Scion Reliability Overview

Based on 2,820 real complaints filed with the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)

Scion reliability varies significantly by model. Compare models below and review the specific model-year page before buying.

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Is Scion reliable? Quick answer

Based on 2,820 real NHTSA complaints across 9 Scion models

Scion shows above-average complaint rates — research the specific model carefully. Scion's brand-wide crash rate of 15.8% is above the mainstream average. This doesn't mean every Scion is problematic — several models are fine — but buyers should research the specific model year carefully, especially around airbags.

✓Consider these
Best Scion models to buy
✗Research carefully
Worst Scion models
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Most common Scion problem: Airbags — 459 complaints across all models (25.9% crash-involvement rate).

24 reported fatalities in Scion complaints. Scroll down for the full model-by-model breakdown, or use the links above to jump to a specific model's year-by-year page.

Best Scion Models to Buy

Lowest complaint severity among Scion models with enough data for a confident comparison (200+ complaints).

Scion Fr-s
235 complaints
Scion Xb
1,284 complaints
Scion Tc
873 complaints

Worst Scion Models to Avoid

All 9 Scion models — sorted by severity (highest first)

1

Scion Xa

(2004–2006) high severity
166 complaintsCrash rate: 22.3%Severity: 16551
2

Scion Tc

(2005–2016) high severity
873 complaintsCrash rate: 19.9%Severity: 10784
3

Scion Xb

(2003–2015) high severity
1,284 complaintsCrash rate: 11.9%Severity: 10379
4

Scion Unknown

(2012–2016)
20 complaintsCrash rate: 5.0%Severity: 4400
5

Scion Xd

(2006–2014) high severity
167 complaintsCrash rate: 14.4%Severity: 4113
6

Scion Iq

(2012–2015) high severity
35 complaintsCrash rate: 34.3%Severity: 3740
7

Scion Ia

(2016–2016) high severity
39 complaintsCrash rate: 20.5%Severity: 1250
8

Scion Fr-s

(2013–2016)
235 complaintsCrash rate: 2.1%Severity: 1231
9

Scion Im

(2016–2016) high severity
17 complaintsCrash rate: 11.8%Severity: 936
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Most Common Scion Problems

Components most reported across all Scion models in NHTSA complaints.

ComponentComplaintsCrash %
Airbags45925.9%
Engine Problems3812.4%
Unintended Acceleration14640.4%
Electrical Faults1405.0%
Visibility:Windshield1310.8%
Body Structure12814.1%
Visibility1230.8%
Brakes10434.6%
Sunroof/Moonroof840.0%
Steering Defects8421.4%

Scion Reliability — Frequently Asked Questions

How many NHTSA complaints does Scion have?

Scion has 2,820 NHTSA consumer complaints across 9 distinct models in the VinItel database (1995–present). 14.7% of those complaints involved a crash, and 24 involved a fatality. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation via VinItel.

Which Scion model has the most NHTSA complaints?

By total complaint volume, the top Scion models are: Scion Xb (1,284 complaints), Scion Tc (873 complaints), Scion Fr-s (235 complaints). Note that higher-volume models naturally accumulate more complaints, so per-model severity depends on sales volume and crash rate. See the full sortable ranking at vinitel.com/stats/nhtsa-complaints/scion.

What are the most common Scion problems?

Across all Scion models in the NHTSA database, the most-reported issue categories are: Airbags (459 complaints, 25.9% crash rate); Engine Problems (381 complaints, 2.4% crash rate); Unintended Acceleration (146 complaints, 40.4% crash rate). Crash percentages indicate how often that component failure resulted in an accident — higher percentages are safety-critical.

Which Scion model years should I avoid?

Scion models with the highest severity scores include Scion Xa and Scion Tc. Specific model years to avoid depend on the model — click any Scion model to see its year-by-year breakdown with complaint counts, crash rates, and recalls. Our AVOID label is applied when a year's normalized complaint rate exceeds 1.5× the model's median.

Which Scion model is the most reliable?

Among Scion models with at least 200 NHTSA complaints (enough data for a confident comparison), the lowest severity scores are: Scion Fr-s (235 complaints), Scion Xb (1,284 complaints), Scion Tc (873 complaints). Lower complaint volume plus lower crash/fire/injury rates indicates fewer reported safety issues per vehicle on the road.

Is Scion a reliable car brand?

NHTSA complaint data shows reliability varies significantly by model and year within every major brand — including Scion. A brand-level reliability verdict is misleading because it averages a bad year of one model with a great year of another. VinItel's approach: pick your target Scion model + year and view that specific page for actionable reliability data. See vinitel.com/stats/nhtsa-complaints/scion to browse all 9 Scion models.

Should I buy a used Scion?

Buying used requires two checks: (1) research the specific model + year for known problems using the NHTSA data on this page, and (2) run a VIN report on the exact car to check for hidden accidents, title issues, and odometer rollbacks. VinItel offers both — reliability research is free, individual VIN reports are $4.99 (vs. Carfax $44.99). Common Scion issues to ask about during inspection include airbags.

Looking for accident history? See Scion accident & safety statistics from our 16M+ vehicle history database.

Buying a Scion?

Check the specific VIN for hidden accidents, title issues, and full vehicle history — just $4.99.

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