Why it sucks that scion is dead.

"Your boy, BJR" (jerseyshoreben)
02/03/2016 at 14:15 • Filed to: None

I’m suprised at the sheer amount of joy that seems to be outpouring with scion’s death among enthusiasts. Like, people always claim that manufacturers don’t listen to enthusiasts, despite scion being tailored specifically to them. I remember when they came out they were all “united by individuality”. They had tons of sponsored events for owners, gave out the best swag at car shows, sold funky little cars that were all unique, and even had a warranty that wouldn’t void of you modded your car. They had a really sweet build and customize feature on their website, and their cars were the definition of “cheap and cheerful”. They essentially offered a blank slate for us enthusiasts to make our own. Then there were the really awesome “release series” cars, limited edition cars with unique features and colors. Those were awesome! They never did anything to you other than try to add a little bit of funky flare to the at the time abysmal economy car market. Now we have all sorts of neat little compacts to chose from, and you have scion to thank for that.

DISCUSSION (33)

willkinton247 > Your boy, BJR
02/03/2016 at 14:20

Like, people always claim that manufacturers don’t listen to enthusiasts, despite scion being tailored pandered specifically to them.

FTFY

Daily Drives a Dragon - One Last Lap > Your boy, BJR
02/03/2016 at 14:21

I liked Scion. We just couldn’t do enough to save them.

Party-vi > Your boy, BJR
02/03/2016 at 14:21

Thank you, Scion, for making the tC and FR-S, because everything else was just a terrible shitbox.

PushToStart > Your boy, BJR
02/03/2016 at 14:22

Yeah, they did do some things right, admittedly. They also did some kind of cringeworthy stuff by trying to cross the bridge between “just a car manufacturer” and “lifestyle” brand. Sometimes that works, but it never works if it’s forced, and it seemed a little forced on Scion’s part. Their cars were decent enough and affordable enough that I think that ultimately the loss of the brand is unfortunate, but the world will keep spinning.

Aaron M - MasoFiST > Your boy, BJR
02/03/2016 at 14:23

Past tense for pretty much everything you said. If the attitude they founded the brand with stuck with both their marketing and their product past 2008 the brand probably wouldn’t have died.

RiceRocketeer Extraordinaire > Your boy, BJR
02/03/2016 at 14:24

They tried, I guess. Now for most of us the message is just, ‘here’s your econobox, you better enjoy it.’

MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner > Your boy, BJR
02/03/2016 at 14:24

I never liked their cars. It didn’t make a ton of sense to me. I’ve always thought about Scion as being a “step below” Toyota, which didn’t really work because I’ve always seen Toyota as an entry level brand.

The “funky cool style” didn’t make sense to me for the tC because it wasn’t that fast and was FWD. Then the FR-S came out and really made the tC not make sense.

I just don’t think they ever knew what they were doing with Scion.

crowmolly > PushToStart
02/03/2016 at 14:30

I would say that the “lifestyle” brand is a problem, because trends and such move quickly- much quicker than a car company. Especially Toyota.

Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras > Party-vi
02/03/2016 at 14:30

the TC wasn’t exactly great..

Party-vi > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras
02/03/2016 at 14:33

You even drive one? It’s a fun little car and it looks good. It also has no issue breaking the front tires loose, with or without the supercharger.

Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras > Party-vi
02/03/2016 at 14:34

It is a fun car yeah...just didn’t do anything for me and I was their target market

Rico > RiceRocketeer Extraordinaire
02/03/2016 at 14:38

Kinja'd!!!

Jarrett - [BRZ Boi] > Party-vi
02/03/2016 at 14:41

I never realized the tC came with a supercharger. My mind is getting blown right now, because I always pictured them as Corollas with blue glowing footwell lights and a massive C Pillar.

Party-vi > Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras
02/03/2016 at 14:44

So what you meant was “the tC didn’t do anything for me”, rather than “the tC wasn’t exactly great”. Shit, the Eagle Premier is a car that wasn’t exactly great.

shop-teacher > Your boy, BJR
02/03/2016 at 14:46

With the notable exception of the FR-S, I disagree that Scion catered to enthusiasts. To steal/paraphrase Drakkon from a front page comment, Scion was a lifestyle brand that catered to people who spend more on sunglasses than they do rent.

