Red 2013 Scion Fr-s on 2040-cars

Auto blog

2016 Scion iA arrives with price tag 'in the $16,000 range'

The adorkable iA, Scion's first sedan, is likely to appeal to a number of customers who value efficiency, affordability and equipment. And because the iA is essentially a rebadged Mazda2 there should be some pep in this little guy's step. If you're wondering why Mazda would build a car for Toyota, volume is a big reason. 1,003 Toyota dealers have a Scion store, more than one-and-a-half times as many franchises as Mazda, and that translates into higher production numbers. Ignoring the rather tragic grille, the rest of the iA is actually a handsome little four-door, which makes sense, considering the amount of Mazda blood coursing through its veins. One need only compare the shots of the Scion, shown above, and the leaked images of the Thai-market 2 sedan to see the similarity. The headlights and taillights are identical in shape and similar in overall design, while both cars share Mazda's expressive Kodo character lines in the profile. While the 2 is cute and brawny, the iA looks a little sullen, with its catfish-mouth grille drooping low in front of the sloping hood. It's a similar story in the cabin, where Mazda's work is plain to see. The dash is crowned by an ample, standard seven-inch display, which is in turn controlled by either touch or the excellent dial-and-buttons input also found in the Mazda3 and Mazda6. Toyota's Entune system is conspicuous by its absence. A trio of knobs control the HVAC system, while a section of faux leather, complete with stitching, separates the tactile controls from the main display. The instrument cluster is home to a single binnacle, housing the speedometer. A pair of secondary displays feature a tachometer and other ancillary information. Considering that the interior and exterior are almost unchanged from the Mazda2, it's no surprise that the 1.5-liter four-cylinder is also common to both cars. In the iA the lump under the hood makes 106 horsepower, while the Euro-market 2 comes in three flavors – 75 horsepower, 95 hp and 115 hp (with the i-ELOOP system). The 1.5 is paired with either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic. Following the theme, the iA's chassis is largely identical to the new 2's. The front suspension is of the MacPherson strut variety, while a torsion-beam axle sits out back with rear drum brakes. The steering assist is electric, which contributes at least partially to the 33-mile-per-gallon city rating and 42-mpg highway.

Scion exec admits brand has too many dealerships, may contract network

Despite being conceived by corporate giant Toyota, Scion painstakingly built its reputation on being something of an offbeat, youth-minded brand, working hard to establish individualist, almost hipster-like credentials. So it comes as something of a surprise to hear WardsAuto report that Scion has a whopping 1,000 dealers across America - just 200 fewer than Toyota itself. This, despite a much smaller product portfolio and a sliver of the sales volume.
All those factors may explain why Bill Fay, US group vice president for Toyota, is admitting to the industry publication that its dealer network "might actually go down a little bit." As it stands, the volume end of the equation is probably an even bigger incentive - Scion's sales are way down from the salad days of the mid-2000s, when the brand had fewer models but sold more of them. With the (then) white-hot xB and tC models, Scion shifted 173,034 units in 2006, while Ward's notes the marque's 2013 sales are only at 41,261 units through July. In the story, AutoPacific analyst Dave Sullivan observes that other low-volume brands have far fewer dealer points, noting that Mini has just 115 dealer points and Infiniti has 200. By Sullivan's estimate, he would expect to see 350-500 Scion stores based on its sales figures.
Dealer question aside, the bigger issue is where the brand goes from here, and Fay admits Toyota is studying a number of different strategies, including possibly going "small-premium." Nothing is finalized, though according to Ward's, Fay discounts the idea that the FR-S - the brand's sales bright spot - will drive the brand to consider a more driver-oriented lineup.

Evo pits Toyota GT86 vs. Mazda MX-5 Miata

The latest Deadly Rivals episode from Evo gets the Mazda MX-5 Miata and Toyota GT86 (our Scion FR-S) on track for a shakedown and a whole lot of drifting with Dan Prosser behind the wheel. The UK-spec coupes have slightly different power ratings than ours, but it's all close enough to be comparable. Their Miata has 158 horsepower (ours has 155), 148 pound-feet of torque, takes 7.3 seconds to run from naught to 60 62, and costs 22,695 pounds. The GT86, on the other hand, lists a 7.6-second dash to 60 62, and a base price of 25,000 pounds. The GT86 also weighs 400 pounds more than the Mazda. That's true in the States, too – curb weight for our MX-5 is 2,332 pounds, whereas the Scion FR-S comes in at 2,758 pounds. Both cars lauded for excellent shifting, but one of them has a better front end, a sweeter engine note, more controllable cornering behavior, and is faster by a tenth of a second around the test track. And Prosser doesn't mention it, but one has a lot more body roll. But it takes more than all that to make a winner, so check out the video above to see which is which. News Source: Evo via YouTube Mazda Scion Toyota Convertible Coupe Performance Videos toyota gt86 evo