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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  36-40 nearly a "smart car" - 2006 Scion xA
  By hidden hollow - March 20 - 6:20 am

  Being fussy, after my corolla station wagon, I was disappointed the Scion gave about the same mpg, with so much less interior space. But after a while the mpg improved, (although the space didnt.) On the road I get an easy 40 mpg. In the city, between 34 and 36. But tools that fit a corner of the Corolla, are enough to fill the whole back of the Scion, making it resemble a dumpster. On the other hand its nice to drive. The backhatch is practical. The cars prettier than the Yaris. And iths needed no repairs after 48,000 miles.

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  Great Commuter Car - 2005 Scion XB
  By Jose - March 19 - 8:33 pm

  I have only owned my 2005 Scion Xb for two weeks. A Scion is a rebadged Toyota. What sold me on this wagon was value for dollar. My Scion came out to $15,700 with local taxes. For that price I have an automatic transmission, power everything, remote entry, air conditioning with a filtration system, Pioneer stereo with MP3/CD and XM tuner, anti-lock brakes, and electronic anti-skid/traction control! This 4-door wagon is cavernous inside and has excellent all around visibility. Its fuel economy has been averaging 35 mpg/ It uses regular fuel. The engine is the 108 horsepower one taken from the Toyota Echo, which is rather weak, especially with the automatic transmission. It really struggles on hills.

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  Its okay, if you like weird cars. - 2004 Scion XB
  By Shea babin - March 17 - 4:40 am

  I like the way the Scion xB looks. It is easy to get my kids in and out of. It doesnt get as good gas mileage as I thought it would nor what Scion claimed it would. The interior its very cute.

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  My Penalty Box - 2005 Scion XB
  By E. Rivas - March 14 - 11:43 am

  This has to be the best thing i could have done in the last couple of years. This is an amazing car in such a little package. I am SURROUNDED by non-believers and all I tell them is get in and you will appreciate it. Sure enough, I have not had someone sit in my car and not think that it was a really cool car. It has even helped me with my buisness. I have random people come up to me all the time to talk to me about my car!

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  know what your buying its great - 2006 Scion xA
  By Timm - March 10 - 7:36 pm

  This was my first new car. This car is soild/ dependable car. I have the oem 18inch wheels and rear stabilizer bar. I drve for a while without these and they made a huge improvement in ride and handling. 55xxx on it now....I will drive this car until it falls apart...If you know your buying a economy car, this is a perfect great sporty car. I am so happy I bought this car. I cant ask for much more.

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  Scionamite - 2005 Scion XB
  By jdsusumu - March 9 - 11:30 am

  This car rocks. You should see the accessories available in Japan.... I am dying for a sun roof or crystal knobs.

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  Love This Car - 2005 Scion XB
  By Howard - March 9 - 6:00 am

  The Scion Xb is a fun car to drive. Easy to park...easy on the pockets. Get looks from everybody. Its no race car...but it gets the job done.

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  The best care weve ever owned! - 2006 Scion XB
  By Diana - March 8 - 11:46 am

  I do a lot of highway driving and this car is great. I get about 34 MPG sometimes more. People always say its so small, but when you get them inside, theyre always impressed with the space. Weve hauled a lot of big stuff in it while moving, have had 5 adults fit for a comfortable ride, and have never had any problems with the car itself. We live in WI, and Ive never gotten stuck in the snow, even when we had 19 inches this winter! The only thing i wish was different would be the suspension, its pretty bumpy on some roads. We also had to have the windshield replaced from a random crack that split all the way across. We bought a Yaris this year - Love Toyotas small cars!

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  1 happy box owner - 2005 Scion XB
  By happy boxman - March 8 - 11:03 am

  We have owned this 2005 for about 4years and absolutely love it . Our XB is probably the best built vehicle weve ever owned . Although probably not the most comfortable , esp for back seat passengers . Gas mileage is awesome , highway mileage aves 34 to 35mpg. Other than tires and oil changes its only been to Toyota service 1 time . (good exp ) It looks really small from the outside , but it is large enough to pack 4 good size people and a full load of luggage for a trip to DisneyWorld . Like i sad 35mpg. Good job Toyota Scion. Pretty much maintenance free. Great vehicle summer or winter. weve never once been stuck on snow covered roads

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  Release Series 3.0 Envy Green Worth The Wait - 2006 Scion XB
  By Release Series 3.0 - March 6 - 11:56 am

  It took three months but I finally just received my 5 speed xB Release Series 3.0 in Envy Green, (2,200 only will be made) and it is a great vehicle. This brings back memories of My 1978 Renault Le Car and is even boxier than my aging 1995 Suzuki Sidekick. I am a big fan of small cars that are well designed and Scion has it all figured out. As a "mid-life crisis" vehicle, which this clearly is for me, the xB has many practical design features like 3 seatbelts in the back seat (unlike the Honda Element), exceptional headroom and legroom, extreme affordability, peppy ride, excellent gas mileage, and a much higher "heading turning coefficient" (HTC) than cars 3 times its price.