Auto News For Tuesday, May 10, 2016 - Buick Kills The Verano

Here are the eight must-read, must-watch auto news stories and videos for Tuesday, May 10, 2016. 

BUICK
Buick knows most of its U.S. buyers want Encores, Envisions, and Enclaves. What to do with the Verano, Buick's entry-level sedan based on the previous-generation Chevrolet Cruze? Buick won't renew the car in North America, Automotive News says, although there's already a new version of the car in China and the Verano currently accounts for 15% of Buick's U.S. volume; 35% of Buick's U.S. car sales.

ALFA ROMEO GIULIA QUADRIFOGLIO
"Fundamentally the Giulia just has a beautifully balanced rear-wheel drive chassis," writes evo's Henry Catchpole. Says CAR, "Audi’s A4 has it licked for interior quality, but it’s more stylish, vastly better finisher than Jag’s XE and massively more roomy." More succinctly, from Top Gear: "Alfa Romeo has made a brilliant car."

HONDA
We published links yesterday to a bevy of 2017 Honda Ridgeline reviews. After we published that special edition of The News, Jalopnik's Andrew Collins published this 2017 Ridgeline review, and it's the one you must read. – Truck Yeah!

MORE HONDA
Honda sold more than 50,000 Ridgelines in 2006, claiming 1.7% of the overall pickup truck market, finishing 13th among pickup trucks that year. The market share figures and rankings don't look impressive, but 50,000 Ridgelines make for a profitable Honda pickup truck. So can American Honda sell 50,000 copies of the new Ridgeline? Supply may be constrained, as the Odyssey is built in an Alabama plant that already builds the Odyssey, Pilot, and Acura MDX. – Wards

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SCION
Just in time for brand-wide death, Scion is on track to make 2016 the Toyota sub-brand's best year since 2008. – TTAC

CANADA
The Canadian auto industry reported more new vehicle sales in April 2016 than in any prior month in the history of the auto industry. But what was the mood in the market during the first ever month of more than 200,000 sales? – Autofocus

CHRYSLER CANADA
Fiat Chrysler Automobiles currently builds vehicles in two southern Ontario locations: big cars in Brampton; minivans in Windsor. But is the next-generation Chrysler 300 going to be based on the Chrysler Pacifica? And will it therefore be built in Windsor, as well? – Windsor Star

WATCH
Too many reviews of the 2017 Honda Ridgeline – and many other vehicles – end up as attempts to forecast future success, rather than critical considerations of the vehicle itself. When it comes to the Honda HR-V, however, we knew it would be a successful subcompact crossover entry. But would it be any good? GCBC's review of the HR-V is here; our TTAC takedown is here. And below, you can watch Alex Dykes' video review of the 2016 Honda HR-V, the most detailed and thorough review on YouTube.

Auto News For Tuesday, December 15, 2015 - Hyundai's 2016 Global Auto Forecast Isn't Great

Here are the five must-read, must-watch auto news stories and videos for Tuesday, December 15, 2015.

FUTURE
"How can General Motors' truck brand not be in the fastest-growing segment in the industry, an SUV segment?" That's a line from GM's GMC boss, Duncan Aldred, who wants GMC to be a player in the subcompact crossover arena. Is the 2010 GMC Granite Concept, pictured above, a hint?

REVIEW
The increasingly more popular Toyota RAV4 is nothing of not unexciting. So can Toyota do to the RAV4 what it's done to the Camry: introduce a hint of sportiness via an SE model?

TTAC
U.S. sales of the Scion FR-S tumbled to an all-time low in November 2015 while sales of the Mazda MX-5 Miata increased for a sixth consecutive month; as the MX-5 outsold the FR-S for a fifth consecutive month.

INSIDE THE AUTO INDUSTRY
2015 is a boom year for the U.S. auto industry, but globally, Hyundai boss Chung Mong-koo is not particularly excited for 2016.

WATCH
Is there any chance that you'll want to take the Mercedes-Benz Metris commercial van, allow Mercedes-Benz to fill it with seats, and buy it instead of a Honda Odyssey? Consumer Reports is a fan of the space, but seems to think this is more of a hotel shuttle vehicle, less of a family ferry.

Auto News For Wednesday, December 9, 2015 - AWD Toyota Prius Stays In Japan

Here are the five must-read, must-watch auto news stories and videos for Wednesday, December 9, 2015.

NOT SO BAD?
Volkswagen initially believed some 800,000 cars in Europe were sold with falsified emissions ratings. But the scandal may only be linked to 36,000 cars, as it turns out.

