Scion

The 2012 Scion iQ 
Scion Shows Off Their High iQ

The automakers at Scion have managed to do what other automakers have tried and failed: and that is making a micro compact car right.

We recently received our first 2012 Scion iQ at our store and we are absolutely in love with it. The Scion iQ will be available across the U.S. early this year. The iQ has a starting MSRP of only $15,265,

Look and Design

The iQ is set up with a 3+1 seating configuration that has enough room for three adults and a child. It is equipped with 50/50 rear seats that fold flat for cargo transportation.

The iQ is only 120 inches long, yet Scion figured out a way to make it work. To make more room for occupants, Scion equipped the iQ with a flat gas tank that is housed beneath the floor to reduce rear overhang. The Scion tech’s also stocked the iQ with a compact air conditioning unit that takes up very little room.

The 2012 Scion iQ comes standard with a 1.3-liter, four-cylinder engine that produces 94 hp and 89 lb/ft of torque. It uses Scion’s VVT-I technology which allows it to output as much horsepower as vehicles much larger than the iQ without sacrificing on fuel efficiency. The EPA estimates that the iQ can getup to a whopping 37 mpg in combined city/highway driving. 

Safety

Now, we know what some of you are thinking. At first glance many drivers will wonder about how safe such a small car is, and to those drivers we are glad to report that Scion managed to make this vehicle tiny without sacrificing its safety features.

The iQ features the Toyota Star Safety System which include such technological advancements such as Antilock Brakes (ABS) and Brake Assist (BA), Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD), Traction Control (TRAC), Vehicle Stability Control (VSC) and Smart Stop Technology brake override.

While the above safety features can help prevent an accident, they do happen. In case you do get in an accident, Scion stocked the 2012 iQ with 11 standard airbags. Furthermore, the Scion iQ was designed to have high-strength steel and crumple zones that help divert the energy given off by the crash away from the passenger compartment.

Ergonomics and Entertainment

Making the iQ small and safe were important features that Scion wanted to implement, but they weren’t the only features. Today’s car buyer demands a comfortable ride with an interactive infotainment system, and the iQ excels in every aspect.

The 2012 Scion iQ starts comes standard equipped with a ridiculously powerful (that’s right, we said ridiculously) 160-watt maximum output Pioneer stereo system that features HD Radio, CD and a USB port that allows drivers to plug in their MP3 player or smart phone. This masterpiece of a stereo features an organic electroluminescent (OEL) screen (which comes with a personalized welcome screen), iPod connectivity, Advanced Sound Retriever and a RCA output in case you want to go a step further and add a subwoofer.

The iQ features Bluetooth connectivity, which allows you to use your phone hands free and allows you to stream music straight from your phone. This is a great feature that makes the Scion iQ a very entertaining vehicle to be in.

For those of you who aren’t impressed and want to take it a step further, Scion offers an optional 200-watt Pioneer Premium audio system. This bad boy adds a 5.8-inch LCD touchscreen display to the standard audio system, and it features iTunes tagging, Pandora Internet Radio connected through iPhone and six RCA outputs in case you want to add external amplifiers.

Taking it one step further, Scion offer a third Multimedia Package that includes a 200-watt SNS 200 system that adds a navigation system and DVD player to the standard system. The navigation system and DVD player are accessible through a seven-inch touchscreen LCD display.

Scion designers also gave the Scion iQ a touch of class by giving each model a leather steering wheel with a flat bottom for an impressive racing feel. The steering wheel comes with standard audio controls, which gives the driver access to all that wonderful technology mentioned above without ever having to take his/her hands from the wheel. 

Verdict

Simply put, the 2012 Scion iQ leaves all of the other micro cars in the dust. The iQ has great fuel economy, excellent technology and , most importantly, it is actually safe! 

We are so happy to finally have the 2012 Scion in our lots to play with. So come take a test drive, we promise you won’t be disappointed.

