Toyota’s cool, quirky Scion youth brand may still be hip but is no longer hot.

Sales, year-on-year, have dropped for 16 straight months. Since August, monthly sales have declined from each previous month, even though dealers have had two redesigned models in their showrooms during that period.

The first-generation Scions were hits right out of the box in 2003 and 2004. But generation two has struggled. All of which begs the question: Is this a brand built to last?

The changeover of two of Scion’s three models–the boxy xB and the xD hatchback–dragged on for months and helped depress sales 24.8 percent in 2007 to 130,181 units. But even with new vehicles, Scion can’t seem to pull out of its slump.

Continued w/ sales chart here:
http://scionnews.net/2008/03/03/scio...dels-struggle/

 

http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dl...&rssfeed=rss01

 

http://www.autoblog.com/2008/03/03/s...is-not-better/

 

Now here's a news thread that won't be on the front page.

 

why not!

someones bias...

 

yeah i had a feeling the new xB and and xD would struggle. I have been debating myself weather or not to buy the new xB and trade my 1st gen in, but i just cant fork over the keys. There are some of the things i like in the new xB, that i wish i could just swap over...

im still debating but I really do like my 1st gen...

 

There isn't much mention of the idea that it could be that the model line is now unappealing ...

http://subcompactculture.blogspot.co...-in-slump.html

 

in my opinion, when they should have kept them smaller and lighter weight like they were, they made them bigger with bigger engines... which is what the whole rest of the auto industry has been doing over the last 10 years... so they lost their ability to stand out in the crowd

 

Exactly....1st Gen xB and the xA are unique to me for many reasons but the small engine is certainly one of them. I went to the Auto Show downtown this past weekend and it seems all automakers are still going for "bigger is better." I was hoping to see more efficient models, but instead the MPG numbers overall seemed a lot lower than last year.....very disappointing.

 

good point fellow rochestarian... haha we were at the same auto show i take it... some of the reason for the lower gas milage in the last year is because the standards have changed to become more accurate to real life... every car went down, even if they didn't change the engine/tranny/shell, but yea a lot of manufacturers really need to start going the lean way instead of the fatter + bigger engine way... lotus has it right with the elise, 30mpg + 0-60 in 4.6...

 

and to top it off no JDM factor.....

 

i think the 1.8L in the xD is a nice upgrade and still gets decent mileage. Yeah the 2.4L in the new xB is faster, but they did add almost 1000lbs than the tC right? so that doesnt help the mileage either...