Twice as Nice: Scion FR-S Again U.S. News 'Best Sports Car for the Money'

TORRANCE, Calif., (Feb. 12, 2014) – Scion FR-S fans can take another victory lap. The national consumer publication U.S. News & World Report named the 2014 Scion FR-S its “Best Sports Car for the Money” for the second year in a row. The judges evaluated 225 cars across 21 categories to name the winners.

The annual awards help consumers find a good value, while considering industry praise, high safety and reliability scores. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently tested the 2014 FR-S, giving it an overall five-star rating.

“The 2014 FR-S ‘Best Sports Car for the Money’ award from U.S. News & World Report underscores what our drivers have already discovered – thrilling performance doesn’t have to break the budget,” said Scion Vice President Doug Murtha. “The FR-S continues to bring together affordability, experience and safety in a way that excites drivers and the industry alike.”

Enthusiasts call the FR-S one of the best-handling sports cars on the market with its lightweight design and low centre of gravity. The 2014 FR-S costs $24,700 MSRP (US) with a six-speed manual transmission or $25,800 MSRP (US) with a six-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters and Dynamic Rev Management technology.

The Toyota Camry and Tacoma also earned spots on the U.S. News & World Report winner’s list. For more information on the awards and a full list of the 2014 winners, please visit http://usnews.com/cars-money.

Scion FR-S Awarded 5-Star Overall Rating in NHTSA Crash Tests

TORONTO, ON., (February 4, 2014) – The 2014 Scion FR-S has received a 5-Star overall rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the highest grade given by the agency. NHTSA measures vehicle performance in frontal, side and rollover crashes as part of its New Car Assessment Program.

To learn more about NHTSA’s assessment of the FR-S, go to: http://1.usa.gov/1cAQniI.

2014 Scion iQ Earns All-Around Honours from Automotive Science Group

TORONTO, ON., (Feb. 4, 2014) – Conscientious buyers can feel confident about the 2014 Scion iQ. The Automotive Science Group (ASG) analyzed thousands of social, environmental and economic data points and named Scion’s compact four-seater to its 2014 Best All-Around Performance list.

The California-based (Santa Rosa) policy consulting group compared 97 mini-compact cars to determine its top five vehicles in this category. Factors included:

• Raw materials acquisition
• Human rights and labour laws where vehicles are assembled
• Environmental factors
• Purchase price
• Operating and fuel costs

The 2014 Toyota Yaris also made the awards list in the same category.

This year’s ASG award marks back-to-back wins for the iQ. The world’s smallest four-seater at just 10 feet long, it achieves outstanding space efficiency and delivers an NRCAN-estimated 5.5 L/100km rating in the city, 4.7 L/100km on the highway and 5.1 L/100km combined NRCAN fuel consumption rating. Dual VVT-i engine technology and a continuously variable transmission help maximize fuel efficiency and generate fewer emissions.

For more information about the ASG 2014 Best All-Around Performance awards, visit www.automotivescience.com.

Scion Makes Touchscreen Audio System Standard for All Models

(Toronto, ON - Dec 12, 2013) The entire Scion lineup now includes touchscreen audio system as standard equipment.

All 2014 Scion models now come standard with the Scion Display Audio System featuring a 6.1-inch LCD touchscreen, AM/FM/CD/HD Radio™ technology, hands-free phone capability, music streaming via Bluetooth^® wireless technology and AUX/USB port with iPod^® connectivity.

2014 xD Offers New Two-Tone Colours

In addition to including the new Standard Display Audio System, 2014 xD models are available in two new two-tone colour options, Black Sand Pearl/ Magnetic Gray Metallic and Classic Silver Metallic/ Sparkling Sea Metallic. The MSRP for the Scion xD is $18,685 for the automatic transmission model and $17,785 for the manual transmission. The two-tone paint options on the 2014 Scion xD are available for $540 above MSRP.

2014 Scion FR-S Features Added Comfort

The Scion FR-S rear-wheel drive sports car has attracted a following for its sporty handling and aggressive design. New for 2014, the FR-S offers added comfort for both the driver and front passenger from new sport knee cushions that are located on the door panels and the sides of the center console. The MSRP for the Scion FR-S is $27,630 for the six-speed automatic transmission with Dynamic Rev Management technology and $26,450 for the six-speed manual transmission.

2014 iQ Packed with Value

The iQ is the little car with big ideas – packing tremendous value into its four-seater configuration with a starting MSRP of just $17,115. The 2014 iQ is big on performance and efficiency, with a 94 horsepower 1.3L 4-cylinder engine and continuously variable transmission that work together to deliver a 5.1 L / 100 KM city/highway combined fuel efficiency rating.

2014 xB Now Features Standard Display Audio System

Further to including the new Scion Display Audio System, the 2014 xB offers lots of utility with its generous passenger and cargo space. Available now, the MSRP for the Scion xB is $19,980 for the automatic transmission model and $18,960 for the manual transmission.

Every Scion has been designed with customization in mind. That's why every vehicle offers a top quality list of Scion Authorized Accessories. Visit accessories.scion.ca for more details.

Scion Pricing Chart

Model	MSRP
SCION iQ (CVT-i)	$17,115
SCION xD (MT)	$17,785
SCION xD (AT)	$18,685
SCION xB (MT)	$18,960
SCION xB (AT)	$19,980
SCION FR-S (MT)	$26,450
SCION FR-S (AT)	$27,630

All prices listed above exclude freight and PDI of $1,495.

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."