IM

The Scion iM — a midsize car explained

The Scion iM is a midsize car built from 2016 to 2016. Most were assembled in Japan (100% of the cars in our records).

Data · NHTSA & EPA · 2016–2016 · 1 model years · Updated Sep 12, 2026 · 3.5 ★★★★★★★★★★ ForCar Score
Quick answer

The Scion iM is a midsize car built from 2016 to 2016. Most were assembled in Japan — 100% of those on record. Engines offered: 4-cyl. Worth buying? It depends heavily on which year you buy at 3.5/5 — and the year you pick matters far more than the badge (best and worst years →).

2016–2016
Years
1
Recalls
31
Top MPG
—★
NHTSA
12
Complaints

What the iM is

The Scion iM is a midsize car that Scion built from 2016 to 2016 — 1 model years. It has been offered with 4-cyl power. Its closest siblings in the Scion range: FR-S, iA, iQ.

Where the iM is built

A badge says where the company is registered; the VIN says where the car was bolted together. We counted the first three characters — the manufacturer identifier — across 11 iMs on record.

FIG.02·Where the Scion iM is built
Assembled inShareVIN starts withYears seen
Japan100%JTN2016-2016
ROWS 1·SOURCE NHTSA records, grouped by VIN manufacturer code

Check your own: the first three characters of a Scion VIN decide which of these lines your iM belongs to. What every character in a iM VIN means →

Got the full 17 characters? A free VIN check on a Scion iM adds what the decoder can't see: open recalls, theft and total-loss records, and the safety ratings for that exact build.

Scion iM tire size, oil type & owner specs

The fitment iM owners look up most — tires, wheels, oil and batteries. Exact wheel and tire sizes decode from your VIN or the driver's door-jamb placard; the universal items are listed below.

Wheels & tires
Wheel sizeby VIN
Tire sizeby VIN
Bolt patternby trim
Tire pressure32–36 PSI
Engine oil
Oil typeFull synthetic
Gradeon oil cap
Capacityby engine
Battery
Main battery12V · group by trim
Key-fob cellCR2032
Wiper blades
Front bladesby generation
Rear bladeif equipped
Fuses
Fuse boxeshood + dash
Diagramon box lid
Light bulbs
Headlightby trim
Tail / brakeby trim
Fogif equipped

Exact tire, wheel, oil grade, capacity and battery group are added per trim and model year — decode your VIN above for the factory fitment. Universal items shown as-is.

What engines does the Scion iM have? Power & range

The Scion iM is offered with 1 powertrain — 1.8L 4-cyl. Here's the lineup by engine, transmission and drivetrain — 1 for the Scion iM, against one or two on most rivals.

FIG.06·Scion iM Powertrains
EngineDisplacementTransmissionDriveFuel
4-cyl1.8L · 4-cylCVTFWDRegular
ROWS 1·SOURCE EPA + NHTSA vPIC

Horsepower, torque and fuel-tank size decode from your VIN — exact figures vary by engine and trim.

Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov (engines, drivetrain, range, charge time). Horsepower & torque from NHTSA vPIC on VIN decode.

The iM by the numbers

What the federal and market records say about the Scion iM. Each line opens the full breakdown by year.

FIG.05·Scion iM by the numbers
TopiciMDetail
Recalls1 campaignsNHTSA, all years
Owner complaints12 filedWhat breaks and when
Reliability3.5 / 5Best and worst years
Insurance$1,783/yrEstimated full coverage
Used value28 listingsWhat it sells for now
ROWS 5·SOURCE NHTSA, EPA, HLDI and market listings

Frequently asked questions

What kind of car is the Scion iM?

The iM is a midsize car, built from 2016 to 2016. Engines offered: 4-cyl.

Where is the Scion iM made?

Across 11 cars in our records the split is: Japan (100%). The first three characters of a VIN identify the plant's manufacturer and country — that is where these shares come from, not from a press release.

What is the Scion iM warranty?

New models carry 3 years / 36,000 miles basic cover and 5 years / 60,000 miles on the powertrain. Worth knowing: across our complaint records the typical car reaches the halfway point of its faults at five years, so most repairs land after the basic warranty ends.

Is the iM reliable?

It scores 3.5/5 in our data. The honest answer depends on the year far more than the model — see the best and worst years, and when this car starts to break.

How do I check a specific iM?

This page describes the model; it cannot tell you whether that car has an open recall or a branded title. Run its VIN against the records — free, and matched to the exact production run.

More in Scion

More Scion models
ModelYearsRecallsBest MPGForCar score
Scion FR-S2013–20161228 mpg4.0/5
Scion iA2016–2016136 mpg3.5/5
Scion iQ2011–2015437 mpg3.5/5
Scion tC2005–20163026 mpg3.5/5
Scion xA2004–20061130 mpg4.0/5
Scion xB2004–20157629 mpg3.5/5
ROWS 6·SOURCE NHTSA + EPA
Data sourced from NHTSA (recalls, complaints, safety ratings) and EPA fueleconomy.gov (MPG). Best/worst-year analysis is ForCar's own aggregation of complaint volume. Last updated Sep 2026. — ForCar Editorial Reviewed by , founder of ForCar.
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