[Jay]

Hey folks,

New owner here, just got the Scion iA this weekend. My local dealer had 4 in stock and I chose the red ("pulse") with automatic transmission

I'm a Mazda fan. I owned a first-gen Mazda 3 S for 9 years. That car drove amazingly well. It had crisp steering, a light curb weight, and was surprisingly roomy for a small car. I've had other cars since, but I couldn't find anything that came close to the same driving experience. I've tried very hard to like the new Mazda 3, but after two generations it's simply a different car now.

I was ecstatic when I learned about the new Mazda 2. And like some of you, I was dismayed when Mazda decided not to bring it to the US. I actually resented Toyota and the Scion iA. I didn't want some bootleg version, I thought. But then I drove it.

This is an amazing car. Every bit of it reminds me of my first-gen Mazda 3. It's sharp, responsive, and agile. In my car hunt, I've test driven cars costing twice as much, but no other car has impressed me as much as this has. Even the nose is growing on me!

I'll see about getting some pictures uploaded later. If you have any questions about the car, let me know and I'll see if I can help.

 

[AllTheSedan]

Congratulations and welcome to the forum! I can't wait to see pictures of your red iA!

A lot of reviews have been comparing the Scion iA to the Mazda 3 and that's understandable but I think the Scion iA is the same if not better. Great price point and everything comes standard whereas a Mazda with the same options added would add a lot more to the final cost.

 

[scionic]

Congratulations and welcome to the forum! I can't wait to see pictures of your red iA!

A lot of reviews have been comparing the Scion iA to the Mazda 3 and that's understandable but I think the Scion iA is the same if not better. Great price point and everything comes standard whereas a Mazda with the same options added would add a lot more to the final cost.

Same here, I think red is going to be one of my favorite colors although the grey they were originally shown in has been growing on me over time.

Only downside with red is how it fades over time, a bit more care required.

 

[Jay]

Thanks guys for the warm welcome

I've actually been without the car for the last few days. I popped a flat and no dealers in the area had any Toyo Proxy 27As in stock. The tire was ordered and I just got the car back today. The dealer covered the whole thing (Michael's Toyota of Bellevue in WA - excellent dealership). I was driving a courtesy Corolla LE while I waited, and coming back to the Scion iA was a night and day difference. I'll get some pictures once a nice sunny day comes around. The car looks deep red when it's cloudy, but almost orange when the sun hits it. Love it!

Oh and as for the comparison to the Mazda 3, I'd have to say that I much prefer the Scion iA. I've always liked smaller cars, and the Mazda 3 has a huge nose that makes it difficult to park imo. I also wanted to step up to the 2.5L engine, but the leather seats in that trim didn't agree with my back. I'd also say that I can definitely feel the ~400 lb weight difference. The iA feels like it glides on the road, while you could feel the Mazda 3's heft.

 

[Lando]

I also have been growing to like the iA grille. It looks very close to a Lexus grille, if the silver border just went up to make the hourglass.

 

[Andrew]

Welcome to the Forum! Also the iA grille looks like a Catfish :3

 

[Tim]

Welcome to the Forum! Also the iA grille looks like a Catfish :3

Never knew a catfish could look so good!

 

[SRV]

hey jay welcome to the forum and congrats on your new Mazda

 

[richard_rsp]

You were here before me, but here is to a late welcome!

 

[scionic]

I also have been growing to like the iA grille. It looks very close to a Lexus grille, if the silver border just went up to make the hourglass.

That's something I've noticed Lexus/Toyota/Scion doing which is smart since they established the premiumness of that design with Lexus and then trickled it down to Toyota and Scion. At least when buying an entry-level Toyota you can feel as if you're getting some of that DNA.