FUTURE?
You can now buy a fourth-generation Toyota Prius with all-wheel-drive. In Japan. 

AUTOFOCUS
Thanks to the launch of the new iM, Scion is on the rebound in Canada. Which isn't saying much.

TTAC
November sales at the Volkswagen brand tumbled in the United States. Leading causes for the decline? Low inventory, volume brought forward into October, a tarnished image, and, well, you know, the inability to sell diesels.

WATCH
Consumer Reports' new crash test methods for child seats have led the publication to encourage parents to move older infants into a rear-facing convertible seat by their first birthday even if the child hasn't outgrown their infant seat.

2016 Scion iM Review - A Better Corolla

The Honda Civic accounted for one out of every ten new passenger cars sold in Canada in October 2015. Canada's second-best-selling car, the Toyota Corolla, generated another 5% of the country's new car sales volume. In a market with nearly 150 different passenger car nameplates, the 11 most popular cars in the country account for more than half of all Canadian car sales.

Perhaps there is strength in numbers. But maybe you're not interested in embracing the masses, following the herd, or adopting the status quo.

THE GOOD • Corolla hatchback! Sort of! • Eye-catching design • Great seats • Comfortably firm ride quality • Classy and easy climate controls

THE BAD • Fun on the outside, not fun to drive • Audio system needs upgrading • No options list = no heated seats • Rear legroom not expansive • Volume knob, no tuning knob?

But if you don't have the money to buy an exclusive luxury car and don't want to take a risk on an odd-ball, potentially unreliable Italian import, you suddenly find yourself glancing back at the list of compact cars that are so thick on the ground that their owners can't find them in the grocery store parking lot.

You want a car that stands out in the crowd, a car you won't follow into the Tim Hortons drive-thru, a car that's isn't the mournfully obvious choice. But you want Toyota-like reliability, practical packaging, an affordable sticker, and reasonable fuel efficiency.

You might want a 2016 Scion iM.

WHAT IS IT?
Scion is a Toyota sub-brand, an entry-level youth-directed outlet that launched in the United States in 2003 and in Canada in 2010. At the opposite end of the Toyota spectrum from Lexus, Scion was initially highly successful in the United States. But the first Scions that really hit the mark, the xB and tC, were, in the case of the former, replaced by a bloated and unpopular second-gen model, while the latter car went too long unreplaced and only modestly updated.

2016 SCION iM Base Price: $22,960 * As-Tested Price: $23,785 * Drive Type: front-wheel-drive Transmission: continuously variable Engine: 1.8L DOHC 16-valve I-4 Horsepower: 137 @ 6100 rpm Torque: 126 lb-ft @ 4000 rpm Curb Weight: 3031 pounds Length: 170.5 inches Width: 69.3 inches Height: 55.3 inches Wheelbase: 102.4 inches Tires: Bridgestone Ecopia Tire Size: 225/45R17 Passenger Volume: 2560 litres Cargo Volume: 588 litres EPA City: 28 MPG EPA Highway: 37 MPG NRCAN OEE City: 8.3 L/100km NRCAN OEE Hwy: 6.3 L/100km Observed: 30.9 mpg Observed: 7.6 L/100km * Canadian dollars, includes $1795 in fees.

Scion's history thus includes the xA and its now discontinued xD successor, the first and now departing second-generation xBs, the tC, the discontinued Smart Fortwo-fighting iQ, the Subaru BRZ Scion FR-S twin, the recently launched Mazda 2 sedan which Toyota Canada turned into the Toyota Yaris sedan but Toyota USA turned into a Scion iA, and this Scion iM. The iM is essentially a restyled and slightly Americanized Toyota Auris. The Auris, not sold in North America, is a relative of our Toyota Corolla.

Although the iM shares an engine and transmission and much of its architecture with the Corolla, the styling is markedly different, the interior is thoroughly differentiated, the Corolla is a four-door sedan while the iM is a hatchback, and the iM's rear suspension is a more advanced double wishbone setup, not the Corolla's torsion beam.

Our 2016 Scion iM tester was, like every iM sold in Canada, a $22,960 car. The only option, an $825 continously variable automatic, produced the as-tested price of $23,785, almost identical to the price of a 2016 Toyota Corolla S with the same transmission and a $1,750 upgrade package. That Corolla has a sunroof and heated seats; the Scion iM does not.

