Scion iQ Owners Get Free Parking in Manhattan

According to a news release, Central Parking’s New York Region has recently partnered with Scion dealers across the N.Y. metro area to promote the launch of the 2012 Scion iQ. Under the “iPark Freely” campaign, new iQ customers receive six free months of monthly parking at more than 50 Central Parking locations across NYC, Jersey City, Newark, and Hoboken.

That's no small benefit. Six months of free parking could be worth $3000 in Manhattan. The base price of the Scion iQ is $15,625. That's a giveaway equal to almost 20 percent of the vehicle's price.

It's not like this is a bad car that needs artificial propping up to garner interest. What Scion has done is get a strong marketing tie-in at the prime hot spot for selling this city car: a major metropolitan area.

New Scion iQ customers are automatically enrolled in this program and qualify by simply activating their parking account within 60 days of their iQ purchase/lease date. The offer is valid for six consecutive calendar months of monthly parking and is available at select Central Parking locations. The free parking location is selected by the iQ customer during their account set-up.

That turns the Scion into a prime commuter car for folks who might live in the outer suburbs and want to commute from closer transportation hubs. Drive to Hoboken, hop on a Path train, and you're in Manhattan feeling better about yourself because you're parked for free and driven a fuel-efficient car to get to work.

“Through this promotion, iQ drivers save on monthly parking fees that can cost as much as $500 per month in the midtown Manhattan area,” said Vincent Raguseo, Vice President of Marketing at Central Parking. “This is another example of how Central Parking is working with partners to provide consumers with innovative value-add parking programs,” he added. Both Central Parking and Scion are currently promoting this offer through advertising displayed on city buses, on local radio DJ promotions, and NY Scion dealer-sponsored displays.

The 2012 Scion iQ could just possibly be the micro-subcompact that Americans might consider driving because there is space inside. It lacks that cramped feeling that people of a certain girth feel while driving the Fiat or the Smart. You know who likes those cars? Skinny people who don't know anything about cars.

You know who is going to like the 2012 Scion iQ too? People who like free parking in Midtown Manhattan for six months.