Toyota discontinues Scion after years of slumping sales

DETROIT (AP) — Toyota is killing its Scion brand after years of slumping sales.

Beginning in August, 2017 model-year Scion vehicles will be rebadged as Toyotas. The FR-S sports car, iA sedan and iM 5-door hatchback, as well as the C-HR, which recently debuted at the L.A. Auto Show, will be a part of the Toyota line-up. The tC will have a final release series edition and end production in August, according to Toyota Motor Corp.

Scion was formed in 2003 to attract younger buyers. It was known for its funky designs, like the boxy xB, and was the brand Toyota used when it wanted to experiment with new kinds of marketing or no-haggle pricing.

But there were multiple problems. The Millennials that the Scion was aiming for held back on big acquisitions during the recession, and when they did buy, they were just as happy to buy Toyotas. Scion's small, oddball lineup never connected with buyers and they were a bit more expensive. Scion's best-seller, the tC coupe, starts at $21,330, or $2,600 more than a Honda Civic.