SPOTTED
IN L.A.: The tricked-out xB was spotted at SEMA's April
2-4 International Auto Salon. Other photos .. A
'GROWN-UP' SCION: The tC, which was unveiled
in July, "offers terrific value in a low-key package," according
to Time
magazine... ANOTHER RECORD: Scion reported
a July sales total of 14,793 units,
PR
Newswire reported. The tC posted July sales of 6,297
units. The Scion xB had its best-ever month, with 5,815
sold, while xA sales remained steady at 2,681 units... CLEAN, LEAN AND GREEN: Looking
to save money at the gas pump? Buy a Toyota or
Scion. For the 2004 model year, the EPA
has ranked eight Toyota and Scion vehicles — more than any other
automaker — in the top 20 most
fuel-efficient gasoline-powered light-duty vehicles in the USA, according
to PR
Newswire. Nine Toyota models got ratings of at least 30 mpg: MR2,
Echo, Corolla, Matrix, Celica, Camry, Solara, Scion xA,
and Scion xB.
WIN PRIZES: Get on the road
with Scion. Accrue "virtual miles" and win prizes in the new
interactive "Scion
Road Trip" game through Aug. 15. DESIGN AWARD:Those of
you who think the xB is butt ugly have another thought
coming. The xB has just won
the Bronze award at the 2004 Industrial Design
Excellence Awards (IDEA) competition, presented by the Industrial
Designers Society of America (IDSA). 'HIP TO BE SQUARE' in xB:
"The Scion xB is a great poke in the eye of the faux fashion-conscious
and high-price crowds and deserves a medal for that gesture alone,"
writes USA TODAY auto reviewer James Healey on March 11. He calls the
xB "a drop-dead winner."'FUNKY, MINI BOXCAR': "If
I were choosing between an xB and an Element, I'd choose the xB for its
superior styling and better handling, writes Larry Printz in the Providence
Journal... Washington Post car columnist Warren Brown tells a reader looking
for an urban commuter car, "You should be quite happy with the Scion
xB" ...
EPA TESTS OUT OF WHACK?
Drivers are noticing that their cars are not achieving their posted EPA
mileage estimates. The current EPA test includes a 10-mile highway driving
segment during which the average speed is an unrealistic 48 miles per
hour, according to the Wall Street Journal. The EPA is now seeking public
comment on revamping gas mileage test procedures. Government mileage estimates
for Scion: xA (29 city, 36 highway), xB (30 city, 34 highway).SAVE MONEY,
DRIVE A SCION: Among the 10 most fuel-efficient cars are the Scion xA
and xB (8th and 9th place), according to a list released by Edmonds.com,
the San Francisco Chronicle reported. Edmonds based its list on the EPA's
mpg ratings. Unless otherwise noted, models have manual transmissions.
Here are ways to stretch your gasoline dollar.xB WANNABE? Nissan has noticed
the success of Toyota's Scion line and wants a piece of that action. It
plans to sell its boxy Cube (pictured at left) in the USA within the next
three years, Autoweek reports.
MOST WANTED: Visitors to
Edmunds.com
voted for their most wanted cars in various categories, and it was no
surprise that the Scion xB easily won the "wagon
under $15,000."
GAS TOO PRICEY?
DRIVE A SCION: With gasoline in some cities above $2 a
gallon, the editors of the Kelley Blue Book have released
a list of recommended gas-efficient vehicles. Four cars made by Toyota
made the top-10 list: Prius
(No. 2), Echo
(No. 7), Corolla
(No. 8) and ScionxA (No. 9). Other
money-saving tips from the Kelley Blue Book
HOW TO MAKE AN xB: "It's
what would come out if you put a Hummer in a microwave for two minutes
on high," Jim Farley, vice president of Toyota's new Scion division,
is quoted as saying in the Philadelphia Daily News. "Even some of
our own people said, 'What are you thinking? When do the clowns come out
of it?' Yet, it's our hottest seller." Farley gave a hint of Scion's
future: "Lifecycles will be short to keep the vehicles fresh,"
he said. "If the xB isn't around in a couple of years, I wouldn't
be surprised.FLYING OUT OF SHOWROOMS:
At a time when carmarkers have to offer an average of $2,379 in incentives
per vehicle, Toyota's Scion division needs no help to sell its cars. Scion
spends just $64 per car on incentives, John O'Dell wrote April 20 in the
Los Angeles Times. Scion had its second consecutive best-ever month with
5,199 units sold in March. The xB urban utility vehicle posted a best-ever
3,551 units sold. The xA hatchback also recorded best-ever sales of 1,648.
Scion had sold 16,829 cars by the end of February, according to Scion
consumer advocate Mia.ONE NATION UNDER SCION:
Some 350 Scions and 1,300 Scionistas were on hand for a Scion-sponsored
music festival that featured aftermarket displays, according to Automobile
magazine." The xB clearly connects with car-audio enthusiasts,"
said Automobile magazine, which described it as "an Apple iPod on
wheels." The egg-shaped xA is more of a pocket rocket, appealing
to car enthusiasts with a traditional interest in fast driving.
PICKING UP SPEED: In the
first quarter of 2004, Toyota drew slightly ahead of Ford to become the
top brand of new vehicles registered by Latinos in the United States,
according to the Los Angeles Times. The company's youth-oriented Scion
brand is selling well in the market. Scion is slated to debut its third
model, the tC, on June 23 — at the same time that its first two
models, the xA and xB, go nationwide. MARK YOUR CALENDARS: Scion
goes national (adding the Midwest and the Pacific Northwest) June 14.
The tC debuts nationally June 23. The 2005 tC is taking center stage at
the April 9-18 New York Auto Show. Among its features: an all-aluminum
2.4-liter four-cylinder engine with Variable Valve Timing with intelligence
(VVT-i) that produces 160 horsepower; panorama moonroof, 17-inch alloy
wheels with graphite appearance finish, air conditioning, cruise control,
high-output Pioneer sound system.SMALL CARS ON A ROLL: The
uptick in gas prices has led to a tripling of calls about small cars,
Jim Barkley Toyota new car representative Danny Youngblood told The Citizen-Times
of Asheville, N.C. Want to find cheap gas in your area? Go to Gas Price
Watch. Or better yet, drive a Scion (xa: 29 city, 36 highway; xB: 30 city,
34 highway)!
'SCION' AT AUTO SHOWS:
The xB is among the highlights at the 2004 Dayton Auto Show in Ohio. Another
Scion will be making waves soon at the 2004 New York International Automobile
Show. Top 10 trends at this year's show will include "cool coupes"
such as the tC, which will roll out this June.
... SO WHO REALLY BUYS SCIONS?
The average Scion xB buyer is 29, and the xA compact's average buyer is
32, CNW Marketing Research Inc. told Businessweek. That's younger than
the average Toyota buyer, who is 40-plus. Scion has targeted its TV ads
to such youth-oriented TV channels as MTV and Comedy Central. Here's another
just-released demographic snapshot: About 75% of those intending to buy
an xA are male, and 41% are age 45 or older, according to AutoVibes, a
monthly automotive omnibus study from Harris Interactive(R) and Kelley
Blue Book. SAVE MONEY, DRIVE A SCION: The xA and xB are on the list released May 10 by Edmunds.com of
the 10 most fuel-efficient cars. Here's the report
...
