Jump to content
Create New...
  • William Maley
    William Maley

    Scion Misses Youth Market, Struggling In Sales

    William Maley

    Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com

    July 3, 2013

    Ten years ago, Toyota introduced a new brand that promised young buyers fun and funky vehicles. That brand was Scion. Today, Scion is in a bit of a struggle.

    Originally conceived as a brand for young buyers, Scion has struggled to keep them in the fold. According to

    The Detroit News, 15 percent of Scion customers are under age 35. Meanwhile, 14 percent of Scion customers

    “We’re still a good 15 years or more below the average industry age,” said Scion chief Doug Murtha.

    While that is true, that number has been shrinking. In 2008, more than 20 percent of Scion customers were under 35 and less than 8 percent were 65 or older.

    Sales aren't looking so good either for Scion. In 2006, the brand had its best sales with more than 173,000 vehicles. Last year, the brand only sold just 74,000 vehicles. Most of Scion's lineup is languishing on the lot except for the FR-S which has been the only model that has been performing well.

    “Their market share topped out in 2006. Since then, it’s kind of fizzled and it’s just been dragging along the bottom. They have a nasty habit of putting out cars that have a limited mass-market appeal,” said Jeremy Acevedo, an analyst with Edmunds.com.

    That has been a Scion hallmark since the introduction of the brand back in 2003. Offering vehicles vehicles that appeal to a small audience, not the mass-market. One that Murtha says the brand will solider on with.

    “We’re going to continue to throw stuff out there that we might not do under the Toyota badge and see if it sticks. We’re trying to provide a lineup of products that are not for everybody.”

    The only difference is that Scion will focus on being a niche player, not as a stepping stone into the Toyota lineup.

    Source: The Detroit News

    William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster.

    User Feedback

    Recommended Comments

    Based on what I am reading, Scion seems to be an R&D explore and see what sticks and does it have mass market appeal then we move it to Toyota.

    Over all expect Scion to be an also ran brand of the future then based on it wanting to be a niche player. Sadly they do not have a Niche appeal even with their FR-S model.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    If Google were to eventually team up w/ Scion to market self-driving cars (since they are already working w/ Toyota on them), then they would take off amongst the youf, I would think.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    toyoyo's problem isn't a scion problem, it's an industry problem. In other words, merely saying the car is 'fun to drive', or 'for the young' doesn't make it so.
    Beyond that; here's really nothing special about scion whatsoever. And that recent commercial is bat$h! crazy.

    It will take a true break-away to cause a lasting stir; a breakaway and a strong dedication to that breakaway product, but frankly the rules have constrained things so tightly, I don't know if that's possible.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Well the tC and FR-S are both great handlers, but the FR-S is missing utility and the tC is missing personality.... but Toyota did make both fun to drive.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    If Google were to eventually team up w/ Scion to market self-driving cars (since they are already working w/ Toyota on them), then they would take off amongst the youf, I would think.

    Your Dreaming, even if Google did get into bed with Scion, the youth are so past this dead brand. I give Toyota 5 years before they look to shut it down.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    tC even though it is a coupe looks a bit econocar.

    I'll agree with you there. I've always thought the design of the current generation tC was a horrible step backward from the first model.

    The first Scion tC was fairly handsome and clean design, but it wasn't totally bland and it was also understated for a Toyota product at the time (and even now, for that matter). In fact, because of those aformentioned qualities, I could almost say it was almost somewhat Teutonic in execution. Other contemporary Toyota models should've been designed to be more like it. The current car, however, is a blocky and inharmonious mess of a thing, a disgusting throwback to everything wrong about automotive design in the 1980s. I don't see a shortage of the first-gen tC models on the roads in my area, but I can't tell you when I've last seen the current model roaming around.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    FR-S is a nice start. How about a larger inexpensive RWD sports sedan?

    I wouldn't mind a previous-gen Lexus IS with less equipment, a Scion badge, revised suspension, and a manual transmission for under $30K.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    FR-S is a nice start. How about a larger inexpensive RWD sports sedan?

    I wouldn't mind a previous-gen Lexus IS with less equipment, a Scion badge, revised suspension, and a manual transmission for under $30K.

    Never will happen based on their comments and the lack of Toyota to think outside a box for Design language.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    FR-S is a nice start. How about a larger inexpensive RWD sports sedan?

