Toyota Just Killed Off Its Scion Brand

“We appreciate our 1,004 Scion dealers and the support they’ve given the brand”, said Bob Carter, Toyota senior vice president of automotive operations, in a statement.

Either way, soon we’ll find out if Toyota’s plan to use Scion to induct young shoppers into the fold actually worked.

According to a sales history of Scion provided in a Toyota news release, annual new-car sales for the brand peaked in 2006 at 173,034. Earlier this morning, Scion made an announcement that from the beginning of August, all 2017 model year Scion models will be sold under the Toyota name. However, the tC coupe will be given one final edition and then sent out to pasture at the end of the 2016 model year. Scion gave us a look at the C-HR concept, which was supposed to presage a new compact crossover for the brand.

A spokeswoman said Toyota would realise “efficiencies” from not having to promote a separate brand, but declined to provide figures. Toyota arguably owns the trend-and the most successful example-with Lexus, which rebranded Japanese-market Toyotas like the Soarer and Camry with a side helping of added luxury. Toyota sold just 56,167 Scion vehicles in 2015, reflecting a broader drop in sales of small cars in a USA market that is tilting towards larger sport utility vehicles and trucks. The small, oddball lineup never connected with buyers and cost a bit more, since features like touchscreens that were optional on other cars came standard on Scions.

The auto didn’t have much technology, heck, the technology it did have was bad, but it was the best vehicle to ever wear a Scion badge. In fact, 65 per cent of Scion buyers in Canada were new to the brand and it had the lowest average client age in Canada at 39. It’s unclear if the Scion models will simply be killed off or if they will transition to Toyota models. Delivers were up in January by 38 percent, likely associated with the arrival of the new iA and iM, however 2015 sales slid by 3.2 percent and 2014 numbers plummeted by 15 percent.

Scion’s staff of 22, representing sales, marketing, distribution, strategy, product, and accessories will have new roles at Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. But she says she would consider a Toyota in the future, especially if the brand adopts no-haggle pricing.

From August 2016, all Scion models will undergo a rebadge process.