Via a poster on Scion iM Forum, pricing for the rebadged Toyota Auris has escaped onto the Internet for all to consider.
Those who seek the six-speed manual version will pay a base price of $19,255, while those opting to let the CVT handle shifting duties on their way to Starbucks will cut a check for $19,995. AutoGuide says with the $770 destination charge, the figures rises to $20,025 and $20,765, respectively.
Pricing for the iM was revealed by Scion iM Forum member bicepeak, who later explained the information came from a since-deleted tweet by Autoweek‘s Mark Vaughn; Vaughn was attending a Scion School event involving the hatchback and iA sedan. A following photo from iMTaylor — possibly from Vaughn’s Twitter account, as well — noted pricing was to be embargoed until one minute past midnight Eastern June 29, along with driving impressions.
For the price of admission, one receives an iM powered by a 1.8-liter four-pot good for 137 horses, which are then fed through the front via either six-speed manual or the seven predefined ratios found in the CVT version. Other features include heated power-folding side mirrors, dual-zone climate control, 17-inch wheels, and optional navigation.
I miss the early 90s. This thing would have been available in All-Trac turbo trim and sold in the single digit volume range.
In 1991 The Sentra SE-R base price was just around $11,000, with (three) more horsepower. Come to think of it, the iM is the only new small car you can get with four wheel disc brkes *and* an independent rear suspension, isn’t it?
Looks like a Matrix in need of a 2″ lift and AWD.
Just 137hp? What’s the torque rating?
What’s this supposed to compete with? I’m assuming the gas Golf among others, which offers 170 hp/200 ft-lbs. Toyota probably should have put a peppier engine in it. It apparently weighs 2800 lbs so that 1.8 might be a bit anemic especially with the CVT.
Since it’s a Scion I’m thinking it might not sell like the Matrix did, but time will tell. It is nice of Toyota to at least offer another hatchback option.
Competitors? Focus, Mazda 3 (2.0L), Golf, upcoming Cruze hatchback. It’ll be slower than all of them but also better equipped at the price point, which is what Scion has traded on in the past.
I see the bigger conquests coming from people looking at 19k for a loaded Versa Note or Yaris. For a grand more you can actually put adults in the rear seat!
I’m assuming you haven’t sat in the back of a Versa Note. The Note’s rear seat will swallow massively tall people like few other cars I’ve sat in, let alone a “subcompact.” The iM shows less passenger volume than the Fit by the EPA standards, even though it is 10 inches longer.
Yes, I’ve sat in the back of a Versa Note. It will swallow /two/ tall people, but three across is asking for trouble.
Weighs about the same as the Corolla from whence the entire drivetrain comes from, so it’s ‘adequate’ relative to the mainstream compact class (cruze, sentra, civic, elantra) but I agree that considering it is no doubt marketed as a sportier/hotter hatchback variant, more motor would be useful. The Focus walks this line well IMO, with a naturally aspirated, direct injected 2.0L with 160hp, as does Mazda.
its a matrix replacement. the other new one is a replacement for the yaris sedan. toyota pretty much has scion doing low volume/experimental/world import/entry level cars for people that dont want to mess with option packages and sleazy upsell tactics.
I wish Toyota would attempt to meet that need with a Toyota. They have nothing lifted and hatched smaller than the RAV4 to cannibalize.
As VoGo said above, a few inches of lift and AWD could make this a natural HR-V competitor. The more I look at the photo here the more I’m seeing a slammed HR-V with a cludgey Toyota front clip.
Scion as a brand seems to stay in the sweet spot of too meh for enthusiasts and too expensive for budget buyers.
Hard to see this being a success when you can buy established hatches for similar prices or similarly sized sedans for cheaper. This doesn’t seem to bring anything interesting, new, or unique to the table compared to the competition.
its not supposed to bring anything new. its for people that want a new matrix.
