Last month we reported that future variants based on Toyota’s new iQ minicar platform could be offered in the United States to take advantage of growing demand for compact and fuel-efficient cars, however a new report claims the iQ itself could make its way into American showrooms but with one major exception – the car would be sold as a Scion.

The iQ is scheduled to be launched late next year in Europe and Japan, the two markets the car was primarily designed for, however the changing landscape of the U.S. auto industry and Scion’s need of a revamped lineup makes for a strong business case to bring the new minicar Stateside.

The other reason why it likely won’t be sold as a Toyota is because its low fuel consumption rating could end up luring away customers from the more expensive third-generation Prius, also due for launch next year, as well as the slightly bigger Yaris.

According to MotorTrend, the iQ will be presented with a Scion badge as early as next month’s Los Angeles Auto Show and could be in sale by the end of next year. European and Japanese versions are expected to be powered by a compact three-cylinder engine, however if launched in America the iQ would likely be fitted with a more powerful four-cylinder unit.

The iQ could be a perfect addition for the Scion brand. Its expected price tag of less than $15,000 coupled with its young and hip styling could generate the same excitement that the original xA and xB models did when they were launched earlier this decade.

Compared to the semi-successful 'smart' minicar, the iQ is also more practical and is expected to be more fuel efficient.