The Scion brand has been a champion of youthful creations and has bred concepts like the xB (a boxy crossover like creation) and the ability to customize ones car right from the get go. Scion, who’s ownership is held by Toyota, has also strived to be affordable for in order to capture the youthful crowd that inspires all of their cars and options. So how youthful is Scion and what might keep them from offering a hybrid version of their popular models?
The answer seems to be the price tag associated with hybrid systems. We all know that there is a hybrid premium that goes with any new hybrid sold, but there also has been enticing government tax credits as well that are meant to offset the addition price premium. Scion is working with in a tight budget; they have imposed a maximum price for that brand right at the $20K mark. Granted, that makes any hybrid they would offer a very inexpensive hybrid, it isn’t out of the realm of the current 2010 Honda Insight. Just to illustrate the point, the Honda Insight LX comes in at a base MSRP of 19,800.
So if price could be lowered, we wonder what really would keep a self-proclaimed “innovation laboratory” from offering something as innovative as an affordable and no doubt cool hybrid? If the youth aren’t offered environmental products that relate to their interests and style, then how will we engage them into buy vehicles that are the future of transportation? Given the technology at Toyota’s fingertips, we think they could come up with an appealing tC that is equipped with a hybrid powertrain.
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