http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/s...06/story4.html

as much as you all hate Scions they sell a LOT. Isn't it weird how people overseas know more about what the general public wants then actual Americans do?

 

"That may not sound like much, but planned production for the whole year is only 90,000, and other regions received the cars earlier in the year.

Next year, production is planned to hit 130,000 for the three Scion models, which may help dealers keep a few Scions on hand."


Wow, with sales number like those, Gm better be shaking from fear. I say, Big Deal.

GM has how many models that outsell that entire division?

 

Anyone have an age breakdown on scion buyers?

Id love to know how many people from my generation Toyota is snagging with those toasters...

I know its not as young as Toyota would like, but Id say its pretty good long-term thinking on their part.

 

That article is also seven months old, when Scion was a bit newer.

 

Well, lets see - unique styling, and a well built car at a dirt cheap no haggle price. I can't imagine why they wouldn't sell. It's not like toyota had some kind of revolutionary idea (in many ways it's similar to the original saturn concept but w/o the quirky styling). Still, they should get some kudos for actually doing it.

The hardest thing for them is going to be keeping this a "youth" car over time.

 

I will acknowledge credit to the company for the reasons in WERM's post, but the numbers also tell a different story than the hype does.

 

I'd like to see a deomgraphic breakdown of those who buy Scions. I know a good bit will be kids, but I see a lot of people who're obviously not in their 20's running around in the box looking one.

Regardless, Toyota had a plan, executed it, and can't keep up with demand. They did a good job IMO.

Not that I like the Scions, I think they're hideous. I applaud the business end though.

 

Toyota actually did extensive research in California. They tried to make the car everything the public wanted. The problem with that is that you can get the "Homer Simpson effect" (for those that watch the Simpsons).

 

Yup, unique as in uniquely ugly.

 

The thing is if YOU don't buy the Scion somebody else will. They run forever, are built with quality, etc. And that's what people seem to want instead of style-ish and "fast"

 

I like the tC, but can't stand the xA and xB. The tC looks decent, and there isn't a better value out there right now at the 16k-17k price point. It has so many stuff standard. If i were in the market for a new daily beater, the tC would be tops on my list.

They need more cars (less weird ones like the tC). The boxy X cars have got to go. None in their 20's would take a second look at them. The article mentions how the better looking tC has a much younger consumer base than the boxy models. Toyota should be taking note if they want to further push Scion as a youth brand.

 

I know this is only the "I have seen this and haven't seen that" kin dofo thing but....


I have NEVER seen an xA on the road... I've seen about 3 xB's on the road, and they are nastier than an Aztek, and rival the Element.

I've seen probably 5-6 tC's.... I understand they are selling half decent though, and they aren't bad looking for what they are.

 

I usually see the xBs and they are NOT being driven by the young and cool no matter how much the ads want to make you believe such a thing.

Mostly late 30 early 40s women.

 

Heh, PT Barnum was right

I think affordable is probably key, you can get into a scion at an entry price of 14 or 15k, I remeber them being advertised as low as 13k but that was early on.

Still not my cup of tea, even if the attributes asian cars are praised for were high on the list. I think the TC is the most palatable of the bunch, but even then low price and apparent build/engineering superiority aren't enough to entice me.

 

I think you have to be a card-carrying lesbian in order for Honda to sell you an Element. If you don't walk in wearing Birkenstocks and a plaid flannel shirt they turn you away

Anyhow that's pretty much what the manufacturers expected. As the saying goes, you can sell a young person's car to an old person but not an old person's car to a young person. So Toyota with Scion (and Honda with Element) publicly targeted gen-Xers, knowing full well that that wouldn't be the real market. Realistically, kids in their early 20s are buying used Civics; they're not new car buyers. But by cultivating the image of it being a young person's car, they get all the people in their 30s and 40s that want to appear youthful.