Archive for the ‘xB’ Category

2009 has been a dismal year for automakers, but Scion has taken an especially rough hit, with sales down by nearly 58% compared to last year. That's blamed largely on Scion's lineup, which many in the industry feel has stagnated -- ironic, given that when the brand launched just seven years ago, it was lauded for its fresh design and its ability to spark the imagination of young (and youthful) buyers.

Fortunately, Yoshi Inaba, CEO of Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A., says that the Scion product line will see substantial changes in the 2011 model year. Most notable is the introduction of the 2011 Scion iQ. Though barely a year old, the iQ -- badged...

Korean automaker Kia seems to be on a roll these days -- at least on the design front. Its boxy Scion xB/Nissan Cube competitor, the Kia Soul, has held its own in the face of discerning auto journalists, and the sporty Kia Forte Koup looks to do similarly well. Now the company has shared renderings of its new premium model, the VG, which will arrive in Korean showrooms later this year.

The VG debuted at the Seoul Motor Show last spring as a front-wheel-drive concept dubbed "KMD-5", and rumor has it that the VG will remain a FWD when it makes its first American appearance at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show. Depending on public and press reaction...

If you live in a crowded urban environment, you understand the value of minicars. No, they can't haul sheetrock, and trips to the grocery store become more like social calls, but where parking and (occasionally) fuel economy are concerned, they can be a condo-dweller's dream.

Until, of course, they get in a fender-bender.

To demonstrate, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety recently put seven mini- and micro cars through a series of low-speed crash tests. The results were pretty appalling.

At speeds ranging from 3 mph to 6 mph, none of the seven received a ranking of "good", and only one--the Smart fortwo--rated an "acceptable". One...