Another One Bites the Dust

Hello Readers!

If you've been following automotive news for the last week or so, you would know that several interesting things have happened. For one, Toyota announced a few days ago that the Scion brand is NO MORE. By the end of this coming summer, Scion will be discontinued and their remaining models will be absorbed into Toyota's main lineup. This is an interesting move, not so much because Scion was a relatively new brand, but due to the fact that Toyota will be absorbing their models.

Scion, Toyota's youthful brand, will be discontinued after the 2016 model year. Pictured above (from left to right): Scion Logo, FR-S, iA, xB (discontinued), tC, iM. Not pictured: Scion xA (discontinued), iQ (discontinued), or xD (discontinued)

For those who are unfamiliar: Scion was a "youthful" brand meant to draw a younger audience to Toyota showrooms. Initially introduced in 2003 for the 2004 model year, brand's first models were the xA and xB. Scion was a pretty big hit for awhile, similar to how Saturn was popular in the 90's the first several years after its launch. But also similar to Saturn, Scion began to lose its direction as the years went by. And while models got better, the brand lacked focus. In my eyes, Scion has been dead for years. I have yet to see any new iA or iM models driving on the road (although I THINK I caught a glimpse of an iA from the rear a couple weeks ago).

Back to why it is interesting Toyota will be absorbing Scion's models, including the upcoming C-HR crossover: Toyota is often viewed as a "boring" brand, you could say. I'm not sure if absorbing these models is going to make Toyota more appealing, or further tarnish the image of these models. The iA is simply a rebadged Mazda 2 compact sedan (which we don't get in America because Mazda makes the CX-3 on the same platform instead), and might cannibalize Corolla sales. The iM might work if it's renamed "Matrix" after the older Toyota hatchback, and FR-S don't really make sense within Toyota's lineup unless they revive an older name for it as well, like Celica. The Scion tC will be discontinued entirely according to Toyota. This is an unfortunate ending for yet another automotive brand that had a lot of potential. But at the same time, its a prime example of what happens when a market become to saturated with similar products with too little differentiation and poor marketing. Farewell Scion. Tell Pontiac and the other lost brands we all said hello...

Chrysler's 200 and Dodge's Dart are both built on the same platform.

In other news: Chrysler recently announced that not only will the Viper sports car be axed, but that its 200 midsized sedan and Dodge's compact Dart will BOTH be discontinued in the coming years. This is reportedly so Chrysler can focus on offering mainly crossovers and trucks in the coming years, with a new Dakota compact pickup reportedly rumored. With gas prices being lower again, these segments have become popular once more. Regardless, this really is a shocking move given how essential both of these models have been to Chrysler's portfolio. The 2015 Chrysler 200 I test drove wasn't my favorite vehicle of all time, but it certainly was a HUGE improvement over the old 200! And the Dart, while getting mixed reviews here and there, has been a big seller for FCA and Dodge in recent years. Given the amount of money that was invested in these models to introduce them, it seems like a real shame that they are being discontinued so quickly. Chrysler has said, however, that they are "looking at other options" for addressing the compact and midsized car segment.

A very big week indeed. What do you think? Is there a need for a "youthful" brand from automakers anymore? Is it wise for Chrysler to cut models like the 200 and Dart and focus on crossovers and trucks? What is your overall opinion of these brands? Let me know in the comment section. There's certainly bound to be more news unfolding soon. Keep checking back with Adam's Autos and the live news feed on this site for more of the latest news and reviews. 

ROLL ON READERS!

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