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 The xA has since been replaced by the xD, which carries on the quirky and customizable spirit of its predecessor.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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  GREAT LITTLE CAR - 2005 Scion TC
  By yamahaguy - January 23 - 4:24 am

  I have had my tc for 9 months now and it is probably the best car I have ever owned when it comes to quality and driving fun. Ive read alot of people on here talking smack about how crappy these cars are but there is nothing wrong with them. I believe most of the negative comments are from those who just watched the fast and furious movie and expect their cars to fly or whatever other kind of stupid crap they see in the movie. WELL IT WONT!

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  Happy Owner - 2006 Scion TC
  By NISMO - January 17 - 5:23 pm

  The Scion tC is great looking and performs well, the only thing I dislike about it is the fuel economy. When you run the car at anything lower than 2,000 rpm it dosent have enough power to pull, but if you push it to 3,000 rpm you waste fuel very fast. It is well built though. Other than those few issues the car is wonderfull, I would have expected foreign tire son on the car like Toyo or Yokohama since it is Japanese. I will be adding a turbo to the car to help me go faster and maybe an ECU chip to replace the factory one. I race though and expect more, but for a daily driver, this car is good.

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  Great Second Car - 2006 Scion TC
  By Buddy04 - January 17 - 12:26 am

  I really like this vehicle, it is the perfect second car. Its great for short hops around town, or on the open highway, too. The build quality and the exterior styling sold me on the car.

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  2005 Scion XB - 2005 Scion XB
  By Robbie - January 15 - 11:40 pm

  Fun little car with a unique look. Looks little on the outside, but has much space inside, more so than many suvs like the explorer. Gas milage is great in the city, but could use an extra gear for the highway to improve gas milage. Overall the scion is an affordable fun car to drive and easily turns heads when you drive by.

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  It just LOOKS nice - 2007 Scion TC
  By Alicia - January 12 - 11:50 pm

  I bought my Scion after 2 test drives and I liked everything about it, the look, features, performance, price etc. However I was disappointed when I began hearing squeaking near the radio and rattling all over the place. After just 7 months I had a problem with a fuse. When I turned on my headlights all of my interior lights would turn off, my car was pitch black at night. Another big disappointment was the weak AC. It blows mildly cool air on the coldest setting. This car has heavy doors and paint that chips/scratches easily. I have to say that aside from all the imperfections the car is pretty decent on gas mileage and the sunroof is a good feature. I guess you get what you pay for.

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  The Yellow Peril xBS - 2005 Scion XB
  By John - January 12 - 1:43 pm

  It evokes one of two reactions: That is ugly OR That is cute. The interior room is excellant. Rear seat passengers (6 foot plus) can sit comfortably with 6 inches between their knees and the rear of the front seats when in full rear position. You dont have to bend down to see out of the windows. No real blind spots. Toyota quality Excellant fuel economy. Interesting note: Toyota aimed it at the young market. But I would say that 75% of all the xBs we see are driven by older people who just love the roominess, gas mileage and reliability. Go figure.

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  Great value but needs some tweaking - 2005 Scion TC
  By mydogpooky - January 10 - 7:43 pm

  Was having my 1985 toyota corolla SR5 serviced at 180k and saw the silver tc. Love at first sight. Purchased immediately with all the bells and whistles. A beautiful little jewel, quick as mercury and has got the look. People are still trying to figure out what make/model it is. Had passerbys ask if it was European. Ha! Its a Toyota, baby...eat my dust.

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  Decieving machine - 2010 Scion XD
  By Michael - January 7 - 4:43 pm

  I love my 2010 Scion XD. But honestly I"m a bit disappointed with some things. I love the standard features and the reliability factor and the way it looks. The thing I didnt like was the ride. I notice that when going over a man hole cover or any decent bumps in the road which we have a lot of here in NYs capital district. Its very jarring and annoying and makes me wonder if it is causing too much vibration to the chassis of the car causing premature wear. The other thing is that the cargo space even with the seats folded down is very limited compared to the fit and the Kia soul. Im a musician, though easier now,I was able to fit more into my Saturn SL. Other than that, I like it.

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  Glad We Chose It! - 2005 Scion XB
  By TBirdsMom - January 6 - 10:43 pm

  I traded in a Kia Sedona for my Scion xB. I drive 60 miles round trip to work and the xB is already paying for itself in terms of the money that I save on gas. This vehicle is such fun to drive! My husband and I are both tall folks (6-0" and 6-7") and we both fit comfortably. We researched our options carefully before buying and know that we made the correct choice.

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  Good Car - 2007 Scion TC
  By Sylvia - January 6 - 2:13 pm

  The scion does have the problems mentioned in other reviews such as easily scratched paint and a little rattling and sealing issues. I recently had a problem where my parking brake light goes on and off even though it is completely down. However these are minor issues. I got a cute, sporty car that I can afford and I feel good about the Toyota reliability. Ive never had any tire problems but I would watch those bumps! Theyll get the under-side of the body before theyll ever get the tires. Overall, a very good, reliable car that gets compliments.