Why Scion may sell more cars after it’s gone.

In February, Toyota announced that it would be shutting down its Scion brand and folding 3 of the Scion models into the Toyota line. The Scion brand was an experiment towards a “youth-movement” 13 years ago.

            

 After enduring several years without new products, Scion dealers finally netted some fresh metal: the entry-level iA sedan and iM hatchback, both of which arrived last fall as 2016 models. But there may be a silver lining to this black eye. Most of Scion's product range won't die with the folding of the brand; they'll be absorbed into Toyota's model lineup. The iA, iM, and FR-S models will all become Toyotas. That's where things could get interesting, because even if only their emblems change, some of the rebadged models will very likely sell better than they did as Scions.

            There are a number of reasons to think that Scion's sales picture may be rosier after the brand dies. Those factors include Toyota's far superior brand awareness and its reputation among car shoppers. It can take decades to seed a new automotive nameplate in the eyes of the buying public, and Scion lost most of its marketing budget years ago, back when sales slackened. Consequently, there are a large number of consumers who simply don't know about the brand at all.

 

C-HR Crossover Concept

           

 Toyota had recently confirmed Scion would receive a new small crossover based on its C-HR concept, and it was widely expected to quickly become Scion's best-selling model. They decided to hold off on the launch until after Scion’s closure, and will launch it as a Toyota. The thought was to only debut the vehicle once as a Toyota, instead of twice.

            To see the Scion vehicles that are available check out our inventory and contact us today to drive off in your new car!!