and exterior flaws in workmanship/craftmanship (poor seams on seats, thin paint, rattles, whistiling sunroof) lead me to believe that Toyota has lost a lot in terms of quality control compared to my previous 93 Camry and 85 Celica.