Video of the Scion xD

Goin' to the mall with the xD

So it was time for a little daddy-daughter quality time, so we headed off to Upper Canada Mall.  I moved the car seat over to the xD.  Installation went smoothly as the xD has the standard anchor points.  The only issue was attaching the rear strap.  In order to get to the anchor I had to remove the floor of the trunk.  Not a big deal, since it is not something you would do on a regular basis, it's just that I found on other cars it was easier to do.

The car seat fit comfortably.  My daughter had room to kick her legs without hitting the back of the front seat, for the most part.  As she gets bigger, though, she'll definitely be within striking distance.

Loading up the trunk I found that the stroller barely fit across the back of the trunk.  Something to consider when buying a car of this size. I do love the hatchback design, though.  I really wonder why I've never owned a small hatchback myself?










I think the trunk size would be suitable for a family weekend getaway, but for anything longer you might want to look at roof-top storage.  Scion Canada installed a Thule roof-rack system on this car.  Never having used a Thule roof-rack system before I can't comment on how well they work, but hopefully they are easy to put-on and take-off.  I'd hate to have to drive this car all the time with the rack on - it somewhat ruins the lines of the car.

Overall, this car has really exceed all my expectations.  It would make a fine daily driver.  My full review will be posted shortly, so please check back.

Test Driving the Scion xD

Praise Jeebus! That was my first thought getting into the Scion xD.  They managed to put the instrument panel in its proper location - in front of the driver!


Scion Canada has been generous enough to offer me a chance to drive the 2011 Scion xD for a few days, following my drive of the xB in December.  Read my review of the xB here.  So I headed out to the corporate offices of Toyota/Scion during the afternoon rush hour - never fun - to pick up this little car.

First thing I noticed were the gorgeous  18" TRD rims.  They really fill out the wheel wells very nicely and provide a nice aggressive stance for the car.  Fortunately they are wearing a set of Continental winter tires, which came in handy last night and this morning.

My first impressions of the car are very positive.  So far it has managed to greatly exceed my expectations.  

A couple of oddities, at least to me.  First, the rear window defroster doesn't shut off automatically, which is foreign to me.  Secondly, it has a tachometer, even though it has an automatic transmission.  This is a nice touch.  Most of all, I am really pleased with the engine they chose to put into this car.  It is the 4 cylinder base Corolla engine, which is a very nice step-up from the power plant in the Yaris, the xD's sibling.  Power is more than adequate for a car of this size.

I'll be posting my thoughts and comments over the next week or so, so please check back again for updates.

Ahhh, a properly located IP.  Thank you Scion.

Scion Release Series coming to Canada

Just got a Tweet from Scion Canada and they advised that the Scion Release Series will be arriving in Canada this summer.  Great news from Scion!  My prediction (read it here)  about having to wait a while for the Release Series to arrive in Canada was, fortunately, a little off. Can't wait to see what models and features they offer north of the border.

Scion xB RS 8.0 has arrived... in the States

Sciclonic.com  reports (Read their post here) that the 2011 Scion xB Release Series 8.0 has started to arrive at dealerships.  Scion apparently puts out a special edition car at the rate of approximately one per year.  For 2011 it is the xB Release Series 8.0, and it features the following:

Source: Autoblog.com

• Voodoo Blue paint job
• revised, more aggreesive body kit
• RS 8.0 logos and numbered badge
• power tilt'n'slide moonroof
• optional painted rear spoiler

Really, the only exclusive features are the colour and sunroof.  The sunroof is not available in any other xB model.  Seems to me that the roof would be a nice addition.

Will Canada get a special edition in the future? Probably. Soon? Probably not.  Special editions are usually used to drum up some excitement and media coverage.  Scion is only a few months old in Canada, so there really is no need to try and drive up sales with a special edition.  I would expect that they will eventually arrive in Canada.  Maybe sooner than I think?

[Sources: Sciclonic.com, Autoblog.com]

Scion VP - Volume is not a goal...

