Scion Series 10 Limited Editions Celebrate Brand's 10th Birthday

Coming to dealers in June will be special editions of Scion's entire lineup, including the just-announced 2014 Scion tC. Marking the brand's 10th anniversary, the Scion 10 Series editions of the xB, xD, iQ, FR-S and tC will all be painted one color — Silver Ignition — and feature the Scion name illuminated on the dashboard when drivers enter the vehicle before it fades to reveal the number 10.

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Each will be sequentially numbered, with a total run of 10,000 units to be produced. All will feature silver seat belts, LED Scion badges on the hood and rear that light up when the car is unlocked, and a solar-powered illuminated shift knob. The xB, iQ and xD models will come with unique alloy wheels, while the FR-S 10 Series will have standard high-intensity-discharge headlamps, dual climate control and smart key with push-button start ignition.

Scion xB Lives Another Year

Despite rumors of the Scion xB's looming demise, it looks like the funky box will live another year. Toyota announced that the xB will return for model-year 2013 with lightly updated exterior styling and a slightly higher price.

The 2013 xB gets a revised front bumper and a tweaked interior, including new light-bronze metallic accents and new seat fabric. A BeSpoke Premium Audio system is a new option; Absolutely Red and Nautical Blue Metallic are new exterior colors. They replace Stingray Metallic and Elusive Blue Metallic.

Black Friday: Best Cars for Serious Shoppers

A successful Black Friday shopping trip is all in the planning. Bargain hunters study store ads and websites as though they're cramming for a test, and now they have less time to do so as several major chains — Sears, Wal-Mart, Target and Toys R Us — will open their doors on Thanksgiving evening instead of 4 or 5 a.m. the Friday after Thanksgiving.

There's one thing that Black Friday shoppers can plan before the deal-laden store circulars arrive: which car to take.

Black Friday shoppers might think bigger is better — big SUVs, minivans — when it comes to picking a car for hauling all their bargains. They're not wrong, especially if they're hoping to bag a gigantic flat-screen TV at a low price. But nimble, small cars in busy parking lots shouldn't be left out of the Black Friday fun. Here are our top picks for Black Friday haulers.

Kia Soul: Last Box Standing?

It seemed like the automotive industry was all about thinking inside the box during the last few years, with squared-off entries from Honda, Scion, Nissan and Kia entering the market. Since the midsize Honda Element debuted in 2002, it's been followed by the compact Scion xB and subcompact Nissan Cube and Kia Soul to much initial fanfare and even commercials with lovable dancing rodents.

But is the box-on-wheels party over? It looks like consumers have cooled to the idea of driving such distinct cars. Model-year 2011 was the Element's last, and this past spring Toyota announced it's canceling the xB. Are the Cube and Soul next?

Scion xB and xD to Be Discontinued

Toyota plans to discontinue its iconic Scion xB and the ill-remembered xD, according to Ward's Auto.

Scion Vice President Jack Hollis told Ward's that the brand didn't "have plans for a direct xB or xD replacement."

Scion, which debuted in 2003, was aimed at drawing younger car shoppers to Toyota. To keep things fresh, part of Scion's mission statement was supposed to be a "one and done" marketing approach, Hollis said. That meant Scion models were supposed to stick around for only one generation and be replaced by new nameplates. The Scion xB and tC proved too popular to abandon; both models are now in their second generation.

Best Cars for Black Friday Shopping

A successful Black Friday shopping trip is all in the planning. Bargain hunters study store ads and websites as though they're cramming for a test, and now they have less time to do so as several major chains — Target, Best Buy, Macy's and Kohl's — will open their doors at midnight instead of 4 or 5 a.m. the Friday after Thanksgiving.

There's one thing that Black Friday shoppers can plan for before the deal-laden store circulars arrive: which car to take.

Black Friday shoppers might think bigger is better — big SUVs, minivans — when it comes to picking a car for hauling all their bargains. They're not wrong, especially if they're hoping to bag a gigantic flat-screen TV at a low price. But nimble small cars in busy parking lots shouldn't be left out of the Black Friday fun. Here are our top picks for Black Friday haulers:

2012 Scion xB, tC: Ch-Ch-Changes

Mild is the word for the 2012 Scion xB and Scion tC in terms of updates. Both get a new stereo and Bluetooth connectivity standard, while prices are held in check for the model year. 