/snark on
Clearly with just 137 HP this is a slug. A dangerous death trap that will be run over by 18 wheelers, buses, and F-350 pick up trucks when it attempts to merge on the highway.
No company has any business selling a car that can’t sprint to 60 in under 5 seconds, and get less than 40 MPG at the same time. How they can continue to sell these dangerous cars that struggle to 60 in under 9 seconds, to merge onto the average American highway moving at 20 MPH is beyond my understanding.
Shoot, they probably aren’t even going to offer it in brown.
/snark off
That figure puts it about $1000 over the Hyundai Elantra GT and the Mazda3 hatch.
If any of the local dealers actually honor Scion’s “pure price” motto, and don’t load it up with the Desert Protection Package, Nitrogen-filled Tire Package, and VIN-etching Package, that will actually make it a couple thou cheaper than what the other two sell for. I’ll buy one if I can find one without all the dealer packs.
The Desert Protection Package is still a popular sales scam in the Southwest? 2009 was the last time I purchased a car in Arizona. The dealers loved that add on back then.
Yup. Even a base Versa at $12k comes with a $3000 ADM sticker full of crap like that.
I can’t believe people just go with it. I remember going Arizona VW dealerships to find a GTI that was not priced over MSRP or wasn’t full of dealer add ons. Fifth one was a charm.
Bball, can’t say for sure but my last new car purchase was from a Mitsubishi dealership (go easy on me guys) and they didn’t even offer it. If they didn’t try to nickel and dime me with that nonsense (and I live in AZ) then maybe it’s becoming less common.
Competitive price. But, would have liked to see it in AWD.
Not much of a ‘leak’, as Scion had all but confirmed recently it would be $20k to start. What I am surprised at is the low price for the upgrade to the CVT. $700 when most cars charge $1k and up is pretty nice.
As a Matrix fan I applaud the idea of this, and the blue and green are great colors, but can’t help but think this was a missed opportunity to make a warm hatch out of this. But Toyota doesn’t have any high-performance 4-cylinders in their lineup any longer, and they certainly weren’t going to develop one just for this car.
The turbo AR from the NX200t would have been a hoot in this thing.
with AWD.
At those prices, I really can’t see buying this over a Golf or an Elantra GT. Because it’s badged as a Scion, you won’t even enjoy the excellent Toyota resale value factor.
Still, it’s a competent and relatively-handsome product, which is something that Scion desperately needs right now.
Well the diff is that you will drive your Scion while your buddy’s Golf sits at the dealer service dept or dead at the side of the road and then let’s see how those extra horses are gonna get you out of that mess.
Maybe its a replacement for someone else’s Matrix, but not mine. The European Auris is rather handsome to me, but we get this thing with all the cheesy boy racer ground effects and low, low profile tires. Maybe Scion will up sell you a flashing license plate frame and fart can exhaust to finish it off. Good job, Toyota, you lost a sale. Yes, this is a rant; I saw the perfect replacement for our Matrix lost to poor product planning; what a shame.
Mazda3 or Hyundai Elantra GT over this.
Forte5 is not much more than this but with 201 HP turbo and I bet more kit it may be the best buy.
Forte5 is a screaming deal, and you can get it fully equipped, 201HP and a manual.
Boy racer image, with a 137 hp engine and FWD? what a freaking joke!
Reminds me of the Mitsubishi Lancer OZ Edition.
Beautiful car ruined by a gutless engine. This would have rocked with the 2.5 out of the TC. Ugh!
It’s not a bad looking hatch, but with 137HP and the manual, the driver’s right arm will get a workout. If it has a really good shifter, then not so bad.
People need to make up their minds, if this had “more power” and AWD with a lift people would be insulting it for being “another bland CUV”.
138hp is fine enough if Toyota matches it to a decent transmission.
The only practical argument against this car is the Scion xB with its circa-2005 interior.
Honda doesn’t compete here, except maybe the Fit which is really about a class smaller.
Kia Soul