Photo: Daihatsu
In Japan, Toyota has tens of other small brands, each with their own customer basis and retail stores. But in America, there’s only the Scion brand, which right no is cool for only one reason, the FR-S sports coupe.
Scion seems to think that the client basis is key, not a diversified model lineup. Simply put, it wants to offer cheap, cool cars, such as the xB and XD... no wait, that’s not right.
When asked by AutoGuide about the possibility of offering a small crossover, Scion’s boss Doug Murtha seemed uninterested. This despite the recent success of the Nissan Juke, which has also spurred Honda to start work on a crossover variant of the next Fit/Jazz.
“I don’t know that that’s something we really need,” said Doug Murtha at the LA Auto Show. He admits that the Scion brand is, “about anything and everything,” and that, “from the standpoint of eclectic and new things, the Juke certainly occupies that space.” However, it’s the brand’s customer base, and not the product planners and executives who are hesitant, he says. “Historically we’ve found that segment hasn’t resonated with our target buyers.”
He’s right, of course, but every really small crossover until the Juke has been flawed in some major way. If they wanted something really cheap, the Daihatsu (a Toyota Asian brand) Terios would be a good place to start.
When asked by AutoGuide about the possibility of offering a small crossover, Scion’s boss Doug Murtha seemed uninterested. This despite the recent success of the Nissan Juke, which has also spurred Honda to start work on a crossover variant of the next Fit/Jazz.
“I don’t know that that’s something we really need,” said Doug Murtha at the LA Auto Show. He admits that the Scion brand is, “about anything and everything,” and that, “from the standpoint of eclectic and new things, the Juke certainly occupies that space.” However, it’s the brand’s customer base, and not the product planners and executives who are hesitant, he says. “Historically we’ve found that segment hasn’t resonated with our target buyers.”
He’s right, of course, but every really small crossover until the Juke has been flawed in some major way. If they wanted something really cheap, the Daihatsu (a Toyota Asian brand) Terios would be a good place to start.
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