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topspeed.com

Since it debuted in 2004 with the xA  and xB  models, Scion  has, for the most part, been all about offering quirky vehicles that attract a younger crowd. The brand calmed down a bit with the tC and then went completely mainstream with the FR-S. Now, with Scion struggling to keep up with its competition, it needs a spark, and the upcoming iM hatchback could be the spark it needs.

The new hatchback was previewed by the aggressive-looking 2014 iM Concept  that knocked the socks off of many potential buyers. Now the brand is set to reveal the production model on March 31, 2015 – one day prior to the New York Auto Show.  Ahead of this debut, Scion chose to release a teaser image of the dealership-ready iM.

The details surrounding the production-ready iM remain pretty scarce at this point, but with the new hatchback based upon the Europe-only Toyota Auris, it is fairly simple to put the pieces together.

When I first saw that Scion was teasing the production iM, I couldn’t help but think why, as the concept version looked pretty production-ready to me. But after examining the teaser image closely, I found that the front end of the production iM differs a good bit from the concept.

First and foremost, the headlights on the production model are nowhere near as stylish as those on the concept, and the innermost edge is angled in the opposite direction. The grille on the production model has plastic mesh instead of being open and it seems to be less angular, giving it a more plebian look. The biggest stray from the concept model has to be the hood. The hood on the production model is a flat piece of sheet metal, whereas the concept had sexy ridges to add a little flavor.

I will reserve my final judgement for when Scion debuts the model. My hope is that the stylish bits on the concept version somehow make it to a more performance-oriented production model, as I loved the way that car looked. Additionally, this teaser image doesn’t give me a full look at the production model and how the front and ties into the rest of the car.

Regardless of how it looks, I feel that a new hatchback within Scion’s lineup will be a huge boost to sales.

Scion didn’t release any teaser images of the iM’s interior, but I feel that the Auris’ cabin is a good jumping-off point. The iM Concept’s was nearly identical to the production Toyota Auris  , so I think this will carry directly from the Toyota  assembly line to the Scion factory. What’s more, Scion will, of course, add its own touch by giving buyers the ability to add items a la carte to the cabin. The list of a la carte options is likely to include premium audio systems, ambient lighting, accent colors, upgraded seats, and more.

Though Toyota doesn’t advertise the cargo area of the Auris, the images that it shows makes it seem more than competent in this department.

We’ll learn more once Scion fully reveals the iM to us.

The driving force behind the iM is hard to guess. It could borrow one of the Auris’ drivetrains, or it could go with one all its own. Chances are, however, that it will inherit the 1.6-liter gasoline engine that produces 132 horsepower and mates to either a manual or automatic transmission. There is a smaller 1.3-liter gasoline engine available, but at just 99 horsepower, I couldn’t see it coming to the U.S. Additionally, there is one diesel engine with 90 horsepower and one hybrid powertrain with 136 horses, but I don’t see them making it to the U.S. either.

What would be really awesome would be to add the 2.0-liter boxer engine as an option, but the chances of Subaru  allowing this to happen are about slim to none. Still, it would give the brand a hot-hatch to draw in more buyers. It’s still too early to stat pinning a definite price on the iM, but in the UK, the Auris starts out at £13,995 ($20,654 as of 3/20/15). Oftentimes, when cars comes over from Europe, you can simply take the currency and flip it directly into USD, but $13,995 seems quite low for this sort of vehicle. A more likely starting price would be just shy of $16k.