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.
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