A couple of years ago, a sub-$20,000 car with an emergency braking mitigation system, a 7-inch color touchscreen, a high-resolution back-up camera and a push-button start function would have been nearly unthinkable. These were all fancy options associated with near-luxury vehicles.
Now comes Scion’s new sub-$17,000 (to start) iA sedan which – incredibly – has all those features and more.
Our tester this week is a 2016 Abyss blue iA sedan with automatic transmission from Capital Toyota/Scion on Lee Highway provided by David Hicks, sales manager. The Capital dealership is highlighting the brand-new iA this week, along with Scion’s other new car, the bigger and pricier iM hatchback, which starts at $20,500.
At the iA’s price point you’d expect basic transportation and not much more. The fact that Scion is offering upscale features and Mazda mechanicals at this price makes it a compelling package. It competes in the same segment as the Chevrolet Sonic and the Ford Fiesta.
Although badged as a Scion, the iA is built in partnership with the Japanese carmaker Mazda and shares components with the subcompact Mazda2, which hasn’t yet made it to American shores. (And may not for awhile.)