HOW BIG IS IT?
Compared with the hatchback version of the only one of Canada's three top-selling cars to be offered in Canada as a hatchback, the Hyundai Elantra GT, the 2016 Scion iM is an inch longer, an inch narrower, and nearly three inches lower at the roof. Official specs say the Elantra GT offers 6% more passenger volume and 11% more cargo space behind the rear seats. The Elantra GT also provides a very noticeable two additional inches of rear legroom and nearly an extra inch of rear shoulder room.

For current Scion owners, an indirect comparison with the departing second-generation xB may be deemed valid. From bumper to bumper, the xB is 2.4 inches shorter than the iM but identically broad and eight inches taller at the roof. As a result of that height and the xB's boxy shape, the xB's passenger volume is 23% greater.

The iM isn't small inside, although rear space isn't as acceptable as I'd expected. And the cargo area had no difficulty swallowing a couple of new sets of resin shelving from Canadian Tire, the widest of which stretched 36 inches across and still easily laid flat in the cargo area, without requiring any folding of the rear seats.

All Photo Credits: Timothy Cain ©www.GoodCarBadCar.net
Click Any Image For A Larger View
Photo Location: Fisherman's Cove, Eastern Passage, Nova Scotia 

DOES IT WORK?
Inside, the iM is marginally cramped in the back. But the front seats are terrific for a car of this price; for a car at a much higher price, too. Proper bolstering and an appropriately firm seat cushion mask the lack of fancy power operation or lumbar support.

The majority of controls will feel familiar to anyone who has spent time in a recent Toyota product. The lack of a tuning knob to accompany the touchscreen and its proper volume knob is a minor but odd oversight. Temperature is controlled by a set of excellent toggle switches, offered up as evidence of the fact that straightforward solutions can be stylish. There are no wow moments inside the iM's cabin, but it's a pleasant space to spend time.

With a seating position this excellent and a shifter positioned exactly where I want it, the yearning for a proper six-speed manual transmission only grew. The CVT isn't awful, but it never comes close to resembling a willing partner, the kind of willing partner a 1.8L, 137-horsepower four-cylinder needs if the iM is to live up to its hot hatch looks with hot hatch pace.

And the iM does feel like it possesses the foundation of an impressive sport compact. The rear suspension layout provides an air of upper-class refinement still missing from the Corolla, and with the supple ride quality afforded by a modern suspension layout, there's plenty of room to make the iM far more athletic before the car becomes too harsh. Even the steering is fairly quick, and a set of sportier tires in this acceptably aggressive tire size (225/45R17) would do wonders for the iM's turn in.

IS ANYONE BUYING IT?
In its first two months on sale in Canada, the iM was Toyota's best-selling Scion model. In fact, 48% of the Scions sold in Canada in September and October were iM hatchbacks. It's still a rare car – Scion sold 275 iMs in October; Toyota sold 3,236 Corollas – but it's not a rare Scion.

South of the border, where Toyota Canada's Yaris Sedan is sold as the Scion iA, the iM has quickly become the second-best-selling Scion, behind the iA. Scion was America's third-fastest-growing auto brand in October, aided by 1,408 iM sales. Common? Not by the standards of the 27,951 Corollas sold. But the iM is, at least in these early days, serving Scion well.

SHOULD I BUY SOMETHING ELSE INSTEAD?
There are certainly options that are more fun, such as the Mazda 3 and Ford Focus hatchbacks. The Volkswagen Golf TDI, if the stop-sale order is ever lifted from Volkswagen's 2.0L diesel, is a highly efficient and premium-feeling hatchback. 

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Scion iM Historical Monthly & Yearly Sales Figures
2014 Toyota Corolla LE Driven Review
2014 Mazda 3 Sport GS Driven Review
2015 Volkswagen Golf 1.8 TSI Comfortline Driven Review

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The Hyundai Elantra GT is the hatchback version of one of Canada's most popular cars, and equipment levels are very high at this price point. There's also a hatchback version of the Kia Forte, an all-wheel-drive Subaru Impreza hatchback, and an upcoming Mini Clubman which, while a little pricier, plays in the Scion's style-conscious corner of the market.

HOW MUCH SHOULD I PAY?
There are no trim levels, and the options sheet allows you to make only two changes. Do you want to spend an extra $825 for the continuously variable transmission – save your money, have more fun – and do you want your iM painted in Spring Green, Classic Silver, Black Sand, Barcelona Red, the Electric Storm Blue of our test car, or $255 Blizzard Pearl?

