{"id":97252,"date":"2015-08-05T17:33:25","date_gmt":"2015-08-05T21:33:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.thedetroitbureau.com\/?p=97252"},"modified":"2015-08-05T17:33:25","modified_gmt":"2015-08-05T21:33:25","slug":"first-drive-2016-scion-im","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/2015\/08\/first-drive-2016-scion-im\/","title":{"rendered":"First Drive: 2016 Scion iM"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
The 2016 Scion iM gives the brand an aggressive looking hatchback that hits showrooms on Sept. 1.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Scion is in the middle of a revamp of its line-up to reinvigorate its youthful buying base and as part of that, it\u2019s debuting the new iM that slots right into a growing segment in the U.S.: hatchbacks.<\/p>\n

Actually, what\u2019s really getting attention is the \u201chot hatch\u201d group and, to be honest, powered by a 1.8-liter four cylinder putting out 137 horsepower, the iM is not in that group, which includes things like the Focus RS, the JCW Mini, VW Golf GTI, Chevrolet Sonic RS and the Fiat 500 Abarth.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Product News!<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

However, with a six-speed manual, comfortable seats combined with an aggressive exterior, Scion gives potential buyers a fresh offering of a growing product segment that is a lot of fun to drive \u2026 when you wring out that little engine.<\/p>\n

To be fair, Scion\u2019s iM isn\u2019t really looking to get into a wrestling match with a Fiesta ST, but that isn\u2019t really the brand\u2019s goal. It\u2019s looking to provide buyers good value with style, convenience and versatility and the iM\u2019s got that in spades, starting with the distinctive piano black front fascia and hexagonal grille that makes the iM look, well, angry \u2026 almost as if it has something to prove.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
The new iM is powered by a 1.8-liter four cylinder putting out 137 horsepower.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It comes in seven colors Blizzard Pearl, Classic Silver Metallic, Black Sand Pearl, Barcelona Red Metallic, Spring Green Metallic and Electric Storm Blue. While the silver is kind of ho-hum, and the Spring Green Metallic will likely be the favorite of the under 25 crowd, the blue and red are showstoppers with the blue being the best looking of the group.<\/p>\n

Scion\u2019s vehicles are all \u201cmonospec,\u201d which means the car comes pretty well equipped for less than $20,000. There are basically two IMs to choose from: the $18,460 for the manual transmission and $19,200 for the CVTi- S model. A $795 delivery, processing and handling fee is not included in the MSRP.<\/p>\n

What are the other options? Basically, you have to decide if you want a navigation system for $395. There are a few other items available from Scion, including body graphics, cargo area enhancements, interior light kit and all-weather floor mats, to make it look and feel sportier.<\/p>\n

In addition to coming in below $20K, the iM is easy on the bank account when it comes to gas. While gas prices are currently as prices so low \u2013 in most areas of the country anyway \u2013 that drivers pinch themselves every time they stop at a gas pump, the iM only enhances that feeling by getting an EPA estimated 28 city\/37 hwy\/32 combined for the CVTi-S model and 27 city\/36 hwy\/31 combined for the six-speed manual.<\/p>\n

All of this value-oriented stuff is fine, but brand\u2019s buyers are young and they not only want to save a buck, they expect a lot for the bucks they are spending, according to the Scion officials. In terms of performance and handling, I\u2019d say it delivers, but you\u2019ve got to work at it.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
The dash and center console get a very sleek looking, glossy black treatment with a 7-inch touchscreen radio\/nav system really stands out.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The car launches nicely from a standstill, but in order to get sufficient power to pass (or simply enjoy curvy roads) keeping the RPMs in the 4,000 range is vital. Once I figured that out, it was a pleasure having the control of the six-speed manual. The automatic features a \u201cSport\u201d mode with seven shift points aimed at providing a similar result.<\/p>\n

(Scion looking to make buyer process quicker, easier. For more, <\/em><\/strong>Click Here<\/a><\/span><\/strong>.)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

While the automaker gets sport mode, the manual gets Hill Start Assist, which helps prevent rollback when pulling away from a stop sign or traffic light on an incline, as standard equipment.<\/p>\n

Sitting on 17-inch alloy wheels with four-wheel independent suspension, including the double-wishbone rear and high-strength steel the iM delivers a ride that ranges from comfortable to predictable. While that sounds like a slight, it\u2019s not. In a little car like the iM, knowing it will react predictably is a bonus.<\/p>\n

Again, it\u2019s not a hot hatch with a hugely beefed up suspension to match the screamingly powerful engine. It performs well for a small car, it\u2019s just not a sports car and for $20K, that\u2019s pretty good.<\/p>\n

However, if you want to squeeze out some improvement in the iM\u2019s performance, Scion\u2019s got you covered. Through Toyota\u2019s Racing Development arm buyers can add an air intake system, sway bar, lowering springs and other items aimed at improving the hatchback\u2019s on-road performance.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
The rear 60\/40 split seat folds down to provide iM drivers with plenty of utility.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On the inside, the iM really shines. The dash and center console get a very sleek looking, glossy black treatment that allows the gauges to be easily read and the 7-inch touchscreen radio\/nav system really stands out. The screen is also used for the standard rear-mounted camera. It\u2019s a very attractive package. The only downside to it was that occasionally I had a hard time seeing the screen due to sun shining in.<\/p>\n

(<\/em>Click Here<\/a><\/span>\u00a0to see more about Scion\u2019s plans to reconnect with young buyers.)<\/em><\/strong><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The sound system was clear and easy to use. It easily connected to my iPhone via Bluetooth and phone calls were clear, although others driving the iM reported that people at the other end of the phone line reported difficulty hearing clearly until the air conditioner was turned all the way down: a problem I didn\u2019t experience.<\/p>\n

The 4.2-inch color TFT multi-information display (Scion\u2019s first) between the main instrument gauges provides displays for the car\u2019s audio system and other functions. Adjusting the view on what you want to see takes a little work at first, but it\u2019s not difficult to master and would be second nature after an hour behind the wheel.<\/p>\n

An abundance of soft-touch materials on the inside give the car a look of a vehicle that\u2019s more expensive and there is enough sound deadening material to keep road noise to a minimum adding to that perception.<\/p>\n

Scion likes to borrow from its more expensive cousins at Toyota and Lexus and the iM does with with dual-zone automatic A\/C control, color-keyed heated power-folding exterior mirrors (clear up fog or frost in a hurry, and auto on\/off headlamps are another convenience typically found on more expensive models.<\/p>\n

(To get TDB\u2019s first impressions of the new Scion iA, <\/em>Click Here<\/a><\/span>.)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The 2016 iM is covered by a three-year\/36,000-mile limited warranty and five-year\/60,000-mile powertrain warranty. It also comes with Scion Service Boost, a complimentary plan covering normal factory-scheduled maintenance for two years or 25,000 miles, whichever comes first, and two years of 24-hour roadside assistance.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Scion is in the middle of a revamp of its line-up to reinvigorate its youthful buying base and as part of that, it\u2019s debuting the new iM that slots right into a growing segment in the U.S.: hatchbacks. TDB took the new hatch out for a spin, get our impressions at TheDetroitBureau.com.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4389,"featured_media":97254,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_mo_disable_npp":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[],"make":[],"post-state":[],"category_old":[151],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/97252"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4389"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=97252"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/97252\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/97254"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=97252"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=97252"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=97252"},{"taxonomy":"make","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/make?post=97252"},{"taxonomy":"post-state","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/post-state?post=97252"},{"taxonomy":"category_old","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thedetroitbureau.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/category_old?post=97252"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}