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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  I Dont Miss the HEMI! - 2006 Scion XB
  By Staley - April 7 - 12:06 am

  This "car" is phenominal! I cant believe how much fun it is! I traded in a Hemi Ram due to gas prices and praticalitys sake. I originally wanted a Mazda3 Hatchback, but I was too upside down on the Ram to keep my payments reasonable. I always thought the xB was cool in a weird way, but figured it was slow and poorly made. How wrong I was! I havent had this much fun since my 1990 Mazda Rx-7. What the the xB lacks in horses, it more than makes up for with zippy handling and uniqueness. Even my big truck driving friends, who laughed and threatened to disown me at first, gave it the respect it deserves after they drove it. Im 62, and I can even sit in the BACK seat with plenty of leg room. Buy one!

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  Great bang for the buck - 2008 Scion TC
  By Mouse - April 6 - 7:26 pm

  My 2008 is the second brand new Scion tC that I have purchased. It is a well built vehicle with the Toyota quality. After almost 100,000 trouble free miles on my first one I decided to purchase another brand new one. The 2008 tC was planned to be a performance modified race & show car, of which it is now. Being a mechanic the tC has been one of the easiest vehicles I have ever worked on and maintained. I have seen countless testimonies of owners getting 100-200K and higher miles on the tC with virtually no issues outside of normal maintenance. While no vehicle is perfect, I definitely would say that you get a lot of car and quality for the price.

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  Amazing car! - 2009 Scion TC
  By Megs - April 5 - 6:46 am

  I bought this car 3 days ago and I LOVE it! I was actually looking at pontiac g5s and Chevy Malibus before being dragged to look at Toyotas by my parents. I didnt really like anything I saw until I saw the Scion. I am not a fan of hatchbacks or small cars at all, but after test driving it and all the features it had just as a stock car I was impressed. It has a lot of torque for such a small car and is so much fun to drive. It doesnt even look like the ugly boxy cars I pictured as Scions.

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  Splendid little box - 2004 Scion XB
  By professor - April 4 - 11:13 pm

  The xBox is a testament to "less is more" school. Its small on the outside but big on the inside. You must sit in it to believe it. I can take three friends to lunch in comfort and still fit in the tightest parking space with ease. The xB is splendid in its simplicity, and simply splendid. Its fun to drive and gets 30 mpg. It is a great around town car, which is what I use it for.

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  Cute to the max! - 2006 Scion XB
  By LHP - April 4 - 5:43 pm

  I purchased our Scion as a Christmas present for my 44 year old husband. I drive an 8 cylinder pickup. Needless to say, with the high gas prices, I have pretty well taken over the Scion for trips to town (45 miles away, one way). I also enjoy putting my groceries inside the spacious rear end rather than leaving them in the bed of the truck. Laying the back seat down give a lot of room. With the back seat up, there is still room behind the back seat for a trip to the grocery store. With the special cover, you can hide your purchases from prying eyes behind the back seat. They also have a nice cover for when the seat is down that keeps the back of the seat from being damaged by cargo.

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  Excellent - 2006 Scion TC
  By Wes - April 3 - 11:13 am

  The Scion tC is an excellent car for the money. It is very fun to drive!

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  Dont use the A/C - 2006 Scion XB
  By Kat - April 3 - 6:16 am

  This car is fine for running around town. I am assuming the gas mileage is ok as long as you dont use the air condition. Which is Southern California is next to impossible. Once the AC is used the gas mileage is horrible. With AC use gas mileage goes down to about 14mpg. Overall an ok car for around town errand, but next time I will buy something with a bigger engine so the air conditioner doesnt kill the gas mileage.

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  Everything you need, nothing you dont - 2004 Scion XB
  By Pythia of ChicoTopia - April 3 - 2:00 am

  Great, affordable, utility car -- Room for four large adults. Fuel economy has been slow to come -- IÂ’m at 2,500 miles and still getting only an average of 25 mpg. I really love this little car!

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  Love this car...with just a few ideas... - 2008 Scion TC
  By Larz Hanson - April 2 - 9:53 pm

  My tC provides more of a "sport car" feel than many other "sporty" cars competing against it for market share. Cornering is flat and "planted", giving a great sense of confidence and solid feel. The suspension is properly firm...the way a good sports car should be...but still offers a nice, smooth ride quality. Acceleration can be very strong if you stomp the gas, but then you pay for it next time at the gas station. That may be the biggest thing Id change if I could help design the next tC update...I think the transmission should include one more gear - a good overdrive to improve gas mileage. The tC is small, while its engine has plenty of torque. An overdrive might give well over 30mpg.

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  Mixed Feeling about Special Edition #1 - 2005 Scion xA
  By DRiley - April 2 - 8:33 am

  Really cute car, great styling. Still enjoy looking at after 7K. The 17" sports wheels look fantastic but make for a rougher ride. Seat comfort ok for up to an hour. Handles road well and feels safe, sporty, and fun. Great radio/CD. Often (daily) there are multiple rattles AND a buzzing around the speedometer (when it is cold) that gets very loud (competes with radio at 40!)--makes me want to walk away from it. Dealer cant hear rattles consistently enough to fix...ahhhh! Very dissappointed in the mpg--the best I have ever gotten is once 31 on a 3-hr freeway drive. More typical 27-29 hwy. (What happened to 37 hwy?) After market sunroofs Ive seen better quality mine (factory).