WHAT'S THE VERDICT?
The iM's exterior looks certainly have the potential to sow discord, but for those who like the way Scion styled the car, it deserves to be perceived as the superior Toyota Corolla. More than 4,000 Canadians purchase or lease a new Corolla every month. Potential Corolla buyers, at least the ones who aren't trunk aficionados, should test drive the Corolla back-to-back with the 2016 Scion iM.

Not only will many find the iM to be more comfortable, the iM also provides more flexible packaging and more refined ride and handling. 

You don't dress the same as your neighbour, listen to the same music as your coworkers, eat the same food as your cousins. You don't need to drive the same car, either.

Timothy Cain is the founder of GoodCarBadCar.net, which obsesses over the free and frequent publication of U.S. and Canadian auto sales figures. Follow on Twitter @goodcarbadcar and on Facebook. The iM was supplied by Toyota Canada's press office.

Auto News For Tuesday, November 17, 2015 - Ford Refreshes Escape For 2017

Here are the seven must-read, must-watch auto news stories, recalls and videos for Tuesday, November 17, 2015.

FORD
Ahead of the Los Angeles Auto Show, Ford introduced a facelifted 2017 Escape with a new front fascia, new technology, and new engines. The Escape’s new 2.0L turbo is said to be more powerful and efficient, a 1.5L turbo – like the 2.0L – features stop-start tech, and Ford also debuted SYNC Connect, which will enable owners to start the vehicle, unlock the vehicle, and check other things on the vehicle from a remote location. The Escape is Canada’s top-selling SUV; America’s second-best-selling SUV.

VW
The 2017 Volkswagen Beetle Dune won’t save Volkswagen from its diesel emissions troubles, nor will it be a mainstream car. But to Beetle enthusiasts, it’s likely everything they wanted the Beetle to already be.

KIA
Toyota struck gold with the Prius. But with the auto industry increasingly earnings its keep with SUVs and crossovers, Kia is going to try to replicate the Prius’s success with a dedicated hybrid crossover, the Niro. 

AUTOFOCUS
Across much of the world, Volvo has not been struggling. But in North America, the brand’s sales fell so low some wondered whether its Chinese ownership would want to continue funding the North American operations. The XC90 is here now, however, and it’s selling very well, and Volvo thus appears to be on its way back.

TTAC
Scion is about to introduce a new crossover based on the Toyota C-HR Concept. Scion is already displaying signs of life because of the iM and iA. The C-HR could be just what the brand needs to regain the strength Scion displayed a decade ago. 

RECALL
BMW is recalling 7162 copies of the 2016 5-Series – 528i, 535i, 550i, 535d, and M5 – because of, "an inboard lower anchor for child restraints on the left rear seat that may have been bent downwards, preventing the child seat from fully engaging both lower anchors.” 

WATCH 
Americans couldn’t have the first-generation Smart Fortwo. The second Fortwo sold well at first but gradually waned. The third-generation is believed to be a dramatic improvement. Here’s Alex Dykes’ Alex On Autos review, the most detailed and thorough on YouTube.

Auto News For Monday, June 29, 2015 - Finally A New Audi A4

Here are the five must-read, must-watch auto news stories, review and videos for Monday, June 29, 2015.

FUTURE
No surprises here. In keeping with Audi's handsome but conservative design ethos, the 2017 Audi A4, the first all-new A4 since the fourth-gen B8 was introduced nearly eight years ago, looks a lot like the previous car. Although its dimensions have increased marginally, the new A4 will weigh approximately 265 pounds less than the outgoing car. The wagon is gorgeous, but we're more likely to receive a slightly elevated, be-cladded Allroad version of the Avant. Audi USA sells an average of 38,000 A4s per year.

TTAC
2015 will be the seventh consecutive year that Ford's Fiesta ends a calendar year as the United Kingdom's best-selling car. The Fiesta's lead over the second-ranked Vauxhall Corsa stands at 18,883 units through just five months. The Fiesta outsold the second-ranked car, Ford's own Focus, by 46,114 units in 2014.

REVIEW
Is the iM the answer to Scion's problems? Not if the market agrees with Car & Driver. Calling it the iMeh, C/D says, "The segment is also full of cars offering better performance," and, "If Scion is going to survive, it needs a following. And at first blush, the iM doesn’t seem good enough to build one." U.S. sales at the Scion brand are down 19% so far this year.

