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Remember Scion, Toyota’s sister brand that focused on young buyers, which quickly became a tuner sweetheart? It flooded the North American market with budget-friendly sports cars and helped shape the tuner scene of the 2000s and early 2010s. From the quirky xB to the entry-level sport compact tC, and finally to the enthusiast-favorite FR-S, the Scion brand was created with the aftermarket industry in mind. You could even customize your Scion with accessories and upgrades straight from Toyota.
But the inevitable happened in late 2016, and the brand was phased out.
Scion’s Return to the Spotlight
Now, nearly a decade later, the Scion name has made a surprise comeback, but not how you would have expected.
Unveiled at the 2025 SEMA Show in Las Vegas last week, the Scion 01 Concept represents how Toyota is bringing the brand back. It is something completely different: a high-performance, hybrid-powered side-by-side designed for pure off-road adventure.
Toyota engineers in North America, known for their deep off-road roots, led the project from the ground up. The result is a turbocharged hybrid setup that cranks out over 300 horsepower, combining Toyota’s durability with Scion’s experimental DNA. It’s meant to show what happens when you mix cutting-edge performance with a passion for exploration.
Chief engineer and vice president of Vehicle Performance Development, Don Federico, explained it best: “The Scion 01 Concept is about taking what we do best at Toyota and blending it with the passions that drive us. It’s the intersection of advanced performance and our deep enthusiasm for adventure. By bringing those worlds together in a side-by-side format, we’re exploring how Toyota performance can live in entirely new spaces — and inspire a new generation of enthusiasts to get out and go.”
A New Breed of Off-Road Machine
The Scion 01 Concept looks wild, and it is built to perform. Its chassis and suspension are engineered to handle everything from high-speed desert runs to tight, technical rock trails. The hybrid powertrain even includes a “Silent Mode” that lets you cruise through trails on electric power only, so you can enjoy the peace and sounds of nature without scaring off the wildlife.
Toyota went a step further by equipping the Scion 01 Concept with an FIA-compliant safety cage built to SCORE and FIA racing standards. The driveline, suspension, and brake components come straight from Toyota’s proven off-road lineup, ensuring reliability no matter how rough the terrain gets.
Designed by Toyota’s CALTY Design Research team in California, the Scion 01 Concept blends function with sharp design cues that feel true to both Toyota and the Scion heritage. It’s a machine built for anyone who loves high-speed dunes, rugged trails, or multi-day off-grid adventures.
With its hybrid power, smart design, and wild capability, the Scion 01 Concept is Toyota’s way of showing that performance, sustainability, and adventure can live side by side (some pun intended). And just like the Scions that came before it, this one feels like it was made for enthusiasts first.
Images: Toyota Newsroom