The new Pioneer head unit can handle HD radio, Bluetooth phone connectivity and Bluetooth audio streaming. The system also features iPod/USB connectivity, auxiliary port and a subwoofer RCA output. The xB’s six-speaker stereo produces up to 160 watts. On the tC, the eight-speaker system makes 300 watts.

Both trims also have a new optional premium stereo with a 5.8-inch touch-screen, iTunes tagging and Pandora radio output via an iPhone. Sound quality is also improved with the uprated radios.

A Look At Scion's New Lineup

There are few car brands that can turnover their lineup with new models at just one auto show. But that’s what Scion did at the New York International Auto Show earlier this month, exactly eight years after it debuted its first concepts under Big Apple spotlights. For the 2011 model year, the Toyota spin-off brand debuted an all-new mini-car called the iQ, a fully redesigned version of its best-seller the tC coupe and a slightly refreshed version of the boxy xB. Its fourth model, the xD remained untouched, but three out of four is still an impressive feat.  

2011 Scion iQ

Jack Hollis, vice president of Scion, joked at his New York auto-show press conference that the Scion iQ is a "Minier and Smarter vehicle," which makes it pretty clear what the iQ will compete with. It's about as wide as the Mini Cooper, but taller — roughly as tall as a Smart ForTwo. From bumper to bumper, it's between the two at 120.1 inches. The ForTwo is 106.1 inches and the Cooper 145.6. In person, if you look at it from certain angles, the iQ looks sizable. Must be the height and width.

2011 Scion xB Gets Restyled, Priced

• Competes with: Nissan Cube, Kia Soul
• Looks like: The xB gets its chin back
• Drivetrain: 158-hp, 2.5-liter four-cylinder with five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission
• Hits dealerships: Late March

Many Scion xB fans didn’t like the redesign of the boxy compact nearly three years ago. Maybe that’s why Scion decided to revise a bit of that new design for the 2011 model year.

The most notable change is the jutting front bumper, which is similar to the original model’s chinlike protrusion. The headlights, taillights and front and rear bumpers also get restyled. Besides that chin, most of the changes are subtle.

Inside, the seats get a new lighter gray fabric, and the front seats get beefed-up bolsters. A new center console has an adjustable armrest, and the steering wheel adds a telescoping feature to its previous tilt.  

The Hypnotic Teal Micra color that was so polarizing for the past generation will no longer be offered. Instead, two new colors will be available: Army Rock Metallic and Elusive Blue Metallic.

Powertrain offerings remain the same, with the 158-horsepower engine being a bit of a gas hog for the class at 22/28 mpg city/highway for either transmission. The 2010 Kia Soul’s sportiest engine gets 24/30 with 142 hp and starts $800 less than the xB.

What is the price of the 2011 xB? It gets a $150 bump to $16,000 for the manual transmission and $16,950 for the automatic, not including $670 in destination charges.

More photos are below, but unfortunately none of the shots Scion provided features the new exterior colors.

Toyota Corolla, Scion xB Earn IIHS Top Safety Pick Status

Perhaps the most sought-after safety accolade in the automotive industry is scoring a Top Safety Pick award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. The agency recently added a roof-strength test for cars to be eligible for the award, making it an even tougher accomplishment. When the institute added the new guidelines late last year, no Toyotas made its initial list of Top Safety Picks.

Today, the IIHS announced that the 2010 Toyota Corolla and 2010 Scion xB both earned the top score of Good in the roof-strength test and are again Top Safety Picks. The 2009 models of both cars were past winners under the old guidelines. Of the four other Toyota models tested for roof strength, only the Camry earned a top rating of Good. The RAV4 and Yaris earned a rating of Acceptable, and the Tacoma earned a Marginal rating. No other Lexus or Scion models have been tested for roof strength yet.

The 2010 Corolla is included in both recalls for floormats and sticky accelerator pedals and is being investigated by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration over complaints of it its steering. The Scion xB is not included in the two recalls.

The IIHS adds that "Recalls happen all the time, and they happen to Top Safety Pick vehicles as well. They just don’t usually attract the level of media attention as the Toyota problems have. The award for the Corolla only applies to vehicles fixed under any recalls — such as those related to the unintended acceleration issue."