Scion still hopes to crack 100,000 a year sales mark
Twelve years after Scion launched its first vehicles, the Millennial-focused brand is struggling to hit the 100,000-per-year U.S. sales goal it set for itself.
Through the first half of 2015, Scion sales were 24,931,down 18.6% from the year earlier period. But now it hopes two new models, the iA, sedan and a sporty iM hatchback, will expand its offerings aimed at younger, quirkier buyers.
Currently dealers offer the sporty FR-S coupe, the less expensive tC couple and the boxy wagon-like xB. The two models each offer more doors -- the iA is a sedan, while the iM hatchback actually offers a fifth opening in the rear.
Some buyers may see them as slightly more mainstream than the quirky models that defined Scion's first decade.
"When they first came to us with a sedan for Scion I thought, 'OK, how is it going to play out?'," said Doug Murtha, vice president of the Scion division. "But as the vehicle took shape, I felt like there is enough dynamism in this vehicle that it's not the traditional econo-box."
Both go on sale Sept. 1. The iA starts at $15,700 with a manual transmission and $16,800 with an automatic. Those prices don't include a $795 destination charge.
Powered by a 1.5-liter four-cylinder, 106-horsepower engine, the iA is rated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency at 32 miles per gallon in city driveway, 42 mpg on the highway and a combined 37 mpg for the automatic package. For the manual the numbers are 31 mpg in the. city, 41 mpg on the highway and 35 mpg combined.
The iM is slightly bigger, has an 1.8-liter four cylinder, 137-horsepower engine with either a manual or automatic 6-speed transmission. It comes with eight standard airbags, including a driver's knee airbag and a front passenger seat cushion airbag.
Pricing starts at $18,460 for the manual transmission version and $19,200 for the automatic, plus a $795 destination charge.