2016 Scion iM Seeks to Lure Young Drivers

The past six years haven’t been kind to Scion at all, but Toyota is hoping to turn things around for its youth-oriented brand starting with a car called the iM. It’s a new five-door hatchback based on the Toyota Auris, packaged with a 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine connected to either a six-speed manual transmission or a CVT. The powertrain generates 137 hp and an undisclosed measurement of torque that are sent to the front wheels. Models with the CVT also come with paddle shifters that can cycle through seven predefined ratios meant to mimic actual gears. Scion hopes to attract young customers with the iM. Like the rest of it’s products, they offer one trim package to create a WYSIWYG approach to car sales. Just in case you didn’t grow up on a steady diet of Internet junk food, that’s an acronym for 'What You See Is What You Get.' Anyway Scion packages it with a standard equipment list that includes 17-inch alloy wheels, dual-zone automatic climate control and power folding heated side-view mirrors. The iM also comes with a Pioneer touchscreen and Bluetooth connectivity along with an extensive list of available dealer-installed accessories including TRD performance accessories like a sway bar, new intake and lowering springs along with less driver oriented items like pet accessories. Navigation is an extra-charge item in the iM. Scion didn’t release specific measurements for the iM, but if it’s the same as the Auris it will be roughly 168 inches long, making it shorter than the now-gone Toyota Matrix and larger than the Honda Fit. Scion didn’t announce cargo volume, but the Auris offers roughly 42 cubic feet with its second row folded flat. That’s still less spacious than the 52.7 cubic feet that the smaller Fit can boast. Complete pricing information also hasn’t been announced, but the company says it will start at about $20,000.

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