Scotty Kilmer only recommends ever buying a Toyota, new or used. However, in a reversal of opinion Kilmer says do not buy the Toyota Scion. The Scion car brand is a failed re-marketing exercise by Toyota. The company was formed in 2003 and discontinued by 2016. The Scion was aimed at a younger audience, a compact sports cars with edgy styling, Toyota reliability and… not much more than that.

After 16 years Toyota folded the business due to a lack of sales. A lot of money spent a lot of money wasted. But the real issue was the reliability, specifically the four-cylinder 2AZ-FE Toyota engine. Kilmer points out that the engine often burns engine oil as it ages.

As a result, the engine would fail, literally blow up. But they are pretty easy to repair. And if you don’t rev past the revline the car is as reliable as any other Toyota. The problem was as much to do with the youthful driver as much as it was with reliability. And if you do buy a used Scion, drive it to within normal tolerances you will, says Scotty, have a “fun reliable” car.