2016 Scion iM Accessories Offer Surprising Personalization Options

2016 Scion iM ・ Photo by Toyota

Toyota’s youth brand takes what it calls a “mono-spec” approach to its lineup, meaning that cars like the brand-new 2016 Scion iM come in one trim only—but it’s one that’s packed with a premium level of standard equipment. For Scion’s stylish compact hatch, that means its MSRP of $19,995 includes goodies like a sharp-looking aero kit, 17-inch alloy wheels, Pioneer audio with a 7-inch touchscreen, and leather-wrapped, multifunction steering wheel. It’s no doubt a nice setup as is, but Scion does serve up a range of dealer-installed accessories, too, for owners who want to pitch in with some personal touches of their own.

Bespoke Audio with Navigation

As hinted at above, the 2016 Scion iM serves up a fairly nice infotainment package as part of its standard content, complete with Bluetooth for hands-free calling and audio streaming, six speakers, a USB port, and HD Radio. And naturally, the system’s 7-inch touchscreen also functions as the display for a standard rearview camera. However, to really get in tune with its target audience, the iM can be upgraded with the brand’s BeSpoke Audio with Navigation. Owners then can enjoy Aha Internet radio and access to more than 100,000 stations, podcasts and audiobooks, along with the ability to leverage Aha Location Based Services, for local weather, lodging and eating info. Next, the nav system showcases dynamic mapping for easy-to-follow directions, backed by route overlays and exact, turn-by-turn instructions. It also provides an easy-to-use voice-recognition that can understand an entire destination address in one continuous command.

Rear Wind Deflector

Many cars today offer aero-style body kits to add some sporty flair to their standard models, but with the 2016 Scion iM, that edgy and aggressive style comes with the car’s price of admission. The results are especially noticeable up front, where designers have created a highly detailed front grille and fascia, borrowing the honeycomb cue of the FR-S sports car and complementing it with dramatic sculpting and even a small front-lip spoiler. Contoured side sills carry the eye back toward the rear of the iM, which is finished off by a chiseled rear fascia and a rear wind diffuser. For a final touch, though, owners can order a body-color rear wind deflector that is mounted at the top edge of the car’s rear liftgate. The spoiler doesn’t affect cargo access, of course, but it does blend in well with the iM’s standard shark-fin antenna.

Lower Body Graphic

Certainly helping the 2016 Scion iM stand out from the rest of the compact crowd is its taut and tailored sheet metal. For example, the brand boasts that the profile of the iM “conveys dynamic movement from the lower front to the rear,” creating a “‘swoosh line’ rendered in steel,” if you will. Well, the effect can be enhanced yet further with an available lower body graphic. It nestles right into the negative space created by the lower edge of the doors and upper part of the rocker moldings, furnishing a graphite-colored, dot-matrix-style stripe that seems to fade as it reaches rearward, somewhat similar to the trail of a rocket. Scion designers chose a dark graphite color for the graphics, so they contrast with much of the iM’s exterior color palette, and they’re also made from a robust vinyl material for protection against sunlight and other indignities of everyday driving.

Body Side Moldings

No matter how careful you are, it can happen almost any time you visit a parking lot: You’ll find yourself—and your vehicle—in a tight spot, and then you’re going to bang the car’s door when you open it. Or what’s worse, one of your occupants, or one from another vehicle, may do the trick for you. In any case, your car can be at risk for dings, dents or paint damage on a daily basis without a set of body-side moldings. Those for the 2016 Scion iM, for instance, rely on thermoplastic polyolefin resin for durability and protection, even against the occasional stray shopping cart. They're also carefully color matched to each model’s exterior finish, so they can bring a new dimension to the iM’s bold appearance. (Note: This package bundles four body side moldings, each mounted horizontally about midway down on each side door.)

Blizzard Pearl Exterior Finish and Paint Protection

The 2016 Scion iM also satisfies customer demand for a custom-look exterior finish. For owners who want the eye-popping shades more usually found in an aftermarket shop, but don’t care for the added hassle and expense, Scion supplies five standard colors, all with a superior visual impact: Classic Silver Metallic, Black Sand Pearl, Barcelona Red Metallic, Spring Green Metallic and Electric Storm Blue. For folks who don’t mind a little extra expense, the brand furnishes a premium Blizzard Pearl finish with an MSRP of $395. It’s additionally worth noting that the iM features standard body-color mirror caps and door handles, for a sophisticated, monochromatic appearance. Scion offers a pair of paint-protection packages, too, with one for the hood and fenders, and another for the front bumper. Both deliver a multi-layered urethane-film barrier against typical road debris, while also resisting the yellowing effects of ultraviolet (UV) rays.