Autoblog.com sat down with Scion VP Jack Hollis and a number of different issues were addressed by him.  Despite a 20% reduction in U.S.  sales in 2010, compared to 2009, Hollis stated that those numbers are only important "if volume is your goal".  Hollis went on to suggest Scion could double their sales numbers through the use of incentives, but will retain their non-negotiable sales prices.


Hollis also provided some information on the average age of a Scion buyer in the States.  The median age in 2010 was 41.5 years, up from 40 years old a year prior.  He also restated that a goal of Scion was to bring new buyers to the Toyota family.  To that end, buyers of the second gen vehicles include a similar mix to the first gen cars.  Apparently 70% of the first gen xA and xB buyers were new to Toyota.


The good news a Scion fan can take away from this is that Toyota is squarely behind the Scion brand.  In conjunction with the comments Toyota's President Akio Toyoda (read my previous post) made earlier in the week, one can rest easy that the Scion brand will be around for some time to come.  Scion seems to be achieving the goals Toyota set out for it when it was introduced to the U.S. 


Read the full Autoblog.com post here.  I also wanted to compliment Autoblog.com for giving Scion some coverage.


[Source: Autoblog.com]

Canadian Debut of the Scion iQ

The Scion iQ had its Canadian debut at the Montreal International Auto Show today.  The 2012 Scion iQ is expected to arrive at dealerships later this year.  Some of the features of this car are:

• 10 airbags, including the first rear-window curtain airbag
• estimated fuel consumption of just over 5 litres per 100 km
• 1.3 Litre engine putting out 90 hp

Probably the most impressive feature is the fuel economy.  I don't think my wife's motorcycle gets that good of mileage!  From the Toyota Canada press relaease:

“The Scion iQ is the boldest example to date of the Scion brand philosophy,” Mr. Hutchinson continued. “It’s the ultimate small, urban-friendly, fuel efficient vehicle that’s big on style, features and safety, and offers the functionality and comfort that drivers expect from a vehicle twice its size.”

I'm sure this car will find its market.   I can certainly see the value in a small urban vehicle like this.  For someone living downtown, working and socializing in Toronto, a car like this would be ideal.  Especially with its smaller dimensions and maneuverability, parking and driving in the City would be a breeze.


Full press release and photo gallery is here.

[Source: Toyota Canada]

Breaking News: Scion will not be axed.

Automotive News reports that Toyota Motor President Akio Toyoda has stated that 

"despite three years of lackluster sales, Toyota's Scion youth brand is not in danger of being shut down".  

 It seems from the report that Scion sales have declined significantly since the brand was launched in the United States.  In particular, 2010 sales were down 21% from 2009.  The thinking is that Scion is a youth brand, and youth have had difficulty in recent years getting car loans.

"Toyoda said Scion's position within the Toyota family is important as the developer of fun-to-drive vehicles that feature “exhilaration and excitement.”

“I am one of the test-drivers within Toyota,” he said. “I have a preoccupation with vehicles that have great emotional excitement, and Scion can bring that sort of excitement to the fore.""

Good to hear that Toyota's President is interested in exciting vehicles.  Hopefully, we'll see more of those vehicles in the future from Toyota and Scion.  Read the full story here.


[Source: Automotive News]

LIVE: "Take on the Machine"

The "Take on the Machine" game is now live at machine.scionnation.ca .  A previous release suggested it wasn't going to be available until tomorrow, to coincide with the opening of the Montreal Auto Show.

Source: machine.scionnation.ca

Scion at NAIAS

Source: Scion Canada via Facebook

Scion Canada has posted some photos from the Scion booth at the North American International AutoShow in Detroit on their Facebook page.  My favourite of the bunch is this xD in Castrol colours (right).  This obviously brings back memories of the Toyota rally cars, like the Celica and Corolla.


Check out their entire gallery here.

"Take on the Machine"

Looks like Scion Canada is giving away a 2011 Scion tC, and all you need to do is play a game.  That's right, something you'll probably do anyway.  Best of all, you don't even need to win, just play.


