Toyota’s youth-oriented Scion brand introduces two brand-new cars, the 2016 iA subcompact sedan and iM compact hatchback
By BRIAN WONG
will represent a third of the six-vehicle Scion lineup when they debut, and will be half of it soon after, once dealers sell out their remaining stock of discontinued xB and iQ models. That makes these two cars vitally important to the brand’s future success.
The iA was developed in conjunction with Mazda, and based on the next-generation Mazda2.
The iM, on the other hand, is purely a Toyota venture, sharing a chassis with the Scion tC.
In keeping with the Scion way, both of these models are mono spec, meaning they come in only one trim level. Buyers can choose their transmission and a few limited additions, Starting at $16,495 (iA) and $19,255 (iM), including destination.
Scion had preproduction versions of both vehicles on hand, with each transmission option available to drive as well.
Our day started in the iA with the six-speed manual. It clearly felt like a Mazda product, and Scion confirmed as much. Mazda supplied the chassis, transmissions and engine, and did all of the suspension and steering tuning as well. Even the key fob was provided by Mazda, with a Scion logo slapped on.
The iA felt much more composed and confident on the road than the larger iM. The steering is well-weighted and accurate, and most importantly gives ample feedback so you can tell exactly what the front tires are doing.
Under the hood, there’s only 106 horsepower coming from the 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine. It’s not a lot of power and as you might expect, the iA has some trouble off the line. However, once you do get going and keep the engine up in the rev range, the iA is a fun little machine. It has that Mazda characteristic of feeling fast while being slow, without having enough power to get you into real trouble.
The Mazda six-speed manual is predictably good, with short, crisp throws and well-defined gates that made it easy to up or downshift. The digital tachometer to the left of the speedometer is small and hard to read though.
The six-speed automatic in the iA and the CVT in the iM are both adequate. Both models do offer a Sport mode button, which holds onto gears a bit longer and actually removes a throttle delay built into the iM that is ostensibly there for fuel economy, but it just ends up making the car feel more sluggish than it actually is.
Another area of direct comparison was the different infotainment systems. The iA once again shows its Mazda influence with a controller knob and floating 7-inch touch-screen powered by Mazda software. In the iM you’ll also find a 7-inch touch-screen that is center mounted in a large piano-black trim piece.
Both backseats are snug, as you’d expect from cars in these classes, and will suffice for quick trips, but for longer drives taller pas- sengers will be unavoidably uncomfortable.
There is a surprising amount of trunk room to be found in the iA: 13.49 cubic feet, while the iM offers even more utility with 20.8 cubic feet. Both offer 60/40-split folding rear seats for added flexibility.