WASHINGTON — I spent a few days exploring Valley Forge and Philadelphia driving two new small cars from Scion. Here’s a quick look now, and in the upcoming months, I’ll drive each of them for a week to see what these small cars are all about.
First up is the Scion iA, a new subcompact sedan — really a Mazda 2 sedan with some funky front end styling. With just 106hp, I wasn’t expecting much, but I was rather surprised — this had a bit of pep when matched with a manual transmission. (It also does OK with an automatic.)
You won’t be winning any races, but I didn’t feel like I was going to be run over by other traffic. It also handled well for a little subcompact sedan. That Mazda DNA helps out on the back roads. It has a sporty demeanor in a fuel thrifty package.
The iA starts at around $16,000 with the manual, and around $17,000 for an automatic. That and color are about the only factory options you can choose from; dealers have other options. The fuel mileage promises to be around 42 mpg on the highway.
The second car I drove was the new Scion iM, a funky, small five-door hatch sold as a Toyota in Europe. The iM was bigger than the iA, and more powerful, with a 137 hp four-cylinder engine. Again, the manual is the standard transmission, or you can choose a CVT automatic for about $800 more. The starting price for the iM is around $19,000 and comes in one trim level, so you just pick the color and transmission you want from the factory. The dealers, again, have many items for you to customize your ride, including a sporty suspension and other exterior bits.
The iM has a decent amount of space inside, and dual-zone climate control is a welcome addition for the price. The interior is nice for the price, with softer touch materials throughout the cabin. The 137 hp is just enough, and it feels a bit better with the manual transmission. The look stands out and seems to be a better fit as a Scion than a Toyota. It is a fine commuter car with good space inside.
With its standout styling and affordable price, I can easily see why the new Scion iA/iM is expanding the model lineup for Toyota’s hipper, younger brand.
