Scion Is Desperate To Sell You A Car You Probably Don't Even Want

Aug. 06, 2015 5:32 PM ET by Jay Traugott / 58 Comments

When was the last time Scion had a smash success?

We'll give Scion credit for not giving up, but it's no secret that Toyota's so-called youth brand has been struggling for some time. The arrival of the FR-S didn't provide the sales boost that was hoped for. However, two new Scion models, the iA and iM, are on their way to dealerships now and older ones are finally being discontinued. So there's that. What's more, Scion now wants to make it very easy for you to buy one of its new cars without having to set foot in one of its dealerships. Yes, this catering specifically to Millennials.

Here's how it works: Called the Pure Process system, potential buyers simply choose the car they want, secure a final price, set up financing and, if it's legal to do so, have the car delivered. According to The Detroit Bureau Scion has been testing this system for several months now. Originally just 10 dealers were participating; now it's up to 60. The system supposedly eliminates price haggling as well. As of now only Phoenix and San Diego Scion dealers are offering this, but 1,000 other dealers nationwide will have it by mid-2016. Definitely not a bad way to buy car, but is there still even enough interest in Scion cars in general at this point? We'll have to wait and see whether the iA and iM can help with that.