In 2014, Toyota sold 30 times more Camrys than it did all Scion vehicles combined, according to data compiled by GoodCarBadCar.com. The Japanese automaker’s embattled youth-oriented brand has been sputtering along for years, but Toyota's chief executive, Akio Toyoda, has a plan.
The latest manifestations are the Scion iA and iM. They’re very different vehicles, but both reflect a shrewd approach to boosting Scion's sales—one that requires little upfront investment.
The iA is most intriguing. It’s the first sedan Scion has ever made. But more interesting than that is the fact that it’s essentially a Mazda Demio inside and out—or what would be called the Mazda 2 in the United States.
To date all Scion vehicles have been based on Toyotas, which seems logical. So why borrow a Mazda when there are plenty of small-car platforms in-house to choose from?
Toyoda, known for being a performance enthusiast who enjoys racing cars, wants to capture some of Mazda’s “zoom zoom” personality. He asked to partner with Mazda and sell a version of its Demio as a Scion model.
The 2016 Scion iA is based on the Mazda Demio, known as the Mazda 2 in the United States. (Credit:... [+]
“The driving dynamics of the Mazdas have always been intriguing to us,” said a Scion spokesperson Nancy Hubbell, during a brief interview at the New York Auto Show, where the iA and iM debuted.
It’s true that, subjectively speaking, Mazdas have driving dynamics that are noticeably better than most of the competition. So transferring some of that sporty DNA to Scion seems very much in line with its focus on reaching young, impassioned drivers.
The iA is a tiny subcompact sedan based on the latest version of the Mazda Demio, which debuted in 2014. It features a 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine that produces 106 horsepower and is paired with a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic.
Scion touts a high level of standard equipment for the iA’s “$16,000-ish” starting price, which includes a voice-recognition-capable multimedia system with seven-inch touchscreen, and a low-speed pre-collision safety system that uses cameras and radar to detect and warn drivers of impending collisions.
Except for the front, which features a gaping trapezoidal grille, the 2016 Scion iA looks just like a Mazda Demio on the outside. The interior is also pure Mazda, which is a good thing.
But the fluid lines of the iA stand in contrast to the more angular styling of other Scions, including the new iM.
The 2016 Scion iM is based on the Toyota Auris, a hatchback version of the Corolla sold in Asia and... [+]
The Scion iM follows a more familiar formula: It’s based on the Toyota Auris, a five-door hatchback sold in Asia and Europe that is, in turn, based on the Corolla.
The iM is larger and more powerful than the iA and will have a price tag starting under $20,000. Its 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine produces 137 horsepower and will be offered with a choice of a six-speed manual or a continuously variable transmission.
Both the 2016 Scion iA and iM go on sale in September.
Considering that both the iA and iM are essentially restyled versions of existing cars, neither required huge capital investments. Thus, even modest sales could be considered a success and that jibes well with the brand’s intent to remain small, nimble and an incubator for unique ideas.
Other notable 2016 models debuting at the New York auto show include the Honda Civic, Chevy Malibu and Kia Optima.
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