The new Scion brand is a weird attempt by Toyota to capture younger buyers. So far sold only on California, it will spread to the rest of the country later on.

Their ideas of what "young people" like seems to come from a bunch of "older guys" working for a big corporation.

But at least, the Scions have their own showrooms. Separated from the often "sleazy" Toyota sales people.

The cars offered in the US are 2 small cars that came out in japan a little while ago. The Xa, tested here is the smallest and cheapest of the 2. It is longer than a Mini. But 6 inches shorter than the new Beetle.

The interior is much larger than these 2 cars. And easier to get in , thanks to the 4 doors. It is so roomy, you find yourself looking at the exterior in disbelief : How can such a tiny car have so much room inside??

The interior is very well finished, and the doors feel solid. But the only color available is a mix of dark grey and black. That's not much fun, especially under the hot Hollywood weather. Another thing: there's no sunroof available. That's something most "young people " like...

As you can see, the power switches are similar to other Toyota products. The door design is simple and nice. With the right touch of metallic finish.

The cheap way to look different thee days, it to put the speedometer in the center of the dash. Like the Echo, Mini and Ion. The Scion does it too. And like on the other cars, it only takes a few minutes to get used to it.

Start the car, and the engine is surprisingly quiet. 1.5 liter is not big, but it doesn't sound cheap. The transmission is also very smooth and quick to downshift when needed.

108 horses is not much either, but in this car, it seems to be enough. The only time I really wished for more, was right after a turn, when you try to push the car. Then, the small engine really doesn't have much. You can floor it, and it does go faster, but by then it is also pretty noisy. You can a similar experience with cars like the Mini or the PT Cruiser. But for 90% of the time, there is enough power.

The big surprise is the very high seating position. But the car is very stable, and it never feels weird. But it is almost funny to drive such a small car like an SUV...

The overall thing feels very solid. Like most Toyotas. And the suspension is what it should be: firm and smooth.

The cars come with very few options like curtain airbags, alloy wheels or an assortment of dealer instaled accessories. Most of it weird stuff like a red steering wheel or a blue shifter .

The Scion Xa really is a good little car. There isn't much competition for it. The closest thing would be the Mini Cooper. But although it is much more interesting, and fun to drive, it costs a lit more, starting at over $17 000. And if you don't like hatchbacks, you can always check out the Toyota Echo. The Korean competition doesn't seem to be at the same level yet. As far as quality and engine smoothness.

If you want to find out more about it, why don't you take a second and go HERE.