Does the TS make more sense than ever in the US?

[minnyar]

Wow, I am surprised by love! But numbers speak. As of the end of March Scion sold 2,182 xD's-Toyota 12,513 Yaris.' Quick math says that for each xD that is sold, 6 Yaris' are sold. Engine options attract buyers, whether it's rational or not. How many buyers are going to be turned off by the fact that the new Sonata only offers a 4cyl, even if it's more than adequate? Even if it represents a small portion of other markets I would bet a bigger engined Yaris would sell great in the US, certainly better than the xD has.

[1stToyota]

Price the xDs for $12-15k instead of $17-20k and watch those numbers close in on and maybe surpass the Yaris. I think it's the options that are available and the price that they'll cost you that's making the big difference. Yaris is marketed as reliable, but cheap, xD isn't bumping heads w/ Yaris and isn't designed to. Nissan already figured it out with their Versa, you want the $9K stripped 1.6 liter base version, or do you want the premium $20K+ 1.8 Versa w/ moonroof, navigation, 16" wheels, keyless entry, CVT transmission, etc...? Some people want a lot more options than what Toyota gives them with the Yaris. But that's sorta what this thread is about.

[thebarber]

Originally Posted by minnyar

Wow, I am surprised by love! But numbers speak. As of the end of March Scion sold 2,182 xD's-Toyota 12,513 Yaris.' Quick math says that for each xD that is sold, 6 Yaris' are sold. Engine options attract buyers, whether it's rational or not. How many buyers are going to be turned off by the fact that the new Sonata only offers a 4cyl, even if it's more than adequate? Even if it represents a small portion of other markets I would bet a bigger engined Yaris would sell great in the US, certainly better than the xD has.

for reference sake, check out the percentage of matrix xrs's sold vs all matrixs as a total

the extra power of the engine, among other features, was only enough to garner 3-5% of total sales in 2003MY, it only went down annually every year until the xrs's last year in 2006MY

i don't think people will flock to a yaris with a big engine as thats not what people will buy. the price of a 1.8 yaris will put it up into a category its not competetive in.