Model-year 2006 marks only the second year of coast-to-coast operation in North America for the brand of Scion from Toyota. It's sort of a brand within a brand to showcase rather cool but affordable cars aimed at that 20-something market called Generation Y.

For 2006 there are three models in Scion's line. The xA is an eensy-weensy four-door with big glass up front and the tail squared for a hatchback door, while the xB looks like a box on wheels as contemporary homage to a panel van in a hip slammed stance. And tC is a stylish two-door coupe with glass lid and add-on gear to fashion a slick custom car.

Despite tiny proportions for a boxy four-door with hatchback-style back door, the xA looks progressive, even daring. It stands tall like a cubistic bubble on wheels which seems to tip forward due to the high tail and low nose united by the arching roofline.Inside, the cabin floor dips low so you can step aboard easily, and the ceiling bows high to fit tall chair-like seats. Power comes from a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine that reaches to 103 hp through a manual five-speed shifter or optional four-speed automatic.

Scion offers multiple components to customize the exterior xA package - foglamps, a tail spoiler and sports parts from Toyota Racing Development. New features include a redesign-ed face and rocker panels, plus new paint choices like Flint Mica and Salsa Red. New interior gear includes an optional iPod connector or standard universal mini-jack on the console.

This low-slung and ultra-boxy panel van resembles a surfer's custom-crafted wagon in miniature. Like the xA, Scion xB draws from a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine, rated this year at 103 hp through a manual five-speed or optional automatic four-speed shifter. Affordable price points for well-equipped models is the idea behind the Scion badge, and the xB fits that descriptive with standard equipment like air conditioning, power windows, door locks and mirrors, anti-lock brake system with electronic brake force distribution (EBD) and a vehicle stability control (VSC) device.

In the four-seat cabin, there's a new universal mini-jack connector on the console for routing MP3 music files from a portable music player through the xB's audio speakers. Three fresh designs for wheel covers also apply to 2006 xB issues.

This Scion resembles a slinky coupe yet there's a tailgate for the versatility of a hatchback. The tC presents a monochromatic face as flanks go flat but fenders emphasize wheel arches with sculptured rims. And that roof -- it's virtually all glass in the form of a panorama-style power moonroof. The cabin feels airy and spacious, despite dimensions of a subcompact. Driver and a companion sit on contoured buckets separated by a console swooping down from the center of the dashboard. Rear seats recline and adjust to various positions for comfort or fold down to increase storage space in the cargo bay.

Power for tC flows from a lively 2.4-liter four-in-line engine. The plant pushes 160 hp and links to a manual five-speed or electronically controlled four-speed automatic transmission. A revised color chart for tC in 2006 shows shades like Classic Silver Metallic and Nautical Blue.