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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  scion xb - 2005 Scion XB
  By scion lover - October 18 - 3:20 am

  Fun and different. Either you love it or hate. I love it, mY teenage boys hate it. I didnt get any of the thrills- -only leather seats. Lots of room for 6ft boys. Could use more interior lighting. There is only one light in the middle of the car and its hard to see in the trunk area at nite.The xb handles very well and gas mileage is great. Price is very good.

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  neatpackage - 2004 Scion xA
  By j. tarantino - October 16 - 10:00 am

  peppy at start but slow passing pickup on freeways.. neat little package and fun to drive. cool hi tech interior . car is a little on the light side. great toyota quality carried to the scion badge. good work.....

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  Love to cube-it! - 2004 Scion XB
  By Steve - October 11 - 2:56 pm

  We got our Box in August 2003. It has been a great ride. Big inside, small outside -- howd they do it? Best features are reliability, fit & finish, thoughtful design, overall quality & its cheap to get, cheap to run. Plus, its fun to drive! Wish list: cruise control, side curtain airbags.

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  This is our 2nd Scion - 2005 Scion XB
  By Michelle - October 9 - 6:06 pm

  We have a 2004 Scion xB, and we just bought our 2nd. I have the solar yellow limited edition 2.0 and it ROCKS. We are in our 40s so were not the target "audience" for the Scion but we love them. So do our kids. Our son seems to think when he turns 16 next year that one of the Scions is his. NOT! We love the reliability, gas mileage, and interior roominess. The car has great pickup for a compact, and the interior has as much as room - and more leg room in the back seat - as the Jeep Grand Cherokee we just traded in for the new yellow one!

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  You owe it to yourself to drive this car - 2009 Scion XB
  By Tony B - October 6 - 6:23 pm

  We are new empty nesters and I wanted to trade my minivan on something fun. Im 54, but still have a pulse and a zest for life. I took my wife to the Toyota dealer to show her the Tacoma I had picked out. The xB caught her eye instantly. As much as I wanted a truck, she convinced me to test drive the Scion. Why are women always right? This thing is so cool and so much fun to drive. Its responsive, the ride is unbelievably tight and quiet, and it has plenty of passenger room and cargo space. The standard features are great, and I like the no hassle pricing. Were picking it up tomorrow.

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  Love It - 2006 Scion XB
  By Linda - October 6 - 4:33 am

  There is a whole lot of room in this car. I can fit full size adults with room to spare. I love the height and the way it handles, better than expected. My fuel economy is averaging 32 mpg city and highway for an automatic. It is easy to fold the seats down and haul items. this is the first car I havent had to take back to the dealer for "corrections." It gets a lot of looks and it is completely custumizable to each individuals taste. Kind of like my motorcycle, others may have one but no two are alike.

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  Be Careful of the Paint - 2009 Scion XD
  By R. Voss - October 5 - 5:50 pm

  Our 2009 Scion XD has terrible paint. It is Nautical Blue and it is defective and scratches at the rub of your finger. Make sure you look at the paint before you take the car off the lot.

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  Excellent xA! - 2006 Scion xA
  By xajohn - October 4 - 4:32 pm

  After owning various small cars: - 56 VW bus - Ducati 160 - 1956 Chevy Carryall (stovebolt 6 - $25 very used) - Fiat 1100 R - 2nd car best, Dunlops, non-syncro 1st led to next car (ex could not figure out 1st) - Toyota Corolla (2TC hemi 1600) only lasted 439,000 miles! - Plymouth Champ (8 speed 1600) - 74 Bug - 85 RX-7 (oh well - sports car days) - 91 Geo Metro - 56 mpg until vacuum lines died - Now driving 04 scion Xa (154,000 miles so far) Wonderful, the best of the lot as to handling, seating, view out (although rear blind spots.) Optioned w/ rear anti-sway bar, front tower brace, handles like a go-cart, twice the power compared to the Metro

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  2008 Scion tC - A REAL Head Turner! - 2008 Scion TC
  By Bradhere - October 4 - 12:46 pm

  Every place I drive my Scion tC: I find people stopping to look and ask questions, making comments on how GREAT! the car looks. I am over 50 and have 3 other automobiles. Of all these, this is the most fun to drive. Feels like I am in my second childhood.

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  Car & Driver - 2008 Scion XD
  By Ancron - October 4 - 10:40 am

  Having been driving a 1995 Honda Civic CX Hatchback for the last 10 Years, this was definitely different! After studying Hondas and Toyotas I had it in my mind to either buy a Corola or a Civic (Both have exceptional Engines that last for quite a long time!). Determined to go to the Honda dealership and the Toyota dealership before I actually buy. My first stop was at the Toyota dealership. After the salesman showed me a few corolas on sale then he showed me a Scion XD. Having no idea about Scions (At the time I didnt know they were toyotas, I just thought they were another cheap brand), he explained in detail about the scion brand. After test driving the Scion and Corola, I bought the XD.