Scion FR-S Repeats SEMA Win as Hottest Sport Compact

Toronto, ON., (Nov. 6, 2013) – It’s back again for the win. Judges named the Scion FR-S the Hottest Sport Compact for the second year at the 2013 Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show in Las Vegas. Last year marked the first appearance of the FR-S at SEMA.

The award goes to the hottest ride in the enthusiast market, as demonstrated by the SEMA Show exhibitors and industry experts who feature the car at the event. SEMA organizers estimated this year’s show would host about 130,000 automotive specialty product professionals from more than 130 countries.

The rear-wheel-drive FR-S is known for its lightweight design, impressive performance and affordability. It comes standard with a 2.0-liter flat boxer engine capable of producing 200 horsepower and 151 pound-feet of torque.

Consumer Reports

TORONTO, ON., [Oct. 29, 2013] – We're pleased to report that in its annual Consumer Reports vehicle reliability rankings, Lexus took the top spot, up from third place last year, and Toyota retained its No. 2 ranking.

The five most reliable vehicles in the rankings are: Toyota Prius, Lexus ES 300h, Scion xB, Toyota Prius c and the Subaru Forester with the non-turbo-charged engine.

Ten of the highest scorers in the survey were Toyotas. Of the eight Lexus models in the survey, six got top marks. All Lexus models earned an above average reliability score, while all Toyota models earned an average or better reliability score.

To be recommended by Consumer Reports, a vehicle must perform well in a battery of its tests, have average or better reliability in its annual Auto Survey and perform well in government and industry crash tests.

During its annual reporting, Consumer Reports said it will no longer recommend vehicles that receive a “poor” rating in Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) crash tests or for poor scores on reliability. As a result, the publication revoked its recommendations for Toyota’s Camry, RAV4 and Prius v based on small offset crash test results.

The new IIHS small offset crash test involves only a front corner of a vehicle and goes beyond federal requirements. It is not currently part of IIHS' Top Safety Pick designation.

The Camry, Prius v and RAV4 are on the current IIHS “Top Safety Pick” list which includes 21 Toyota vehicles, more than any other manufacturer.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) periodically develops new, more severe or specialized tests that go beyond federal requirements. With the small over-lap test, the Institute has raised the bar again, and we are responding to the challenge. We are looking at a range of solutions to achieve greater crash performance in this area. Toyota has made changes to the Camry to improve its performance in the crash test, and IIHS is planning to retest the car in December.

iQ and xD Achieve Top-Five Honours in 2013 Green Car Guide

Drivers looking for a green vehicle at a good value need look no further. Toyota, Lexus and Scion took top honours in the 2013 Green Car Guide. Six of the top ten overall green vehicle and "best value" scores are held by the Toyota family.

The Scion iQ micro-subcompact and xD subcompact achieved top-five honours in the cost per point or "best value" rankings.

The Green Car Guide is annually produced by the Automobile Club of Southern California's Automotive Research Center. The 2013 guide contains information on nearly 80 hybrids, battery electric vehicles, partial zero emission vehicles, compressed natural gas powered vehicles, clean diesels and fuel economy leaders. The guide is designed to help new vehicle buyers with reviews and rankings of low-emission and fuel efficient vehicles.

"Anyone who has a passion for fun, affordable and environmentally friendly vehicles will find what they're looking for in this guide," said Bob Carter, Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc. senior vice president of automotive operations. "Customers are interested in this type of unbiased data and we're proud to see our Toyota, Lexus and Scion vehicles recognized in such a prominent way."

Scion iQ wins second Vincentric Award in a Row

TORONTO, ON., (September 23, 2013) – When Vincentric presented its inaugural Best Value in Canada awards last year, Toyota claimed the brand award for passenger cars while also being recognized with best value awards for 10 individual vehicles. Several of those vehicles have reached the tall podium this year including last year’s winner, the Scion iQ. In a fiercely competitive compact market, the 2013 Scion iQ has been named the Vincentric Best Value in Canada (Micro) for the second consecutive year.

To determine the 2013 Vincentric Best Value in Canada awards, Vincentric analyzed over 1,800 vehicle configurations measuring cost-of-ownership using eight different cost factors: depreciation, fees & taxes, financing, fuel, insurance, maintenance, opportunity cost, and repairs. Using a statistical model, the company identified the Vincentric Best Value in Canada winners by measuring which vehicles had lower than expected ownership costs given their market segment and price. With its low maintenance, fuel and nearly 5% lower than expected ownership costs, iQ bested all competition in 2012 and has remained victorious in 2013.

2014 Scion tC earns TOP SAFETY PICK+ from IIHS small overlap front test

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) announced today that the 2014 Scion tC was among the 6 small cars to earn good or acceptable ratings and the TOP SAFETY PICK+ award demonstrated by their performance in the IIHS small overlap front test.

For more information on the IIHS small overlap front test and to read the full release, please visit: http://www.iihs.org/news/rss/pr080813.html

High school graduates now eligible for new incentive that makes this the perfect time to get into a Scion

Scion Canada expanding its Grad Program to include high school graduates, offering $1,000 off and a rate reduction on purchases and leases

TORONTO, ON., (May 7, 2013) – Scion’s range of affordable vehicles just got even more attractive for recent graduates of Canada’s colleges, CGEP, universities and for the first time, high schools.

The new Scion Grad Program provides a $1,000 allowance toward the purchase or lease of a Scion iQ, xD, xB, tC or FR-S. In addition, college, CGEP and university grads are also eligible for a reduction on their lease or finance rate.

"With our new Scion Grad Program, we're proud to be helping the next generation of Canadian drivers with financial support when it's needed the most," said Cyril Dimitris, Director, Scion Canada. "For graduates, we’ve made it a better time than ever to get into a Scion."

Any student who has graduated from high school in the last four years or enrolled in an accredited post-secondary program that will graduate in four months or has graduated in the last four years, is eligible for the program, which will run until September 30, 2013. All Scion models qualify for the exclusive savings offered through the program.

For more information, visit www.scion.ca/grad.

Scion Gear

Serious Scion Swag

Show your Scion love on and off the road with a sleek selection of Scion Gear, newly available at sciongear.ca and your local Scion Dealer. Suit up with a variety of apparel, drinkware and accessories, for wherever your four wheels take you.

With the full-line of new Scion Gear to launch March 2013, customers will have access to an array of stylish clothing, headgear and other great merchandise, to stay on top of the latest trends. And, sciongear.ca will hook you up with exclusive limited edition releases, that you won’t find anywhere else.