Who Makes Scion Cars? Everything You Need To Know

in Auto FAQs and News

We deep-dive into who makes Scion cars, where they're manufactured around the globe, and what their complete list of models looks like.

Silver Scion
Source: Flickr

Scion is a manufacturing branch that doesn’t exist anymore, creating some popular selections for those in the United States and Canada interested in smaller vehicles for their daily trip needs. Maybe you’re curious about investing in a Scion and want to know more about the car. In that case, you might wonder - who makes Scion cars?

If you’re interested in learning more about who makes Scions, you’re in the right place. The more you know about Scions, the easier to decide if it’s an excellent car selection for your driveway. Keep reading to learn more about who makes Scion vehicles, where Scion cars are made, if they’re a good brand, and other information. 

Who Makes Scion Cars?

Let’s start with the first question - who makes Scion cars? Although many don’t realize it, the parent company behind Scion vehicles was Toyota. Scion was a smaller branch of the much larger Toyota conglomeration, offering a more affordable and unique opportunity to reach customers who needed smaller cars for their lifestyles. 

In 2016, Toyota decided to discontinue the Scion branch, which meant an end to all new iterations of Scion vehicles. Most of the cars on the market that were popular Scion selections were rebranded to have the Toyota name in front of them instead, which essentially wiped Scion from existence. 

It’s always possible Toyota could decide to bring back Scion vehicles in the coming years. However, for the time being, it seems Scion has met its end, and Toyota is not continuing forward with its side branch of cars.


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Where Are Scion Cars Made?

Toyota is a Japanese brand, and thus Scion is also a Japanese brand. Like most Toyota vehicles, Scion cars were assembled and manufactured in Japan. Although they are discontinued, many of their best models are still made in Japan. They’ve simply been combined into the Toyota name and are created in Japan.

Again, Scion vehicles could come back in the future. Even if they do, their primary manufacturing location will still be in Japan, as that is where the core of the company is located. Scion is unlikely to be a brand that brings the creation of its vehicles back to the United States of America.

Japan also manufactured several extras that people could add to their Scion selections, which would cost a little more money to add to the machine. However, the creation of these selections also halted when Toyota decided it was time to discontinue the Scion name. 


THE MOST RELIABLE YEAR FOR THE SCION IM

If you’re in the market for the most reliable Scion iM year, you’re down to one option. We’ll tell you which one.


What Kind of Cars Does Scion Make?

Scion is known for making smaller vehicle selections, creating a total of eight smaller car models during their time as a prominent manufacturer of the Toyota name. Their vehicles were only around for thirteen years under the Scion name, but many continue to exist with a simple relabeling of the Toyota name. 

Here are a few of the most popular Scion selections:

  • Scion FR-S: This vehicle is a sports car selection, offering a rear-wheel drive and a 2+2 seating design. It’s quick on its feet and made through a collaboration with Toyota and Subaru. 
  • Scion iA: The Scion iA is the first four-door sedan created by the manufacturer. It offers a sleek design and is built by Mazda, which might be a surprise for those who love the Scion’s manufacturing. 
  • Scion iM: The Scion iM is much like the Toyota Corolla, offering a simple hatchback design and unique angular styling many investors love. 
  • Scion iQ: The Scion iQ is a vehicle that is made and designed for the city. It’s a small, compact car selection. It was only on the market for a single generation. 
  • Scion tC: The Scion tC is a compact car selection from Scion, providing two generations of design for interested investors. 
  • Scion xA: The Scion xA is a compact hatchback offering five doors and decent power for the design. It offers solid power and room for people and passengers inside.
  • Scion xB: The Scion xB started as a subcompact car, eventually becoming a compact vehicle selection. It provided excellent performance but less ideal fuel economy. 
  • Scion xD: The Scion xD is a subcompact hatchback selection, providing five doors and replacing the original Scion xA design. It’s very similar to the original.

Is Scion a Good Car Brand?

We’ve answered the question - who makes Scion cars - which leaves the ultimate question. Is Scion a good car brand, or should you avoid creations by this manufacturer at all costs? Although their discontinuation might point to one answer, the truth might surprise you.

Typically, Scion vehicles were reliable selections on the market. According to repairpal.com, the brand earned 4.⅖ stars, which puts them in an excellent position on the market and the road. There are some areas where Scion vehicles struggle, but for the most part, they perform well for those behind the wheel.

Unfortunately, the downfall of Scion had nothing to do with their dependability - it had to do with their demographic. Toyota decided they didn’t need a nameplate to aim for a younger audience, so they decided to remove the Scion name from their lineup entirely. If you see a used vehicle, it might be worth the investment if it will work well within your budget.


THE SCION IA YEARS TO AVOID

We’re going to take a closer look at the Scion iA years to avoid and what makes them less appealing compared to other production years.


Final Thoughts

We asked the question - who makes Scion cars - and found the answer. Toyota is the creator of Scion vehicles. Scion was a smaller manufacturing branch of the massive vehicle creator, with Scion creating smaller vehicles that were ideal for driving in the city and beyond. Unfortunately, they were discontinued and don’t exist on the market anymore. 

We hope this information was valuable! Although Scion doesn’t exist anymore, there are still used Scion selections floating around on the market for those who want a more affordable vehicle selection and something smaller that will work in the city and beyond. Although new Scion cars don’t exist, they are there in spirit in some of Toyota’s creations.



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