Scion Im

Discussions about other vehicles other than the Vibe & Matrix.
Post Reply
RRich89
Posts: 39
Joined: Sat May 02, 2015 2:12 pm

Scion Im

Post by RRich89 »

I've seen the Scion iM discussed in other topics on this board and I wanted to give it its own dedicated topic. Had my eye on it for a few months and now there are a few early reviews coming in. Car and Driver calls it the IMeh (http://www.caranddriver.com/scion/im), Motor Trend is more positive (http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/hat ... ve_review/) while a video review on CarScoops.com (http://www.carscoops.com/2015/07/new-sc ... -with.html) sits between the two. What are your thoughts?

I'm not looking to replace my '06 Vibe any time soon but like many of you I'm always on the lookout for the closest replacement. Same 1.8L engine and based on the Corolla those two facts make it the most direct 3rd Gen Matrix out there. I can't make a true judgement until I actually see it in person, but I don't think its a slam dunk replacement for me. It's only offered with a manual or CVT, no available sunroof, no available leather seats or heated seats. I don't dislike the styling but I don't particualry care for it either. Our first gen Vibes blurred the line between hatchback and small CUV long before the compact or sub-compact CUV (not sure what to call Chevy Trax, Honda HRV, Mazda CX-3) were first on American roads. The options are varied for Vibe owners and while making it difficult to make a decision just shows how far ahead of the time the Vibe was!
lannvouivre
Posts: 1601
Joined: Thu Jun 09, 2011 1:00 pm
Location: Texas yay

Re: Scion Im

Post by lannvouivre »

The only pro Toyotas have at this point is durability and reliability. I am pretty sick of Toyota's excessively conservative drivetrains. 137 hp? Seriously? And what terrible MPG for this day and age. That's just absurdly mediocre.

Come on, Toyota. You're not even pretending to try anymore. All you care about now is looks and reliability. Did you know there's a performance section? Efficiency?

Nope, I guess not.
"If you don't love me at my diddliest, you don't deserve me at my doodliest." - User ktluvscricket of reddit
star_deceiver
Posts: 5800
Joined: Fri Jun 05, 2009 1:49 pm
Location: Airdrie, AB

Re: Scion Im

Post by star_deceiver »

More power, please. Even as an expensive checked box on the option list...
2019 Ram 3500 4x4 CCSB srw 8HP75
2016 Ram 3500 4x4 RCLB Dually w/stick (traded in - 05/10/19)
2012 Chevy Silverado 1500 Cheyenne 4x4 (Traded in - 03/30/16)
2009 Vibe. (Traded in - 12/12/12)
User avatar
Chiadog
Posts: 971
Joined: Thu Aug 09, 2012 9:41 am
Location: Abrams, wisconsin

Re: Scion Im

Post by Chiadog »

Please Mazda, show Toyota how to make a Compact wagon!
RRich89
Posts: 39
Joined: Sat May 02, 2015 2:12 pm

Re: Scion Im

Post by RRich89 »

I get the feeling that both Toyota and Honda are in the resting on our laurels state of business. Kia and Hyundai have put some really nice looking cars out there and Ford has been in a renaissance mode, heck even GM is trying. I don't really think the Im is going to do much to rescue Scion. Toyota will come to their senses eventually though that may be a ways off.
jamsandwich
Posts: 26
Joined: Fri Sep 04, 2009 9:48 am

Re: Scion Im

Post by jamsandwich »

A pretty uneventful life for my '08 (other than getting rear-ended a couple years back) means I've only come around GenVibe on occasion, but the iM brought me back a few times recently.

I like the way it looks, and after some of the reviews I've read and watched I'm really interested to test it out when it releases in September. I think it looks good (closer to a Vibe than the Matrix was), and seems like it'll be a good value.

I'm not really in the market for a vehicle right now: I feel pretty good about my Vibe having a lot of life left, although I'm a little less confident about my wife's 09 Elantra Touring (it's had a variety of little ailments over the years and is starting to sound a little rougher despite receiving more or less the same maintenance and care). A purchase is probably some time away for me, but my early prediction is that if they're still on the market when I'm looking, my next car decision may boil down to an iM vs. the Mazda 3.

I don't need a performer, just something sensible (and hatchback). Reliability is key for me and I haven't been disappointed with my Vibe over the first seven years...
RRich89
Posts: 39
Joined: Sat May 02, 2015 2:12 pm

Re: Scion Im

Post by RRich89 »

I too want to test out the Im even though a purchase is far off me me as well. I know I'm in the minority here but I test drove a 2014 Mazda3 hatchback and really didn't like it. I thought the fixed navigation screen on the dash looked out of place and the steering felt a bit numb to me. I'd give the Kia Forte5 a look in your future search jamsandwhich I enjoyed the way it handled and it offered a lot of features for the money.
RRich89
Posts: 39
Joined: Sat May 02, 2015 2:12 pm

Re: Scion Im

Post by RRich89 »

So I test drove the Im today and I have overall mixed feelings about it. I know the body kit is bolted on (very Corolla S) but it does add an aggressive look to the car. It was a blizzard white with black trim pieces that made the car look very sharp in my opinion. The inside of the car was inoffensive and looked well put together. All buttons for HVAC and radio controls are glossy hard plastic. There is no CD player to the shock of the salesman which may or may not be a deal breaker for some. The front seats are bolstered and cut into my back a bit. The steering wheel's stitching is coarse on your hands and looks rough to the eye. The back window is shorter than the Vibe's which limits rear visibility. I was leery of the CVT but I admit that the Im drives very nicely; I had no issues merging onto two highways during my test drive and I appreciated the stimulated "shifts" of the CVT. The engine makes itself be known but no more than it does in my Vibe. I felt that the steering wasn't particularity engaging but it also didn't feel disconnected to me.

