Falling sales will see compacts replaced

The Scion xB and xD won't be making it to 2013; they'll be killed off and replaced by two completely new models.

Ward's Auto picked up on the demise of the compact and subcompact hatchback models during an interview with Jack Hollis, vice-president of the Toyota-owned youth-oriented brand.

The boxy Scion xB, nicknamed "the Toaster," debuted in 2003 but didn't make its way north to Canada until late 2010; they sold 1,529 here last year.

Sales in the U.S. have been steadily dropping since the introduction of the second-gen model in 2007; last year saw a rock-bottom 17,017 xBs move off the lots, down from a peak of over 60,000.

The Scion xD replaced the brand's xA in 2007, but again made it to Canada in fall 2010, with the xB. Like its larger sibling, the hatchback's seen sales spiral way down in the U.S., to 9,573 last year from a peak 32,603 in 2006.

In Canada, Toyota moved 1,138 Scion xD compacts last year.

The killing off of the two models leaves the Scion brand with three in its lineup: the sport-compact tC, the tiny iQ and the it's-almost-here FR-S sports coupe.

(Ward's Auto via AutoBlog)