RECALL
In a recall not yet posted to NHTSA's main recall page, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles says 65 owners of Jeep Grand Cherokees and Dodge Durangos must stop driving their vehicles. The Durangos and Grand Cherokees were built in early June the recall is taking place, "because they may have been inadvertently equipped with improperly heat-treated suspension components. This condition, which was not apparent during the assembly process, could lead to component breakage, rear-end instability and/or reduced braking power." You can read more about the specifics and the means of discovering if your vehicle is involved at FCA's website or by calling FCA's U.S. customer care centre at 1-800-853-1403.

WATCH
Is the new HR-V the spiritual successor to the CRX, Civic hatch, Prelude, Accord wagon, del Sol, S2000, and Element? That's the story Honda is telling in this terrific commercial.

2013 Toyota GT 86 Image Gallery - This Is Your Production Scion FR-S

It will generate 197 horsepower at 7000 rpm and 151 lb-ft of torque at 6600 rpm with a 2.0L boxer four-cylinder. It will weigh less than 2700 pounds. It will be 167 inches long, 50.6 inches tall, and 101 inches wide. It will also be sold as the different-in-many-ways Subaru BRZ. It is the Toyota GT 86, a car formerly known as the Toyota FT-86. We will most likely know this sporting rear-wheel drive Toyota as the Scion FR-S. Probably. If that's what it ends up being named when the Toyota GT 86 reaches North America shores. The Toyota GT 86 will go on sale in the United Kingdom in June 2012. And it looks like this. 

2011 Scion FR-S Concept

The front three-quarter is surely the GT 86's best position for photography. When viewed from the back the GT 86 isn't the classiest but it will make the rear angle unmistakeable. There's too much air above the rubber. The rear wheels seem to be just a little hidden in the rear wheelwells. Toyota's application of a rear wing on a car that has plenty of visual interest without it is disappointing. In this trim the profile of the tires appears absurdly high. The front plate reduces the apparent size of the gargantuan air intake but doesn't actually do the car any favours.

Toyota says the GT 86 is the smallest four-seat sports car on the market. It will also likely be one of the least expensive, and the basically trimmed-out interior furthers that impression. The GT 86's innards are attractive, however, and very purposeful. But it looks like the interior of a car that wants to be driven rather than caressed.

Overall impressions have been and continue to be nothing but positive in the automotive universe. The GT 86 is not as stunning as the Scion FR-S concept, but unfortunately, this is the nature of bring a new automobile to market. Impress us, get us talking, then get real with the production car and disappoint us just a bit. 

The Toyota GT 86, the Scion FR-S if you will, is now pictured in production form. The fact that this car exists is exciting enough. That Toyota has also made a good-looking car, one that is lightweight and engineered to be a genuine driver's car, well, that's like a heaping bowl of strawberries on top of a burbly rev-hungry boxer four-cylinder.

The gallery below is filled with twelve exterior shots and two interior pictures of the 2013 Toyota GT 86. Peruse and enjoy. 


Related From GoodCarBadCar.net
Scion tC Monthly And Yearly Sales Figures
Will The Toyota GT 86 Be The Best Drifting Car In The World?
2013 Ford Escape vs. 2012 Honda CR-V: Concept vs. Production
Monthly Charting Of Sporty Car Sales In Canada And The USA

Scion iQ Fuel Economy Ratings

Oft-discussed but never touched, official fuel economy figures for the 2011 Scion iQ are now available (and now, official U.S. numbers too.) Canada's Office Of Energy Efficiency has ratings for numerous new models available in their searchable database, one of which is the anxiously awaited Scion iQ. Expected to be Canada's sixth most economical car, the iQ's figures are jaw-droppingly good.

2011 Scion iQ city fuel economy: 5.5 litres/100 km
2011 Scion iQ highway fuel economy: 4.6 litres/100km

These numbers translate to 43 miles per gallon in the city and 51 miles per gallon on the highway.

It should be noted that the OEE/Natural Resources Canada figures aren't as close to reality as their U.S. counterparts from Fueleconomy.gov. GoodCarBadCar.net's 2009 smart fortwo, like the 2011 smart fortwo, is rated at 33/41 miles per gallon by the EPA - quite attainable numbers - but 5.7/4.8 L/100km by the OEE - quite challenging to attain. Expect the EPA's numbers eventually manifested on Fueleconomy.gov to be more in line with reachable figures. Nevertheless, The Good Car Guy is prepared to up GoodCarBadCar.net's April prediction from 35/42 mpg to 37/45 mpg.

As for the Scion iQ price, we finally have the answer.

