Scion IR Trademarked
A car called the Scion iR could be the next car to join in the ranks among Toyota’s affordable sub-brand.
Toyota filed to protect the nameplate on April 23 covering automobiles for four or more passengers for use in Canada, the U.S. and Puerto Rico. Scion just revealed two new nameplates at the 2015 New York Auto Show: the iA and iM. The iA is a badge engineered version of the Mazda2 sedan while the iM is a Scion-branded version of the Toyota Auris hatchback.
Scion sales through the first quarter of 2015 are down by 17.1 percent and things would be worse were it not for the xB and tC that are both serving to soften the consequences of their slow selling stablemates. Sales of the FR-S sports car are down 28.6 percent through March. Meanwhile the xD and iQ are limping along.
The iM doesn’t have the same boxy design as the xB, but they share similar enough dimensions to make the iM a viable replacement to for customers in the market for a replacement to either the xB or the Toyota Matrix.
The iA will benefit from Mazda’s upmarket interior design and superior chassis engineering while giving Scion its first crack at selling a sedan.
Earlier this year, Scion boss Doug Murtha said Scion’s third new product won’t be a crossover, bu that it will be based on a Toyota product marketed globally. One possibility could be a re-badged version of the Aygo city car.
Discuss this story at our Scion forum
Thanks to Dennis for the tip!
Luke is an energetic automotive journalist who spends his time covering industry news and crawling the internet for the latest breaking story. When he isn't in the office, Luke can be found obsessively browsing used car listings, drinking scotch at his favorite bar and dreaming of what to drive next, though the list grows a lot faster than his bank account. He's always on <A title="@lukevandezande on Twitter" href="http://twitter.com/lukevandezande">Twitter</A> looking for a good car conversation. Find Luke on <A title="@lukevandezande on Twitter" href="http://twitter.com/lukevandezande">Twitter</A> and <A title="Luke on Google+" href="http://plus.google.com/112531385961538774338?rel=author">Google+</A>.
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A decontented sedan on the Lexus IS platform. Enough with the boxy crap. If you want the youth market, target emerging professionals.
"Go Fun Yourself" I hope it's the Aygo I hope it's the Aygo I hope it's the Aygo ... From the Scion sites (U.S. & Can) they've already removed the xD which makes sense to have the iM as the replacement and the iA as a new car to their line up. As stated above, I hope they add the Aygo. It would make the most sense and I'd really like to see another option on the market besides the Mitsu Mirage. People have also been saying that the iQ has been axed, but I can't find a reliable source to verify this claim beyond a reasonable doubt. As it stands, I think the iQ is ahead of it's time here in North America and come 5-10 yrs I'm willing to bet Toyota will bring it back and it will sell like hot-cakes. Especially with all the used and broken down smart cars on the market because nobody can afford to fix them. In the mean time, bring in the Aygo! I don't know about everyone else, but I'd really like to get back to basic motoring, Just having a car with everything I need and nothing I don't. Gas prices won't stay low forever too. Better safe than sorry.