Keep checking back with us at Jerry’s Scion for a video walk through of the 2012 Scion iQ. For more information stop by our store at 8001 Belair Rd Baltimore, MD 21236 or check us out on the web at http://jerrysscion.com/ .

You can also like us on facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jerrys-Scion/118792004812856 and follow us on twitter at @jerrysscion.

The Scion FR-S hits a top speed of 142 mph and can do 0-62 in six seconds. But raw speed is not the goal, the model's main focus points are:

• Achieve a low price point that can attract recent college graduates.

• Strive for fun-to-drive handling with a low center of gravity.

• Deliver a ride that can be easily customized and tuned by car enthusiasts.

• Remove fancy electronic control systems and turbochargers.

Toyota hasn't disclosed a price or gas-mileage estimates. But the company has said it is targeting a sticker price around $26,000.

Toyota decided to use as few computer controls as possible so it is you driving the car, instead of the car driving you. The 86 was jointly developed with Subaru. Toyota did the styling, while Subaru provided the four-cylinder horizontally opposed boxer engine. Subaru will build both versions at its factory in Gumma, Japan. The car's name in Japan -- 86 -- is after the popular AE86 line of Corolla-based sports cars that Toyota introduced in the 1980s. In Europe, the car will be sold as the Toyota GT 86.

This car won't satisfy everyone, Toyota focused on driving feel, not on numbers. Toyota broke with a long tradition of designing by committee to deliver a car rendered by sports car enthusiasts assembled from within the company. The new Scion FR-S gets a 2.0-liter four cylinder, DOHC boxer engine from Subaru equipped with Toyota's D-4S fuel injection system. It comes mated to either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission, while delivering 200 horsepower and topping out at 7,000 RPM. The fuel injection system has twin injectors for both direct and port injection. The car enters production next spring, and goes on sale next year in the United States.

The interior styling reflects a no-frills, practical look focusing on old-school dials and switches -- built around the tachometer. Some paneling is simply shiny black plastic, while other trim gets a carbon fiber texture. The bucket seats have red stitching with ample side bolstering. The steering wheel is the smallest in the Toyota lineup with a diameter of 14 inches. Toyota says this provides optimal steering performance and grip. The back seats fold down to provide space for luggage or -- racing tires and tool kits.

The 2012 Scion xB (MSRP starting at $16,300) is one of those rare vehicles that isn’t all that easy to classify. In fact, Scion created its own term and called the xB an “urban utility vehicle.” With nearly 70 cubic feet of available cargo space, the xB can carry goods like a crossover, but you’ll never confuse it with the bean-shaped crossovers plying the highways today. Its 158-hp, 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine is peppy enough to feel like a sport wagon, and at the same time, up to 28 mpg on the highway means the xB is extremely efficient.

Classifying the xB isn’t important to buyers, but value is and the xB is loaded with it. The xB is standard with 16-inch wheels, keyless entry and a 160-watt Pioneer audio system with an auxiliary audio input jack, USB connectivity for your MP3 player, HD Radio and Bluetooth phone and audio streaming. Also available is a 200-watt Pioneer system with 5.8-inch LCD touchscreen, iTunes tagging and Pandora radio. Both systems utilize Scion Sound Processing and allow listeners to choose from one of three equalizer settings, plus all xB models come standard with speed-sensitive volume control as well.

The Scion xB is one hot ride, but it’s also built to protect its occupants. The xB has front and rear side-curtain airbags, advanced airbags for the driver and front passenger and driver and passenger seat-mounted side airbags. Further, the xB adds Toyota’s Star Safety System^™, which includes Traction Control (TRAC), Anti-lock Brakes (ABS), Vehicle Stability Control (VSC), Brake Assist (BAS) and Smart Stop Technology. Impressive, right? But there is more. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has awarded the xB with a Top Safety Pick designation after it earned the highest-possible score in front-, side- and rear-impact crash protection and roof strength.

The 2012 Scion xB is a lot of things, and the best part of all is that it doesn’t take much to make this great-looking ride your own.