I’m not happy that Scion is dead, but I certainly won’t be mourning the loss either.

Supreme Chancellor and Glorious Leader SaveTheIntegras > Party-vi
02/03/2016 at 14:46

._.

*stares blankly at you*

HammerheadFistpunch > Your boy, BJR
02/03/2016 at 14:51

Sounds exactly like saturn - great ideas that got shat on by corporate melding. I have no love in my life for what the brand ended up as, only what it could have/should have been.

HammerheadFistpunch > Party-vi
02/03/2016 at 14:51

Almost bought a Tc, really liked the looks of the 1st gen and it was pretty peppy.

Stapleface > Your boy, BJR
02/03/2016 at 14:57

You’re right, Scion did start out that way. Then they completely lost their way (or just didn’t care). Toyota pretty much took the Mitsubishi approach to Scion. Probably the only reason they even gave Scion the FR-S was so that it would drive traffic into their part of the showroom.

Since Toyota couldn't be bothered to care about Scion, why should I as a consumer?

Sneaky Pete > Party-vi
02/03/2016 at 14:58

First xB was cool. TC was meh.

Party-vi > Sneaky Pete
02/03/2016 at 15:02

Psshhh you need some help. The xB was a damn box with wheels.

Party-vi > Jarrett - [BRZ Boi]
02/03/2016 at 15:07

It was optional, 6.0psi and an extra 39hp (for 200hp total).

MR2_FTW - Group J's resident Stig > Party-vi
02/03/2016 at 15:27

Technically a dealer-installed option. You couldn’t get one from Toyota like that. Plus, the reliability of the superchargers is suspect, and no rebuild parts exist.

TheOnelectronic > Party-vi
02/03/2016 at 15:28

Yeah and that was cool.

BrtStlnd > Party-vi
02/03/2016 at 15:29

THE TEEE SEEEEEEEEE???

Party-vi > MR2_FTW - Group J's resident Stig
02/03/2016 at 15:54

That’s because Vortech Toyotas never need rebuilt.

Party-vi > TheOnelectronic
02/03/2016 at 15:55

boo and hiss

wiffleballtony > Your boy, BJR
02/03/2016 at 16:02

Scion never offered a single car that appealed to me, as a youth or as an adult. What’s the point of customizing and modification if your starting point is poor?

WiscoProud > Your boy, BJR
02/03/2016 at 16:25

The problem is that's the way they started, then they transformed into selling the same beige-mobile's that everyone else does. Had they stuck to their roots and continued to introduce quirky cars, they would still be around.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Party-vi
02/03/2016 at 19:30

First gen xB though! :(

Nauraushaun > Party-vi
02/03/2016 at 20:36

Scion didn’t make the FR-S. Toyota and Subaru did. Scion stuck a badge on it. Scion is not responsible for the FR-S at all. Thanking them for it is giving them credit they don’t deserve.

They don’t deserve much credit.

Nauraushaun > Your boy, BJR
02/03/2016 at 20:42

Like, people always claim that manufacturers don’t listen to enthusiasts, despite scion being tailored specifically to them

Tailoring to enthusiasts means building RWD coupes you can get in a manual. Scion didn’t do this, not once. They imported slightly interesting economy cars.

They wanted you to think they made enthusiasts cars. They advertised for enthusiasts. They RWD-converted one of their FWD economy cars to make a drift car - more or less spitting in the face of enthusiasts. You cannot drift a Scion, but they want you to think you can.

It was a brand run by marketers. They told you they were for enthusiasts, but they did nothing tangible, it was all smoke and mirrors. They were rebadged Toyotas.

The FR-S does not count. They didn’t make it, they stuck a badge on it. You can buy it as a Toyota or a Subaru, Scion’s input was nil.

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > Your boy, BJR
02/08/2016 at 13:17

They catered to ricers for a while, but until the FR-S (which was dumped on them more than anything) they didn’t have anything that could be construed as a true enthusiast car. People loved the original xB for the practicality and weird looks, while the tC was popular because it was a coupe Corolla with better styling, but other than that they really had nothing. That’s why they mostly sold to retirees on fixed incomes and middle-aged people looking for cheap new cars to buy their children.