Related From GoodCarBadCar.net
Scion iQ Projected Price & MPG
Scion Starts Off Slow In Canada
Toyota iQ Gallery & Dimensions
Top 5 Safety Facts From The Toyota iQ

Scion Canada Starts Out With 247 Sales In October 2010

Preliminary data from Toyota Canada says Scion sold 247 vehicles in its first full month of selling in Canada. Scion is only selling in the Greater Toronto Area, Vancouver, and Montreal. The Good Car Guy is on the record saying this probably isn't the best way to introduce a new car to Canada. Although Scion will undoubtedly pick up sales momentum (one would hope so, with only 247 sales in October 2010), and will find it easier to do so once expansion takes place in the spring of 2011, this first month seems disappointing. In light of all the social media hyping up Scion engaged in, 247 sales - equivalent to about one-quarter of all Toyota Yaris sales in Canada last month - sounds as though most people don't know Scion exists.

That, of course, will change dramatically once Canadians of all ages start seeing uniquely-designed Scions on roads across Canada.

Autumn isn't prime car selling season in Canada. Unleashing a new brand inside a brand which posted a huge sales decline in October 2010 - Toyota Canada sales were down 24.7% in October 2010 - in October with just three models and just three cities isn't easy. Perhaps Toyota is thrilled with 247 sales. If so, great. They know what they want and they know if this exceeded their expectations.... or not. At GoodCarBadCar.net, Scion Canada's initial sales volume would've come across a lot better if the number was over 500. There was a LOT of hype, after all.

Related From GoodCarBadCar.net
The Future Of Scion In Canada
Scion xB Photo Comparison
Canada Auto Sales By Brand - October 2010

Scion xB Photo Comparison With Kia Soul And Nissan Cube

It's always meant to be. When a GoodCarBadCar.net reader makes a simple request, giving in to that request is guaranteed. In the comment section of this Scion Canada story, conwelpic thought it'd be a good idea to see the 2011 Scion xB, 2011 Kia Soul, and 2010 Nissan Cube lined up with their profile pictures. 

Here, then, are the three budget-minded boxes, with some pricing details to help you form your own opinion. Whoever first explains the Kia Soul 2.0L 4u's $1800 auto-trans anomaly* wins applause.

Canadian Pricing
2011 Scion xB Price: $18,270 + $1020 for automatic transmission

2010 Nissan Cube S: $17,398 + $1300 for CVT automatic

2010 Nissan Cube SL: $20,898 (includes CVT automatic)

2010 Nissan Cube krom: $23,098 (includes CVT automatic)

2011 Kia Soul 1.6L: $15,995 (no automatic transmission available)
2011 Kia Soul 2.0L 2u: $18,595 + $1200 for automatic transmission
2011 Kia Soul 2.0L 4u: $20,595 + $1800 for automatic transmission*
2011 Kia Soul 2.0L 4u Retro: $21,295 + $1200 for automatic transmission
2011 Kia Soul 2.0L4u Burner: $21,595 + $1200 for automatic transmission
2011 Kia Soul 2.0L 4u SX: $22,395 + $1200 automatic transmission
*Kia.ca website mistake.

Related From GoodCarBadCar.net
The Future Of Scion Canada
Minivan Sliding Door Track Photo Comparison
Photo Comparison Of Ten Large Luxury Sedans
2011 Kia Sportage vs 2010 Hyundai Tucson Photo Comparison
Niche Car Sales In Canada - September 2010
Niche Car Sales In America - September 2010
2011 Scion iQ - Projected Price And MPG

The Future Of Scion Canada

Toyota's Scion division is now a semi-active participant in the Canadian automotive market. The $17,200 2011 Scion xD, $18,270 2011 Scion xB, and $20,850 2011 Scion tC are on sale in Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver. The Greater Toronto Area's population of 5.6 million people in a vast country of just 34.3 million people indicates why Scion may be going about its launch slowly, even if The Good Car Guy disagrees with the theory of selling only to part of the country.

With an anticipated base price of just over $15,000 in Canada, the 2011 Scion iQ may well boost Scion sales in Canada and in the United States. However, with approximately one month of Canadian selling complete and little data yet in circulation, the expectation for Scion greatness in The Great White North seems to stand in contrast to what Scion's been able to accomplish south of the border in the ol' USofA.

Scion began selling Californian cars in the United States in 2003. By that we mean, Scion sold cars only in California. With just two models, Scion quickly gained popularity and the "youth/budget" brand of Toyota's spread to dealers across the country. Scion added a coupe model, the tC, and eventually replaced the dowdy xA with the xD and the small and boxy xB with a newer, larger, less boxy xB. Sales began to disappear.

