Scion IQ Axed
Toyota is dropping the Scion iQ from its lineup.
The iQ had a major decline in sales last year, dropping by 50 percent year-over-year. When asked about the fate of the car, Scion brand chief Doug Murtha said it won’t be “staying in the lineup too much longer.”
Murtha says that the iQ was a “healthy experiment” for the brand, but it did not sell based mainly on its compact size and price tag. Even though the car earned four-star crash ratings and had 11 airbags, “physics are physics, and they’re nervous about driving a vehicle that size,” said Murtha.
Carrying a $16,435 base price, the iQ sold for a little less than the larger Scion xD but it cost about $1,600 more than the Yaris. And even though it was rated at 37 mpg combined, Murtha says that customers expected something closer to 60 mpg thanks to the car’s tiny proportions.
SEE ALSO: Scion iM, Sedan Confirmed for New York Debut
Scion sales slid overall last year by 15 percent to 58,009 units, a situation which the brand plans to combat by introducing three new models in the next three years. At the upcoming 2015 New York Auto Show, Scion will show the production version of the iM, a small hatchback, alongside a new sedan model.
[Source: Automotive News]
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Stephen covers all of the day-to-day events of the industry as the News Editor at AutoGuide, along with being the AG truck expert. His truck knowledge comes from working long days on the woodlot with pickups and driving straight trucks professionally. When not at his desk, Steve can be found playing his bass or riding his snowmobile or Sea-Doo. Find Stephen on <A title="@Selmer07 on Twitter" href="http://www.twitter.com/selmer07">Twitter</A> and <A title="Stephen on Google+" href="http://plus.google.com/117833131531784822251?rel=author">Google+</A>
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The iQ is smart. It's ahead of its time.
"Doug Murtha said it wont be staying in the lineup too much longer. Vague much, Doug? How about an exact date or month, or even just call out the last model year being made so I can save a little bit of $$ and aim to pick up one of the last iQ's? Then I'll proceed to laugh over the next few years as gas prices skyrocket and I'm even able to find street parking downtown ...