Scion was released in the early 2000s, dedicated to cars that would seem too “emotional” for Toyota’s standards in North America – pretty much anything but sedans or minivans. That time was particularly good for that for multiple reasons: after the futuristic trend of the 1990s, people were looking for something new; environmental concern was big enough to motivate a demand for compact vehicles, and small enough not to take people to mass transportation; information wasn’t too accessible, so people weren’t too reluctant against badge-engineered cars; and crossovers weren’t a thing yet. Therefore, Toyota’s new branch managed to have a great start with nothing but some car models taken from the other side of the Pacific – xA and xB were born as ist and bB, respectively.
The problem is that, as it turns out, there’s a certain amount of weirdness North-Americans are willing to purchase. xA and its successor xD were way below it, so they never sold well. xB, in turn, became a success almost like Kia Soul would do later, but suffered with the second phase: since it became bigger and less boxy, it just lost its edge. And iQ was a failure whether as Aston Martin, Scion or Toyota. The only ones to achieve and retain some approval are FR-S and tC, mostly for being much sportier. Such background makes it easy to understand why Toyota decided to start focusing on more mainstream models: they might escape a little bit from Scion’s original intention, but these are what achieves sales figures steady enough to keep a company in the black.
This article’s vehicle is one of its first attempts towards that. Compact hatchbacks are a nice intersection of Scion’s ethos and the fast-selling market, but… doing its job while keeping costs to a minimum could only get it so far. This is a rebadged Auris, which is offered in Europe also as a station wagon and was just facelifted. The problem is that it was originally designed to be the typical rational purchase, only looking somewhat better than Dacias or Škodas. In order to arrive at the U.S. as this hot hatch (wannabe), it received flashier 17” wheels and an exclusive body kit. Sure, it does look great, but those who want true sportiness, even at the level of this category, will probably remain loyal to less serious options such as Ford Focus, Kia Forte, Mazda3 or Volkswagen Golf.
On the other hand, if you’re just looking for a good deal which is also good to look at, you should check iM’s cabin as soon as possible. Toyota’s current design trend was maintained, and its horizontal shapes look rather interesting, if not breathtaking. Even better is its equipment list, which will be full as standard: some of the items are dual-zone A/C, backup camera, cruise control, 7” touchscreen, and a Pioneer stereo. Everything else are accessories installed at the dealers: they go from TRD performance tweaks to a surprisingly large range of pet-friendly items. The single engine is a four-cylinder 1.8 good for 137 hp and 126 lb-ft, paired to either a six-speed manual gearbox or a CVT. This vehicle will go on sale in North America this trimester, already as a 2016 model.