TRD Performance Parts

With the 2016 Scion iM just at the starting line of its lifecycle, Toyota Racing Development—aka TRD—is likewise just getting started with what one can only hope will be a steady stream of go-fast goodies. At this stage, enthusiasts can extricate a bit more performance from the car by swapping in TRD air and oil filters. The former allow the vehicle’s powerplant to breathe easier, and they’re also washable and reusable; as a result, Scion says they’re engineered to last as long as the vehicle does. The TRD oil filter removes potentially harmful impurities with a fully synthetic filtration medium, with this kit further containing two housing gaskets and a drain adapter. Drivers also can signal their allegiance to Team TRD with a polished and forged billet-aluminum oil-fill cap. As for the true starting point for the iM’s athletic aspirations, that’s the car’s standard 137 horsepower and 126 lb.-ft. of torque.

Cargo and Floor Mats

Thanks to a five-door hatchback body style, the 2016 Scion iM is well-configured for versatility. Indeed, its rear cargo hold can fit more than 20 cubic feet of gear even if the car’s second-row seats are in use, and those seats then can be folded, with a 60/40 split, to provide a significant increase in cargo space. But owners who plan on taking full advantage of the iM’s adventuresome nature will enjoy Scion’s custom-fit cargo tray. It’s made from a long-lasting rubber and vinyl blend that helps protect the iM’s interior, with a raised lip so that dirt and debris stay in the tray when it’s taken out to be cleaned. There’s also a more fashion-friendly alternative available, in the form of Scion’s plush, premium-style nylon-carpeting cargo mat that shows off an embroidered iM logo. Moreover, both cargo mats are packaged with complementary floor mats, including driver’s-side units with floor fasteners.

Interior Light Kit

Light-emitting diodes, or LEDs, can deliver serious functional benefits for the current crop of new autos, since they are smaller, more efficient and longer lasting than traditional bulbs. And they look cooler as well, which is why they’ve also become such a popular design element for the industry. Just consider the 2016 Scion iM. Outside, it wears standard LED daytime running lights and rear tail lights; meanwhile, the cabin can be highlighted by an interior light kit from the Scion accessories team. The illumination package produces a distinctive colored glow for the footwell area, in the owner’s choice of seven different colors: blue, turquoise, green, yellow, red, purple and white. Drivers also can choose when the lamps are lit; they’re designed to illuminate when the iM’s doors are opened, or the power is on, and remain on during driving, but there’s a toggle switch that can turn the LEDs off for a more subdued look.

Wheel Locks

Scion clearly put a lot of effort in developing the standard tire-and-wheel setup for its new compact hatch, as the 2016 Scion iM is shod with bigger-than-expected 17-inch alloy wheels in a strikingly multi-dimensional, multi-spoked design; to put their size into context, many mainstream compacts continue to ride on 15-inchers in their standard trim. Those wheels are wrapped in relatively thick rubber, too, because the standard iM setup also brings 225/45R17 tires that are some 20 mm wider than those typically found in the segment’s entry models. Needless to say, Scion’s chrome-plated, alloy wheel locks can go a long way in making sure all that hardware remains in place. That’s because they may be easy to install for owners, who can rely on a special key tool and collar guide, but they create a serious challenge for thieves.

Service and Protection

Warranty and service coverage may not be the most glamorous thing about the 2016 Scion iM, yet it does provide another area where the brand can play to its strengths. Thus, the iM starts with a competitive three-year/36,000-mile limited warranty and a five-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty, but it raises the bar with a two-year/25,000-mile complimentary routine maintenance program—handling factory-scheduled services such as fluid changes, tire rotations, and oil and filter replacement—supported by a two-year, 24-hour roadside assistance plan.  Unsurprisingly, extensions for all of this coverage can be found from Scion, with many different options available that include travel protection benefits. If you finance or lease a Scion iM, you also can purchase “Guaranteed Auto Protection” that can help make up for insurance-company shortfalls in certain scenarios, such as if a car has been stolen or totaled.

Photo by Toyota