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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  My 1st new car - 2006 Scion xA
  By scottygunn - March 26 - 9:40 am

  I love my xa. It can be a little uncomfortable on 1400 mile trips but for the most part its uncomfortable. I get great gas mileage and the stereo is great. I only wish it had a little better looking dash and was a little faster. But what it lacks in power it makes up for in gas mileage.

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  Good car, but be careful... - 2005 Scion TC
  By mathu - March 25 - 6:50 pm

  While reading over the reviews of the `05 tC posted here, I agreed with everyones comments but just wanted to inform all owners to be careful of a little problem. Up until a couple months ago I loved everything about my tC, but beware the wind deflector on the sunroof. As you all likely know, there was recently a recall for these requiring a laminate be installed. My warning: This laminate doesnt do its job. My fiancee and I were recently on vacation when the deflector decided to shatter out of nowhere, while driving, sending loose pieces of glass into the car, hitting myself in the arm and even scratching my fiances sunglasses (I had the laminate prior to this). Just wanted to warn everyone.

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  Best value of any new car - 2005 Scion XB
  By frankydiggy - March 25 - 7:33 am

  With a small engine, it wont win any street races. But who cares with everything else you get. So much standard equipment, cool funky styling, tons of passenger room. Wife has said she feels like shes riding first class in front passenger seat. SOOOO much room for small car. Ive certainly driven faster cars, but who the heck ACTUALLY uses the big engine cars? Had a Celica- got several tickets. Plenty of people ask about it. I cant stop showing the inside to people to show how much room their is. Averaging 30-31 mpg in first 3000 miles. Plus its Toyota reliabilty. Overall, best value you can find.

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  2008 Scion xB - 2008 Scion XB
  By mlopez0529 - March 24 - 3:46 pm

  This xB rocks my sox! Wow totally fun to drive. If you werent too sure about the first xB, you definitely need to drive this one. Great interior finish! The curves and lines of the exterior turn heads and gives it a improvement. Engine!! WOW! The tC engine/Camry engine in this gives it great acceleration and fuel economy.

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  AWSOME CAR! - 2004 Scion XB
  By Rosebud1 - March 24 - 10:00 am

  My mom just bought me this car for a 19 birthday present. I absolutly love it. Has great feul milage, a great look, and the interior is sooo roomy! I took this down to college with me and could fit EVERYTHING in it without going above the rear window. It definitly surprised me!I wanted a car that turned heads and this one definitly does! I have had someone ask me where I got this car atleast once everytime I go out. Overall this car is GREAT!

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  Best Car I Ever Owned - 2005 Scion XB
  By ronaldcclark - March 24 - 10:00 am

  The Scion Xb is the most fun car to drive that I have ever driven. The inside visibility of the car is second to none and the seats are really comfortable. The only three things that I would add are: (1) an armrest for the driver (2) a few more horsepower and (3) a temperature gauge for the engine instead of a warning light for high engine temperature

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  Amazing Car - 2005 Scion TC
  By tC_Rider - March 24 - 10:00 am

  By far the best car in its class. When combined with the manual transmission the car feels a lot more exciting. Youll find it hard to believe you payed less than 20 grand.

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  I would buy another one! - 2009 Scion XB
  By Dr. Bones - March 24 - 6:06 am

  I purchased a Release Series 6.0 and was glad I did. Only 2,500 of these were produced. This model comes with a Pioneer DVD Navigation system, interior LED accent lighting (can choose from four colors), a custom all-black grille, and a few other minor tweaks. It has been a great vehicle so far and I enjoy driving it every day that I am on the road. It is incredibly quiet, accelerates nicely, and handles beautifully. It has been such a good vehicle for my family, that I am thinking about getting my wife one very soon.

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  Scion Xb - 2005 Scion XB
  By Duck Fumb - March 22 - 12:16 pm

  this car is great, but needs more power.

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  My 2nd Scion and not the last.. maybe.. - 2010 Scion XB
  By mikez340t - March 21 - 2:23 am

  I had a 2008 Scion XD preciously and updated to the 2010 XB for the much needed cargo room with a kid all. My main reason for another Scion is that the XD before got way way better mileage than the sticker as we went from North NJ to Ocean City MD with little over half a tank used! Currently with the XB we are getting about 26 MPG average with 90% street which is a lot better than most cars. I totally love how Scions get better mileage than the stickers.. Upgraded sound is an awesome must and remote-start built into the key is the best!! All the other clones cannot beat the original and best. Also has the best safety features standard as far as boxed goes..