In fact, the whole Scion brand has been out-sold by Mini through September of this year in the USA. Through those first three quarters of 2010, Scion sales fell 29.7% from 2009 levels. Scion xD sales are down 34.9%. Scion xB sales are down 23%. Scion tC sales are down 34.6%.

Is Canada supposed to be excited that Toyota has finally delivered to us a brand Americans have seemingly rejected? Read more after the jump for a look at the cold, hard, numbers.

To be truthful, yes, Canadians should be excited, if only for the sake of increased competition. Perhaps a little pressure from the Scion xB will make the purchase of a 2011 Kia Soul even easier. And the Scion iQ is will be an ingeniously modern tool for effective and fun urban transportation.

But....

In calendar year 2009, Scion sales were nearly chopped in half, dropping 49.1%. Every model posted steep declines. In 2008, sales dropped to 113,904 from 130,181. tC sales, in particular, fell off a cliff. 2007 sales were down 24.7% from 2006 levels. In 2007, xB sales plummeted from 61,306 to 45,834; tC sales dropped precipitously from 79,125 to 63,852; and combined sales of the xD and xA (20,495) couldn't come close to matching xA sales from the year prior (32,603).

If Americans have roundly fallen out of love with Toyota's youth-directed value brand, why should we Canadians even begin a flirtatious encounter with Scion? Perhaps that's a silly question. Certainly, Americans never would've elected Jean Chretien to the White House, yet we kept the Son Of Shawinigan in office for more than ten years. Last Wednesday, fewer than 10,000 people watched an NHL game between the Blue Jackets and Anaheim Ducks in Columbus, Ohio. In Canada, almost anywhere in Canada, 18,000 fans would be a sure thing. On the automobile front, America's favourite car is the Toyota Camry. Canadians didn't even make the Camry one of the country's 20 best-sellers in September 2010. So we have different tastes. Just because America has turned its back on Scion (and hockey) doesn't mean we will too.

Except, with dealerships residing only in Canada's three biggest cities, Scion is open to less than half the Canadian auto market, a number, it could be argued, which is actually closer to one-third. Even with plans to eventually move out to other cities in Canada, Scion is extremely late to a small party. The Kia Soul is crushing the Nissan Cube. Latecomers like the Volkswagen Tiguan, Kia Borrego, the aforementioned Nissan Cube, and the Honda Insight are all struggling to gain traction in segments where others trod long before. Consider Mitsubishi, as well, a brand which left Canada way back when but returned in 2002. It's not working out.

Are the Scion xB, Scion xD, and Scion tC bad cars for Canadians? No, not necessarily. From an analyst's perspective, however, it seems likely that Canadians will be more receptive to car brands they know and love, brands selling what happen to be, quite frankly, better and more exciting products. The first Scion sales numbers for Canada should be out in the next few days. With nothing to compare Scion's one-third-of-the-market-sales-volume against, it'll be difficult to gauge success. One year from now, Scion should be selling elsewhere and watching sales rise. If not, Scion can officially be labelled a failure.

Related From GoodCarBadCar.net
Scion's First Full Month Of Sales In Canada - October 2010
Scion xB Profile Photo Comparo With Kia Soul & Nissan Cube
Honda CR-Z 3 To Beat
2011 Scion iQ - Projected Price And MPG
Toyota's Scion Brand Will Come To Canada In 2010
Canada Auto Sales By Brand

FERRARI, ROLLS-ROYCE & ASTON MARTIN ARE ALL MANUFACTURERS OF SMALL CARS?

In a fight to be seen as both eco-conscious and economically aware, automakers which traditionally sell cars priced in the stratosphere are bringing their badges down to our level.

Aston Martin will be applying its grimacing grille to the front end of the Toyota iQ. They'll call it the Aston Martin Cygnet; they'll lux it up a fair bit; and they'll double the price.

Ferrari, meanwhile, will stick its badges on the 695 Tributo Ferrari, a hopped-up version of the Fiat 500. At least the Fiat 500 695 Tributo Ferrari will be significantly quicker than the regular 500, something that can't be said of the Cygnet.

Finally we have Rolls-Royce. The manufacturer of Phantoms and Drophead Coupes will soon be known as a custom outfitter of Mini Coopers. Mini Rolls will supposedly look just like regular Minis but inside - oh yes, inside - Rolls will have its way with high-end materials. Perhaps an umbrellla in the door, too?