This sounds a bit interesting - the game controller is actually an encoded marker that you use as a steering wheel.  A webcam picks up your movements and translates them into the actions on the screen.  The game will be introduced January 13th at the Montreal Auto Show, as well as online.  Try it out at a number of Canadian auto shows, including the Canadian International AutoShow in Toronto.


So go on, have some fun, and you might even win a 2011 Scion tC.  Full details are at Scionnation "Take on the Machine".


[Source: Scionnation.ca]
UPDATE: This is sort of related, well, so far as it relates to video games anyway.  Here's a Nintendo inspired xB.

Source: Autospies.com

Autoblog.com also has a video of it. Read the full post here.

[Sources: Autoblog.com, Autospies.com]

Toyota Zelas

Here's an interesting bit of information - the Scion tC is going to be sold in China in 2011 as the Toyota Zelas.  No information on whether or not there will be any significant changes to the tC for the Chinese market.

[Source: autoevolution.com]

Toyota Introduces Entune

With the Consumer Electronic Show coming later this week, Toyota is introducing it's version of Ford's Sync in-car multimedia system.  According to the press release (read the full release here) it comes with the largest number of mobile apps.  The system links with your smartphone through a Bluetooth connection and uses your phone's data plan to access the internet.


Most intriguing to me are the music apps - Pandora & iheartradio.  This may very well herald the end of terrestrial radio as we have known it.  The ability to integrate internet radio easily into your vehicle's entertainment system opens up a whole new world of music sources.  While satellite radio has been available for a number of years, internet radio seems to be the future.  Even Howard Stern has said that SiriusXm, the only sat radio company, will be moving towards more of an internet radio service.


Hopefully Entune will be embraced by the various app developers so that new apps are quickly developed.  The apps must be easily installed by the average user for Entune to be successfull.


While Toyota has indicated limited initial availability, I fully expect it will make it's way to Scion.  This type of development is squarely aimed at a younger audience - the audience Scion is targetting.  I just hope the cost of adding the Entune option is kept reasonable.


Some of the other features include:

• Bing
• MovieTickets.com
• OpenTable.com
• Location-based services, such as personalized traffic, gas prices, weather and sports
• Also includes read-back and replay of text messages

Autoblog.com has a video that shows off some of the features.  Have a look at it:

[Sources: Autoblog.com, Toyota]

Toyota FT-86 Logo

Car and Driver claims to have uncovered the logo for the upcoming Toyota FT-86.  The logo shows off an "86" in the centre.  The "86" is a nod to the Toyota AE86 from the 80's, which now has a bit of a cult following in the drifting world.   It is also suggested that the opposing pistons is a reference to the boxer style of engine.  The FT-86 has been co-developed with Subaru (Toyota owns a chunk of Subaru) and is expected to be delivered with a Subaru boxer engine.

Source: Car and Driver

So why is a story about a Toyota on a Scion blog? Some have suggested that the FT-86 may actually arrive to market as a Scion.  The Wall Street Journal, via Autoblog.com, reports that:

"...Toyota management told dealers in Las Vegas there will be a production version of the FT-86 badged as a Scion model. The move would help bolster the struggling brand, which has been a bit product-starved of late. There are also rumors of a new price point – as high as $25,000 – and the possibility that the Subaru version will only be available in Europe."

I think if this logo is accurate, that it puts to rest the idea of the FT-86 being badged as a Scion.  The AE86 is something of an iconic car for Toyota and has no ties to Scion.  Why include the "86" in th logo if it isn't a Toyota?

Of course they could sell it as a Toyota in most markets and as a Scion in North America. Seems to me it would compete with the tC, to a certain extent, so far as being a small 2-door coupe.  I'd rather see it as a Toyota to bring a bit of sportiness back to that brand!


[Sources: Car and Driver, Autoblog.com]

Nice example of an AE86
Source: http://ae86levinandtrueno.blogspot.com/

Toyota FT-86 Concept

Toyota FT-86 Concept
Source: Autoblog.com