    I wouldn't mind a previous-gen Lexus IS with less equipment, a Scion badge, revised suspension, and a manual transmission for under $30K.

    It seems any of the mainstream manufacturers Ford, Chevy, Toyota, etc. would benefit from such a sedan of the size of ATS, priced at around $25,000 and coming with 4 cylinder turbos up to 300 hp.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Kirkland Toyota Dealership just moved into their new place and where at the old one Scion had their own actual building, the new place, it is just a section within the dealership building. They have totally toned down the whole scion is a separate brand/platform. The Toyota dealership on highway 99 in edmonds also just converted their Scion stand alone floor into a large multilevel parking garage to store their inventory rather than have it off site. They have gone to a single sales floor with a section dedicated to Scion and the rest all about Toyota.

    I see this brand dying on the vine not surviving more than a few more years. Why else take away dedicated sales space in a separate building and going to a single building with a kiosk inside for the brand.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites



    Join the conversation

    You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
    Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

    Guest
    Add a comment...

    ×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

      Only 75 emoji are allowed.

    ×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

    ×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

    ×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


  • google-news-icon.png



  • google-news-icon.png

  • Subscribe to Cheers & Gears

    Cheers and Gears Logo

    Since 2001 we've brought you real content and honest opinions, not AI-generated stuff with no feeling or opinions influenced by the manufacturers.

    Please consider subscribing. Subscriptions can be as little as $1.75 a month, and a paid subscription drops most ads.*
     

    You can view subscription options here.

    *a very limited number of ads contain special coupon deals for our members and will show

  • Similar Content

  • Posts

    • Those that cannot accept a multi-cultural world and immigration deserve to lose everything. I will stay professional, but believe that our North American Economy is about to get far worse over the long term than it is now. It is amazing how people do not seem to realize that the first two years of a new president is dealing with the ramifications of the last president. The high inflation was due to the failed policies of those before. We now have low unemployment and a strong economy. Will be interesting to see how it ends.
    • I say, let it get worse.  The people have spoken and this is what the MAJORITY voted for.  He even got the popular vote.  Therefore the people of America have spoken.   This is what they want.  This is what they feel comfortable with.   But I dont want to hear ANY whining from ANYBODY about what possibly may happen with him Him in power.  Fool me once,  shame on you!  Fool me twice, shame on me?   Technically this is how that saying goes.  But you never know. Maybe it really IS the lefty libtards that are the problem.   Hopefully it IS the lefty libtards that are the problem and the Messiah Trump will BE the solution to ALL of our problems.   I will be the first one to apologize if He actually does fix America's and Canada's problems.  And unite ALL of the world and the world gets to sing Kumbaya ALL in unison. Hopefully He is the next coming of Christ.   Keeping my fingers crossed but I aint holding my breath if you know what I mean.   
    • @oldshurst442 This pretty much sums up just how bad it is going to get. Trump's economic plans would worsen inflation, experts say | AP News
    • Not just iPhones... He tariffed Canadian wood the first time around as Pres and the prices of wood skyrocketed so American home builders bought American wood which was and is more expensive than Canadian wood.  I guess that is good for American wood producers. But for the fact that house prices also skyrocketed.  And considering that Canada and US have a more or less good trading thing going on...so not that good.  Not for the US and not good for Canada.  But Donald thinks otherwise. And all the folk that voted for him this time around think that the economy will get better?  I hope so for their sake. But Elon and Jeff B's billions rose quite a bit upon the announcement of his re-election.  I wonder if those  people that voted for him, I wonder if their wealth also rose instantly?    You poor bastards... You have no idea what is coming to you... (those that voted for him.  With the excemption of the rich of course)     Donnie Rides Again
  • Who's Online (See full list)

    • There are no registered users currently online
  • My Clubs

×
×
  • Create New...

Hey there, we noticed you're using an ad-blocker. We're a small site that is supported by ads or subscriptions. We rely on these to pay for server costs and vehicle reviews.  Please consider whitelisting us in your ad-blocker, or if you really like what you see, you can pick up one of our subscriptions for just $1.75 a month or $15 a year. It may not seem like a lot, but it goes a long way to help support real, honest content, that isn't generated by an AI bot.

See you out there.

Drew
Editor-in-Chief

Write what you are looking for and press enter or click the search icon to begin your search