But, the appealing feature of both vehicles is the wide variety of aftermarket equipment that can be purchased at the dealership, making it easy to personalize with factory-approved products made by various SEMA (Specialty Equipment Manufacturers Association) supplier companies, Farley said. When designing the Scion, Toyota specifically sought out the SEMA companies in North America.
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| The boxy 2003 xB is Scion's answer to providing its buyers with a vehicle that looks somewhat like a cross between a sport utility vehicle and a van. With very little tumblehome on the sides or from this side angle, it looks like a box on wheels, yet features a lot of room inside. (Photo: Toyota) |
A Different Sales and Marketing Strategy
Scion's target market is the 22-year-old urban American male (multi-racial) with a higher than average income. Despite the target market, due to marketing quirks, the actual buyers for the Scion are, on average, in their mid-30s.
"When you target 20 year olds, the average buyer is in his 30s. If you targeted someone in their 30s, then the average buyer is in their 40s," noted Farley.
Early attempts to market the Scion with traditional methods didn't seem to be working, so Toyota tried a different tact in California. The cars are taken to certain areas in urban settings that Toyota has already scooped out are places where young people congregate. The xA and xB are brought in, along with a car or two from the competition--a Ford Focus or a Honda Civic sporting signs that say: "boring." Then, the young people are invited to take the cars for a spin.