Has Scion Lost Its Mojo? I Don't Think So.

A teenager in my family is rapidly approaching the ripe old age of 15 which means, of course, that he is counting the days, hours and minutes until he gets a learner’s permit and, eventually, a license to drive. This is both exciting and terrifying. Said teenager has taken to surreptitiously dropping hints regarding the kind of wheels he thinks he should be driving come May of 2009. In doing so, he is testing the waters, exploring the possibilities and, increasingly, amusing the heck out of us. He often points to the old Land Cruiser/Jeep/Bronco topless 4x4s. We laugh and explain about airbags, insurance, maintenance, etc. He relents and, with a sigh, suggests that a new Toyota truck like his father’s wouldn’t be too bad. We laugh, louder this time, and explain that he’s not getting a new car but rather a gently used one (and only if the grades are good). It’s at this moment that we spot a pre-owned Scion xB. Boxy, subversive and, frankly, a little ugly, I think it might be perfect. In suggesting that the xB was more in line with our parental expectations, we got a halfhearted response. Huh??? Not that this was the first time that my idea of "cool" was different than his. I mean, honestly, every time he picks out a pair of shoes, or elects to not get a haircut, I am reminded of our different aesthetic. I was admittedly disappointed at being wrong about this though, thinking that I knew cars, if I knew anything.

So, I get home later that morning and open the Automotive section of the New York Times and, lo and behold, there is this really funny and well-written article about Scion perhaps becoming too mainstream and possibly losing the loyalty of its core customer base. Keep in mind, no one is saying that Scion isn’t still a top quality product and a good value, rather they are questioning whether its individuality has been compromised as it has been successfully integrated into the American market and whether the younger demographic might be resentful of these changes. Ezra Dryer writes,

"The old xB was like a newly arrived Japanese exchange student who dresses like Max Headroom and pulls live sea urchins out of his lunch bag, blissfully naive about his lack of assimilation. The new xB is like the same kid six months later, still unquestionably the product of a different culture, but now self conscious of that fact and beginning to temper his perceived eccentricities with trips to Hollister and the occasional McRib sandwich for lunch."

So, while Dryer is maintaining that youngsters covet their individuality, my feeling is that Scion would simply say that American consumers wanted a bit bigger car and that's what they were given.  Any marketing expert could tell you that a 5 year old media darling like Scion was sure to eventually be scrutinized (by pundits and picky teenagers alike).  And mother ship Toyota would surely point to the fact that, coupled with Scion, they are poised to take the #1 manufacturer in America throne anytime now.  Scion, like all manufacturers will have to change with the times, and I've no doubt they will.  For anyone doubting their commitment to doing things differently, check out my recent post on the Hako concept.  I bet my teenager would think that is cool.