Scion (automobile)

About Scion (automobile)

Scion was a marque of Toyota that debuted in 2003 and was available only in the United States and Canada. The marque was intended to appeal to younger customers: the Scion brand emphasized inexpensive, stylish, and distinctive sport compact vehicles, and used a simplified "pure price" sales concept that eschewed traditional trim levels and dealer haggling. Each vehicle was offered in a single trim with a non-negotiable base price, while a range of dealer-installed options was offered to buyers for personalizing their vehicles. The Scion name, meaning the descendant of a family or heir, refers both to the brand's cars and their owners. In an effort to target millennials, Scion primarily relied on guerrilla and viral marketing techniques. The brand first soft launched in the United States at selected Toyota dealers in the state of California in June 2003, before expanding nationwide by February 2004. Sales peaked in 2006 with 173,034 units sold. In 2010, Scion expanded into Canada. However, Toyota's initial propositions of short product cycles and aggressive pricing based on low dealer margins became increasingly unsustainable as sales fell after the 2008 financial crisis.