Scion

Given Toyota’s size and global dominance, it was only a matter of time before the company created a dedicated brand for the American market. That moment arrived in 2002 with the launch of Scion, a name derived from an old French term meaning “descendant” — a fitting label for a youthful offshoot of Toyota’s legacy.

The goal behind Scion was clear: to capture the attention of younger drivers. Toyota wanted to distance this new venture from its image of reliability and practic...