Obviously the connection between Fiat and Ferrari is obvious. Fiat owns 85% of the autonomously-run supercar producer. Mini and Rolls-Royce are both owned by Germany-based BMW. But the Aston Martin/Toyota relationship is a curious one. Regardless, all three of the high-dollar brands will be endlessly criticized for degrading their brand values.

If part of what makes the Ferrari 458 Italia so special is its exclusivity, doesn't a commonplace Fiat 500 Tributo lessen that joy?

Consider the outrageous prices Rolls-Royce clients justify as a result of uncommon leather-lined seating and permanently upright wheelhub badges. Do you really want to pay so much more for the privilege when Mini customers receive some of the same treatments?

Meanwhile Aston Martin isn't simply badging Toyota iQs with logos from Gaydon. No, Aston is changing the whole look of the car. So the same company which builds the V8 Vantage, DB9, Rapide, and DBS will sell city cars?

However, there will be an unseemly amount of short term gain. Why else would Ferrari, Rolls-Royce, and Aston Martin participate in such a scheme? Businesses are on this planet to generate profits. Peering through the long-term tunnel to see the negative impacts come 2016 is not an easy procedure. In terms of these increasingly common small car ventures, it's a procedure to which certain supercar manufacturers are unwilling to submit.

NEXT NEW FONT: TOYOTA IQ

Naturally, the connection between driving and writing remains strong here at GoodCarBadCar.net. Driving, after all, is what The Good Car Guy does. Quite clearly, writing is also what The Good Car Guy does.

Strengthening the link between driving and writing is Toyota's iQ.... along with some intelligent and talented people. Check out the new iQ font in the clip below.

iQ font - When driving becomes writing / Full making of from wireless on Vimeo.

HOW CONSUMER REPORTS RELIABILITY RANKINGS RELATE TO GCBC AWARDS

Late last year and in early 2008, The Good Car Guy handed out twenty awards. Well, let's be honest: eight of them were shameful awards. The Good 12 and The Bad 8  place significance on vehicles that can be purchased by people you and I know - no Ferraris, Lamborghinis, or Bentleys. Of the hundreds and hundreds of different models available to the North American consumer, The Good 12 tells you which you should buy if at all possible in 2008 and The Bad 8 makes very clear which cars you should not buy if at all avoidable.

Of course, those vehicles are in the running for 2009's Good 12 and Bad 8. If they're still the best, they ought to be recognized that way. But before that comes, it appears that Consumer Reports has released its reliability rankings, pieces of news in which many consumers (how ironic) place a great amount of trust.

So, how do those rankings compare with The Good 12 and The Bad 8? Have a look below.

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Small Cars: Consumer Reports says the Scion xD and Mini Cooper Clubman are at or near the top while the Nissan Versa sedan is the worst. The Good 12 holds fast on the regular Mini Cooper while the Versa sedan resides in The Bad 8.

Family Cars: Consumer Reports puts the Toyota Prius and Kia Optima at or near the top with the Chrysler Sebring and Dodge Avenger platform-mates at the bottom. GoodCarBadCar.net is silent on the topic.

Sporty, Coupes, & Convertibles: Consumer Reports places the Lexus SC430 and Volco C30 at the top with the Chrysler Sebring convertible and Saturn Sky at the bottom. The Bad 8 has both the Sebring and Lexus SC in its grasp.

Luxury Cars: Infiniti's M35 and Lexus IS250 are CR's most reliable; the V8-powered Cadillac STS and V8-powered Mercedes-Benz E-Class are at the bottom. GoodCarBadCar.net speaks neither well or ill of all four.

Minivans/Wagons: The Toyota Matrix and Scion xB are the best of the bunch in CR's rankings, the Chrysler twins (Town & Country, Grand Caravan) are the worst. GoodCarBadCar.net is silent.

In the SUV/truck arena, the Toyota Tundra; Honda Ridgeline; Toyota Sequoia; Honda Pilot; Lexus RX400h; Honda Element, and Toyota FJ Cruiser are all leaders of their respective packs. Conversely, the Ford F-250; Land Rover LR2; Saturn Vue in V6 all-wheel drive form; Land Rover Range Rover; Volkswagen Touareg; V8-powered and diesel-fired Mercedes-Benz GL-Class; and the Dodge Dakota 4x4 are all unreliable by Consumer Reports' standards.

One more thing: Consumer Reports also said the Honda Fit; smart fortwo; and Infiniti G35 are "also very reliable". Those cars are in The Good 12.