I've driven the Kia Forte5, Mazda3 hatchback and the Volkswagen Golf within the past year and I'd put the Im at the bottom of that list. The Im doesn't do anything bad but it also doesn't do anything to stand out. There are nice standard features such as dual zone automatic climate control, a large touch screen radio/interface and a rearview camera. The lack of any options such as a sunroof, leather, power or heated seats or a more powerful engine are all dings against it. I'm 26 putting me still within Scion's target demographic but it just didn't grab me the way the Golf or the Forte5 did. I don't see myself trading in my Vibe any time soon.
jamsandwich
Posts: 26
Joined: Fri Sep 04, 2009 9:48 am

Re: Scion Im

Post by jamsandwich »

Thanks for sharing...

I'm not sure what to make of your report -- I've driven the past couple of Mazda3 revisions and I really enjoy them. It would surprise me if any other vehicle in the class was as fun to drive. VW and Kia are out for me (personal prejudices that would be hard to kick -- well, on VW's front it's the fact that the only VW owners I've known seem to have a litany of issues and expensive repairs)... if I was really in the market, the question would probably come down to whether the Mazda drive was worth the premium... or if there was a better value from another manufacturer, but I'm not too sure there is.

I checked it out last week (showroom only) and I like the way it looks and feels inside and out. Capacity looks similar to the Vibe, but the lack of that nice fold-flat plastic surface in the back is a bit disappointing.
jake75
Posts: 4792
Joined: Sun Feb 09, 2003 1:33 pm
Location: Columbus, OH

Re: Scion Im

Post by jake75 »

This Scion reminds me of the Yaris. Thought the Honda HRV was as close to a Vibe as you can get, but a recent review in the WStJ said it didn't have the power you want. The last time I checked dealer inventory in Columbus there were only AWD's on the lots. Maybe the non-AWD's are sold before they hit the lots. I like the design of the HRV but the WStJ review said it was noisy - one thing I don't like about the Vibe. I have no need to buy a car at the moment but that can change in a moment. I'd say the Subaru Forrester, Maxda X5, Toyota RAV4 and the Nissan Rogue are on my short list. Dealer inventory on the Rogue also seems limited to AWD. All of those are priced more than have ever paid for a new car but I will soon be 73 and realize I can'; take it with me.
2009 Vibe 1.8L Carbon Gray AT Power Pkg 1/12/092003 Vibe 1.8L Neptune AT Mono Power Pkg 1/27/03 [sold 2/2/09]2007 T&C SWB 7/31/07 "Broke people stay broke by living like they're rich. Rich people stay rich by living like they're broke."
User avatar
ImUrOBGYN
Posts: 438
Joined: Mon Jun 10, 2013 8:23 pm

Re: Scion Im

Post by ImUrOBGYN »

jake75 wrote:This Scion reminds me of the Yaris. Thought the Honda HRV was as close to a Vibe as you can get, but a recent review in the WStJ said it didn't have the power you want. The last time I checked dealer inventory in Columbus there were only AWD's on the lots. Maybe the non-AWD's are sold before they hit the lots. I like the design of the HRV but the WStJ review said it was noisy - one thing I don't like about the Vibe. I have no need to buy a car at the moment but that can change in a moment. I'd say the Subaru Forrester, Maxda X5, Toyota RAV4 and the Nissan Rogue are on my short list. Dealer inventory on the Rogue also seems limited to AWD. All of those are priced more than have ever paid for a new car but I will soon be 73 and realize I can'; take it with me.
I don't recall what they're updating, but the 2016 RAV will have some minor updates. I may come back to this post to update any relevant info.

Jake, what part of Cbus do you live? I'm in the SW, off of Clime near Demorest.
I spent a lot of money on booze, birds and fast cars. The rest I just squandered. - George Best
ImageImageImage
jake75
Posts: 4792
Joined: Sun Feb 09, 2003 1:33 pm
Location: Columbus, OH

Re: Scion Im

Post by jake75 »

Central Eastmoor - a Columbus neighborhood east of Bexley between Gould & James, Broad and Main. Sometimes referred to as "Bexley Annex".
For awhile was a somewhat gentrified neighborhood as the prospect of attending Columbus Public Schools discouraged young families.
We moved here in 1971 as we planned on using the area parochial school. In the past several years many younger families have moved in,
with most children going to parochial or other private schools such as Torah Academy etc. Five miles to downtown, 7 to Easton.
2009 Vibe 1.8L Carbon Gray AT Power Pkg 1/12/092003 Vibe 1.8L Neptune AT Mono Power Pkg 1/27/03 [sold 2/2/09]2007 T&C SWB 7/31/07 "Broke people stay broke by living like they're rich. Rich people stay rich by living like they're broke."
lannvouivre
Posts: 1601
Joined: Thu Jun 09, 2011 1:00 pm
Location: Texas yay

Re: Scion Im

Post by lannvouivre »

I looked at the iM the other day, but the salesman I like wasn't there so it did not get test-driven. The interior is much nicer and the shifter (manual version) was much better feeling than I'm used to, but I haven't gotten to touch a manual shifter in a new car in a few months so I'm comparing it to the 30-year-old Tercels. I can even mostly reach the clutch pedal.

The lack of fog lights is a new thing I have taken issue with. Yucky fake vents!

The guy who was there claimed the engine is better paired with the CVT, but the simulated shifting thing makes me feel that's impossible. The CVT could manage the powerband much better without that nonsense, but I understand that people would be too put-off by that for whatever reason. I don't know why it's such a big deal; have these people never been in a boat or a plane? I know they have transmissions as well, but from what I understand those are limited to neutral, forward, and maybe reverse.
"If you don't love me at my diddliest, you don't deserve me at my doodliest." - User ktluvscricket of reddit
Post Reply