Scion's Toyota iM

Since Scion is pretty much belly-up as of now, the manufacturer gave Toyota another car from their lineup, the iM. A hatchback that can compete in price and dependability against other brands. But the other brands have one thing in common with one another that "Sciyota," as I shall call it at this time, sportiness. But then again, the comparison car for this is the Hyundai Elantra GT. So a comparison between them is a better start. They're both hatch backs, the iM and Elantra GT and they are reasonably priced between $20,000 and $24,000. The latter being the Hyundai surprisingly.

Now, I must say now that yes, the iM is sporty but to what degree? It is sporty in the sense where it has a 1.8L 4 pot, a "Sport" mode, a tight suspension and light steering to make it feel exactly like a sport hatchback. These are all good points in a matter of fact. But is there something missing? I believe not. For just under $21,000 the iM tested gives the Hyundai Elantra GT tested some time ago a run for its money. Even though the GT is indeed turbocharged, it is still $3,000 cheaper and there is not much of a difference between the options list.

Opening up the driver's door there is a simple analogue cluster mixed with a middle screen for basic readings and odometer. The infotainment screen area is simple and yet pleasing. It is like there is a little bit of "basic-ness" that is missed about the old days when things were simple. But then there is the modern technology in places to be expected. The steering wheel may look spartan but there are buttons that do various tasks. The entire front is spacious for the driver and front passenger but the seats are not powered, only hand-pump.

Look at the back and it is equally spacious for the occupants, if they were shorter than 6 foot, and the trunk can fit several large dogs very comfortably.

After setting off, the iM feels like a normal car in almost all aspects. The motor is throaty as the accelerator is pressed. Pressing the throttle hard, typical torque-steer presents itself, forcing the car to go to the right. Getting to a B road on the test drive and putting the iM in "Sport" mode by putting the shifter in the "M/+-" proved the iM is a sporty hatch. The iM kept its body roll to a minimum, the throttle response is sharp, and steering stays light and direct. Another surprising feature was that the 7 speed transmission shifted faster than lightning, maybe because it is a CVT. It maneuvers exactly as expected and it was quite surprising. It became as sporty as it looked. In my opinion, the iM looks a bit like a Renault, especially in the back. In the front, it is as appealing as a bag of chips to a fat kid.

The iM does have its down falls, do not get me wrong. Its torque steer is substantial and a bit annoying but that is expected of a front-wheel drive vehicle. Another flaw is that the price tag gives what is expected: quality. The buttons are cheap feeling and the whole interior has more plastic in it than Carrot Top. A big plus is that visibility out of the back is remarkable. It is not the typical car with a porthole window in the back to see what is in the rear view mirror.

For a reasonable price, the iM has met the qualities of a hatchback and exceeded them. The price shows for the quality of the interior but that is to be expected. A good starter for someone who wants to join the hatchback gang and have some kind of street cred. Until someone points out it is a Scion. Then all credit goes down the drain.

I would like to take this time to thank Holman Toyota for letting me test drive their vehicle for this review. I appreciate their professionalism and working with me to make sure this happened.

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