Scion Monospec Strategy Continuing for 2017, Trims May Arrive for 2018

Mark Stevenson
by Mark Stevenson

Beyond the funky metal, there’s one element that set Scion apart from its Toyota mothership: monospec pricing.

By offering up only a single trim for each models and reducing options to paint colors, transmissions and accessories, Scion was able to market its vehicles to a different audience and offer a no-haggle sales approach.

For the 2017 model year, that monospec approach will continue, but Toyota is evaluating its future. Also, Scion’s no-haggle pricing model won’t be surviving the transition to Toyota.

Speaking with Scion representative Nancy Hubbell, Toyota will adopt the cars it inherits from its youth brand, but not the sales processes.

“For the model year ’17, Toyota will continue with the single price strategy that Scion set forth, and we will re-evaluate that for model year ’18,” stated Hubbell in a phone interview with TTAC. Pricing of those vehicles will “follow the Toyota model,” meaning no-haggle pricing will die with the brand.

More interesting, Scion-gone-Toyota models may get trims — or grades, in Toyota speak — in 2018, as the mothership re-evaluates the monospec policy. And those model names may change in 2018, as well, though there is currently no plans to do so.

Another casualty of the transition is Pure Process Plus, an internet sales scheme from Scion that we covered in August 2015, but it may be resurrected later.

“It’s an interesting model that both Toyota and Lexus are taking a look at and elements of the Scion program are likely to be implemented by the other brands, but there are no plans to transfer Pure Process Plus at this time,” explained Hubbell.

Mark Stevenson
Mark Stevenson

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  • Ruggles Ruggles on Feb 03, 2016

    "No haggle FAILS AGAIN!

    • See 5 previous
    • Tankinbeans Tankinbeans on Feb 04, 2016

      @Occam There are plenty of No-Haggle dealership families, at least in my area, that work just fine. Then again those dealerships they do haggle are bad enough that many people avoid them like the plague. Am I missing the point with no-haggle dealerships versus brands? Serious question. I've never plopped money down I. a haggle dealership, except to buy a cheap part.

  • Car Ramrod Car Ramrod on Feb 03, 2016

    Toyota can't possibly think that the last few cars of a dead brand are going out the door at a no haggle price. Let's see how long that lasts.

    • See 1 previous
    • Quentin Quentin on Feb 03, 2016

      @Occam What shocked me was the fact that so few dealerships took advantage of the no haggle pricing. Instead of selling 10 Scions a month, they could poach the 10 sales from the dealerships 50 miles away by Pure Pricing their cars for $1k less than the dealerships nearby. I feel like the dealers didn't even realize that Pure Pricing just means you sell them all at a given price... not MSRP.

  • JimZ JimZ on Feb 03, 2016

    "By offering up only a single trim for each models and reducing options to paint colors, transmissions and accessories, Scion was able to market its vehicles to a different audience and offer a no-haggle sales approach." how is that terribly different than the Toyota brand anyway? if you "build and price" pretty much any Toyota car, the available options are quite sparse.

    • Richard Chen Richard Chen on Feb 03, 2016

      Scion iA: has one trim level, two transmissions, 7 exterior color choices, 1 interior color choice = just 14 different factory configurations. Toyota Corolla: four major trim levels with 3 transmissions and 2 engines = 13 configurations before factoring up to 10 exterior colors and up to 3 interior colors. Lots possible factory configurations, although just a couple such as the LE/CVT, LE Eco/CVT, and S/CVT dominate the lots bringing the actual number down to a hundred or so. FWIW: a decade ago our Sienna (LE, FWD/8 passenger, package with ESC, red) had to be ordered by the dealer due to unavailability. It's simpler nowadays as everything above is standard equipment.

  • APaGttH APaGttH on Feb 03, 2016

    We all know how this will play out: 1) Scions rebadged as Toyotas with new names - a couple probably killed right out of the gate 2) Products ignored and slowly trickle away, with only the cash cows hanging on 3) Within 5 to 7 years there won't be anything left that could remotely point to its roots coming from Scion left on the showroom floor

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    • Chan Chan on Feb 03, 2016

      Scions were never anything more than rebadged Toyotas anyway, except for the tC which replaced the Toyota Celica name.

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