Scion’s lunchbox-shaped xB dropped in 2003, and right away it was clear these weren’t your grandmother’s Toyotas.
Toyota’s quirky sub-brand has expanded over the years, with the spirited tC coupe and FR-S emphasizing style, performance, and character while still carrying Toyota’s rock-solid reputation.
After toying with the idea of rebranding Scion into a near-luxury brand underneath Lexus, Toyota execs have decided to continue marketing Scion to the Generation Y crowd. Starting next year, they’ll do so with a completely revamped lineup.
Automotive News is reporting that Scion’s iQ minicar, which has been selling about as quickly as it accelerates, will be axed before the end of the year. The tC sports coupe will be redesigned in 2016, but expect some limited-edition variants and special trims to keep its buyers occupied until then.
The boxy xB and its slightly curvier xD sibling will likely be cut in mid-2015. They’ll both be replaced, however, with a sedan based on the Mazda2 succeeding the Yaris-based xD and a Toyota Auris-sourced hatchback filling in for the lunchbox.
The hatchback will likely be sportier than the Auris though, as the Euro market car can only manage 60 mph in 10.9 seconds. That’s a full two seconds slower than the current xB, so it’s hard to envision many buyers being OK with that large of a downgrade.
Everybody’s favorite, the FR-S, will be given a second generation, but rumors of hybrid, turbo, and convertible versions are still unconfirmed. Reports expect the next-gen FR-S to arrive in spring 2017.
Scion is also pursing the idea of a sporty crossover that would fill the space just below the RAV 4.
We could see as many as nine new models for the brand’s next generation, however that many is very unlikely. Toyota recently filed trademark applications for the names iA, iD, iM, tD, tR, tS, and tZ, but the Japanese is typically very liberal with its applications.
