Motor Authority - blog Category: xD

After a bright start almost seven years ago Scion’s sales have tanked and its lineup, which thrives on originality and freshness, is starting to show its age. The Toyota budget brand sold just 113,904 cars last year, down 12.5% on the previous year, and volumes are predicted to dip even lower this year.

Most of the blame has been directed towards Scion’s limited lineup, although a weak car market was also a factor in the equation. The current staples of the brand, the redesigned xB and xD very closely resemble the original entrants, the xB and xA, and the tC coupe has only been given a mild facelift since it was launched back... After a bright start almost seven years ago Scion’s sales have tanked and its lineup, which thrives on originality and freshness, is starting to show its age. The Toyota budget brand sold just 113,904 cars last year, down 12.5% on the previous year, and volumes are predicted to dip even lower this year. Most of the blame has been directed towards Scion’s limited lineup, although a weak car market was also a factor in the equation. The current staples of the brand, the redesigned xB and xD very closely resemble the original entrants, the xB and xA, and the tC coupe has only been given a mild facelift since it was launched back in 2004. Scion is now hoping to liven up its portfolio and boost sales by adding a fourth model line and replacing its tC coupe. Speaking with Automotive News, Scion vice president Jack Hollis said that a new tC coupe will arrive in the next two years and will be followed shortly by a brand new model. Scion gave a possibly design direction for its next model with the unveiling of the Hako Concept at last year’s New York Auto Show, but Hollis explained that there were many possibilities. "We think there are a lot of opportunities for a second coupe," he said. "We think there is room for a bigger sedan and smaller vehicles. We think there is even a possibility for a truck-based vehicle with an open bed." One option that could prove very lucrative for the brand is the addition of the iQ minicar to Scion’s lineup. Toyota has confirmed that the pint-sized hatch is under consideration for the U.S. and late last year there were reports that it could come wearing a Scion badge. Read More

Scion has been on sale in the United States since 2003 but only now has Toyota confirmed the youth brand for the Canadian market. Set to launch north of the border in 2010, three models will initially be available: the tC compact sports coupe, the boxy xB and the xD five-door hatchback.

The cars will be sold through select Toyota dealers but will have their own separate “store within a store” to help differentiate them from their more mundane Toyota corporate cousins. The first stores will appear in Montréal, Toronto and Vancouver, however Scion will be available in other urban centers in Canada soon after the initial launch.

... Scion has been on sale in the United States since 2003 but only now has Toyota confirmed the youth brand for the Canadian market. Set to launch north of the border in 2010, three models will initially be available: the tC compact sports coupe, the boxy xB and the xD five-door hatchback. The cars will be sold through select Toyota dealers but will have their own separate “store within a store” to help differentiate them from their more mundane Toyota corporate cousins. The first stores will appear in Montréal, Toronto and Vancouver, however Scion will be available in other urban centers in Canada soon after the initial launch. Scion was virtually an instant success when it launched in the U.S., bringing in thousands of new customers including many first-time car buyers. Furthermore, close to 70% of Scion buyers were new to the Toyota family, and this trend is expected to be repeated in Canada. Originally targeted at the youth market and intended to have an ever-changing line of new models, Scion’s sales have dropped substantially in recent months and the brand has been criticized for offering only a limited range of similarly styled models. There’s a strong possibility however that Toyota’s recently launched iQ minicar could make it to North America by the end of the decade as a Scion, and this could potentially inject some life into the brand. Read More