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2016 Scion iM Review [w/video]

Scion is all grown up. When the brand launched in 2003, it was as if Scion wanted to be the anti-Toyota. You could almost imagine it saying, "We aren't our parents, dude. We're different." Scion's decision to eschew mainstream vehicles was largely successful. The original xA, xB, and tC were affordable, economical, stylish, and – most importantly – different. But the brand's aging lineup couldn't keep the interest of the young, urban buyers it so coveted. Sales suffered severely after the 2009 industry collapse and have failed to return to their 2006 peak. So much like the bearded 20-something that's finally realized an artisanal headcheese startup isn't going to pay the bills, Scion has finally introduced its first truly mainstream model, the 2016 iM. You already know the basics on the iM, courtesy of Managing Editor Steven Ewing's testing in California in June. But since there's little substitute for more mileage and extra time with the car, we ventured out to Michigan's second largest city, Grand Rapids, for a second look. The iM is exactly the kind of vehicle Scion needs right now. Ewing spent most of his time on California's beautiful winding roads, but our second go in the iM was much more sedate, consisting largely of freeway cruising and some city driving. In short, these miles backed up our original assessment: the iM is exactly the kind of vehicle Scion needs right now. But that's not without a few problems. We spent almost all of our drive time behind the wheel of the continuously variable transmission model which, in many ways is better than the six-speed manual-equipped car we originally tested. Toyota's CVT works well; it's on par with the industry's best. The transmission keeps the revs low and responds quickly to throttle inputs, but at the same time, the tach needle is quick to retreat when acceleration isn't demanded. The stepped nature of the CVT is a bit off-putting at first – it feels a lot more sudden on the "upshifts" – but it's easy to ignore. Weirdly, there are no paddle shifters, but you can still pick your "gears" via the floor-mounted shifter. The iM doesn't hate a little bit of fun. We played with the CVT's sport setting, and while we wouldn't recommend using it on a regular basis, we liked the way it kicked up the revs upon corner entry. The engine never felt flat-footed midway through a turn, giving the impression that the iM doesn't hate a little bit of fun.

This 1,000-horsepower, rear-drive Toyota Corolla iM could be yours

We were amazed last year when we learned that Papadakis Racing built Fredric Aasbo a rear-drive, 1,000-horsepower 2017 Toyota Corolla iM for drifting. Now we're amazed that the car could end up in the hands of an average person, because the car is currently going for auction on Bring A Trailer. Just as a quick recap for those that might have missed hearing about the car last year, the little Toyota hatch features a turbocharged and nitrous-injected 2.7-liter 2AR-series Toyota four-cylinder. Variants of that engine are found in older Toyota RAV4s and Camrys. According to Bring A Trailer, the engine hits 1,000 horsepower and 850 pound-feet of torque when running on E85. Power goes through a four-speed dog box manual transmission to the rear wheels. Now there is the question of what you would do with such a mad machine. One possibility is to run it again in the Formula Drift series the car was built for. Bring A Trailer reports that it should be legal for the 2019 season, and with extra parts and wheels, you would be in a good spot to get started. The seller does note that all the graphics and sponsor decals would have to be removed if it's entered again. Even if you didn't run it in a professional drift series, it would probably be a fun car to use in more grassroots drift events or even just as a track car of some sort. There's also one more potential option that would be totally absurd. You see, it appears Papdakis Racing started with a factory-built, street legal Corolla iM that could have easily gone on to see a life of ferrying a young couple or family around in efficient, affordable style. As such, it should have a VIN that could be used to register and insure the car without too much trouble. It even still has functional lights. As long as you're in a state that doesn't have modification or emissions restrictions, it could be possible to make this a street car. Now we're not positive on this, so do your due diligence before plunking down cash for it, but it does seem possible, and it would be crazy and awesome. Related Video:

2016 Scion iM shows some sharp styling from a frugal five-door [w/video]

Scion has been starving for new products for some time, and the entry-level brand has finally gotten two of them at the 2015 New York Auto Show. Of the duo, the iM is probably the more intriguing one because it brings a slightly retouched look for the Toyota Auris across the Atlantic from Europe. While nowhere near as aggressive as the concept from the 2014 LA Auto Show, the production iM is still a fairly attractive five-door. The front air dam features a stylish mix of gloss black and body color touches that look great, and the rear is dominated by a big set of wraparound taillights. It also wears an attractive set of standard 17-inch wheels with a layered effect for the spokes. Buyers have a single engine option, which is a 1.8-liter four-cylinder with 137 horsepower, but the mill can be linked up to either a six-speed manual or a CVT with a stepped-shifting mode. The iM should be easy on fuel bills too thanks to an estimated 37 miles per gallon highway from the most efficient version. Scion's new five-door hatch arrives at dealers this fall, and the brand expects prices to start at less than $20,000. Check out all of the shots in the gallery from the New York show floor for an early peek.