When looking to find your first car, even the most focused drivers should start out with something easy to drive, affordable, and cheap to maintain so that you can learn the basics of being out on the open road and looking after a car. There's little point in going out and buying a Civic Type R from the outset when you barely know how to make use of that much performance safely, not that this stops many younger gearheads.For those looking to get a handle on driving, but don't want to tread down the beaten path of a trusty Toyota Corolla or Nissan Versa, there is a left-field choice that will allow you to stand out somewhat, while also being cheap to buy and run. The Scion iA Is A Rebadged Mazda 2 The Scion iA is a little unusual, as it was essentially a Mazda subcompact vehicle, but sold by Japanese rival Toyota. The iA was a rebadged Mazda 2, the brand's subcompact hatch and sedan that saw greater success elsewhere, such as in Europe and its home market of Japan. Having made its debut in 1997, the 2 wasn't offered in the USA until 2010, halfway through the second-generation version's production run.2016 Scion iA Hatch Silver Front DrivingWhen it came time for the third-gen 2 to make its debut, Mazda elected not to offer the model directly in the US. Instead, it cut a deal with Toyota for the brand to sell the car under its Scion brand. Scion was founded by Toyota in 2003 as a US-only brand that offered affordable cars geared towards younger drivers. Mazda felt the 2 could secure a bigger slice of the market under the Scion name, so the deal was done. It debuted in 2015 as a 2016 model year car, though its time on the forecourts would be short, because Scion as a brand would be discontinued after 2016. The iA's Simple Design Makes It An Ideal Starter Car 2016 Scion iA Sedan Red FrontFor a vehicle to be successful as a starter car, there are several key attributes it needs to possess. They have to be affordable to buy in the first place, be cheap to maintain, and come with a simple and efficient engine. While the cabin quality isn't so much of a concern on entry-level models like these, ones that offer a decent amount of kit will make them more desirable to younger drivers.Wanting to make the purchase experience as straightforward as possible, Scion only ever offered the iA with a single trim line. This included a single engine option, a naturally aspirated Mazda 1.5-liter inline-four engine that sent 106 hp to the front wheels via either a six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. While easily providing enough grunt for a little runaround, the four-pot was also decently efficient with a combined figure of 37 mpg.Traction control and ABS come as standard, with discs being used on the front and drum brakes being used on the rear to help keep costs down. As the Scion was aimed at drivers looking for a sporty first car, the MacPherson-strut front suspension is tuned for precise responses, while a stabilizer bar was also utilized up front to help reduce body roll.Scion The iA Is Decently Well-Equipped Aside from its peppy powertrain and responsive chassis setup, the iA also came with a solid amount of standard equipment. A seven-inch touchscreen, which came with a six-speaker audio setup, Bluetooth connectivity, and a backup camera were present. Power windows also came as standard alongside cruise control and air-conditioning. It's even graced with a low-speed pre-collision system, which uses an infrared sensor located on the windshield to apply the brakes should the vehicle detect an imminent collision. The Scion iA Is Affordable On The Used Market 2016 Scion iA Sedan Blue Front Angle DrivingGiven the iA has been out of production for the best part of a decade, its value has dropped well below its initial MSRP of $16,495. Prices vary based on mileage and condition, but data from the CarBuzz Marketplace paints a picture of affordability and a sound investment. Now 10 years after the Scion iA was last sold, prices range from just under $4,000 for the poorest examples to highs of $14,998, but the average price is $9,200. For under $10k, the iA is a solid buy with decent reliability and a penchant to retain value.As a rule of thumb, expect to pay at least $8,000 for an iA, should you want one with less than 100,000 miles on the clock. A Used iA Should Look After You, If You Look After It 2016 Scion iA Sedan Black Front Angled ViewWhile buying a relatively modern vehicle like the iA for less than $10,000 sounds like a great deal, there is always the reliability elephant in the room. Fortunately, this particular mammal doesn't prove to be much of a threat. According to RepairPal, a used iA should only demand around $393 from its owner per year to keep it happily humming along. This figure is backed up by the US government-run National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, which keeps a record of complaints of recalls about every vehicle sold in the US.The iA has performed admirably as far as the NHTSA is concerned, with the car only collecting 23 complaints since its introduction. Eight of these concerned the engine, though all reported slightly differing problems. This suggests that there aren't any common problems that stand out and form a pattern with the iA's powerplant, with most issues likely being one-offs. This proves a nice contrast to Mazda models featuring its legendary Wankel rotary engine, which is more problematic. That said, there are a further seven issues that are electrical in nature. Most refer to their dash or display lights flickering and periodically coming on and off for no reason, so this will be something to check when examining a used example. The iA also scores a solid 4.1/5-star reliability rating from KBB, further illustrating how dependable the vehicle can be. The Scion iA Is The Ideal Starter Car All in all, the iA has proven itself to be a great option for drivers taking their first tentative steps on the open road. Not only does it have enough power to perform respectably in the city or on the highway, but it's also cheap enough not to break the bank to buy in the first place. It's also dependable, and cheap to repair when it does eventually throw a tantrum. Alongside these elements, it comes with an impressive amount of kit as standard, and also comes with a little bit of uniqueness due to its short production run. The Scion iA ticks every box, making it the perfect option for drivers looking for their first pride and joy. Life After Scion - There's An Official Toyota Version ToyotaToyota ended up shutting down Scion in 2017, meaning the iA's time on the market came to an end after just three short years. Despite only selling the car for this short period, Scion managed to shift around 80,000 examples to customers. But its story didn't end there and Toyota continued to sell the badge-engineered Mazda 2 under its own brand thereafter, with the model being known as the Yaris iA in 2017 and 2018 before being rebranded once more to the Yaris Sedan from 2019 until the model's discontinuation in 2020.These are mechanically the same, are newer and thus likely to have lower mileage, and carry similar price tags, although the majority available now on the used market sport automatic transmissions. The average selling price for a 2020 model stands at $14,779, proving how well it's held its value in the last six years.