Based on the European Toyota Avensis chassis, the Scion tC (ANT-10) was the first all-new, designed-for-Scion vehicle in the family. The recent death of the Toyota Celica left a hole in Toyota's sporty coupe category. The tC became available in showrooms in mid-June of 2004 and immediately broke all sales goals. Sharing a 160hp, 163 ft-lb 2.4L VVT-i engine (2AZ-FE) with the Toyota Camry, the Scion tC outpowers competitive small coupes and opens the doors to modification. Scion's practice of standardizing all options is again in effect, with panoramic glass roof, reclinable rear seats, power everything, 17" wheels and six-speaker CD system. Base pricing was $16,000 for the manual and $16,800 for the auto.
A few small changes were made for the 2006 model year. A new three-spoke steering wheel was added with integrated audio controls to control a redesigned Pioneer head unit. The new head unit included a central input jack and volume knob for easy MP3 player integration. Two exterior colors were exchanged for two new, almost-imperceptably different colors: Nautical Blue replaced Indigo Ink Pearl and Classic Silver Metallic replaced Silver Streak Mica. Base pricing rose $200 to $16,200 for the manual and $17,000 for the auto.
The Release Series line of the Scion tC was a limited-release option package that began with the Scion tC RS1 in April 2005. Only 2500 Absolutely Red RS01s were produced, each with a plaque mounted inside the vehicle stating the edition number. The option package also comes with special 18" wheels, grill and interior fabric design, along with various other color-coded accessories and trim parts.
The second Release Series tC was available only in Blitz Blue Mica and was limited to 2600 production units. The upgraded package includes standard side and curtain airbags, black Alcantara trimmed seats, integrated rear 6" subwoofer mounted below the rear floor, stainless steel mesh grills and satin 17" wheels. The package adds $1960 to the base price of a standard tc, for an MSRP of $18,260.
The final Release Series tC, limited to just 2500 vehicles, was released in February 2007. The car came in Blizzard Pearl -- a color previously found on a few Lexus SUVs. The most noticeable upgrade was the addition of a KenStyle bodykit and custom grill. Darkened headlights and LED taillights round out the exterior, while the interior upgrades include Alcantara surfaces, a Razo shift knob and Pioneer subwoofer. This package adds $2580 to the base price for a total cost of $18,980.
The Scion tC 'Spec Package' became available in the 2007 model year. This package was aimed at tuners that would be modifying or racing the car. The largest changes were a fixed glass roof instead of the power moonroof and sixteen-inch steel wheels with hubcaps instead of seventeen-inch aluminum wheels. Other changes include a unique seat material, deleted cruise control and steering wheel controls, removal of the engine immobilizer system, blacked out grill and headlight treatment, and only four color options: Super White, Flint Mica, Black Sand Pearl and Classic Silver Metallic. The price for the tC Spec is $15,000 for MT and $15,800 for AT, plus $540 delivery fees. [Spec Chart]
Today's young car enthusiast is all about customization and creating a unique "ride." The aftermarket business is booming, and buyers are looking for anything to make a statement, not just go-fast parts. Scion, Toyota's new youth brand, has responded to that niche with the xA and xB, models that can be modified at the dealers with a long list of tuner parts. But now Scion has gone a bit upscale with the all-new tC.
Why not xC, you ask? Well, Volvo has the rights to that with its XC90. The tC stands for Touring Coupe. And the name Scion, what does that mean? According to the trusty Merriam-Webster online dictionary, a scion is a descendant. This is logical, for Scion is Toyota's. Toyota understands that Gen Y buyers have different priorities, and that the cars should be designed to meet them.
It would, however, be a mistake to think of Scion as an opposite of Toyota's luxury brand, Lexus, as the buyers of both want more than a plain-Jane Toyota product. Both Lexus and Scion buyers desire practicality, comfort, safety and innovation. Of course, price is of supreme importance with Scion buyers; however, that doesn't mean they deserve less of a car.
All Scions offer a lot of car for the money. The xB, with its boxy practicality and good fuel efficiency, can now be seen everywhere in Southern California. Both x-models are based on Japanese-market Toyotas, but this new tC is built solely for Scion, sharing its platform with the European Toyota Avensis.
Where the x-models are all about practicality, the tC is thankfully more about performance. While the xA and xB manage yawn-inducing 0-60 times of just under 10 seconds, the tC will chase down a Mini Cooper S or a Honda Civic Si in just 7.4 sec. That's some big game for a car with an MSRP of $15,950, although our test car has some accessories that bump the price up to just under $20,000. For that kind of money, you might want to look at a Dodge SRT-4, which will run 0-60 mph in 5.9 sec. But if fuel efficiency is important, stick with this new tC. It's quick, slick and easy on your wallet at the pump, as it needs only regular unleaded.
Relatively good fuel efficiency is achieved using Toyota's 2.4-liter 2AZ-FE engine, the same ULEV-compliant 4-cylinder from the Toyota Camry. The engine is tuned to put out 160 bhp and seems completely understressed. It makes torque down low and pulls steadily until redline. Toyota Racing Development has announced that a supercharger kit will be available in early 2005 that, with 5 psi of boost, should produce 200 bhp.
Not that the car needs the extra power. What it really needs is a sportier suspension. Although the tC can gap a Mini Cooper in a straight line, it will lose sorely at the racetrack. Understeer predominates with the stock tC suspension. Turn the steering wheel at speed and the front tires respond with shrieks and howls. Noticeable understeer is exhibited in all cornering attitudes and the lack of a limited-slip differential exaggerates the problem. When driven calmly with a mellow and fluid attitude — read: cruise mode — the tC is a perfectly comfortable place to be. I'd guess this was done intentionally to coincide with the "T" in tC.
Driving dynamics are good, with a 5-speed gearbox that has moderate throws that take little effort and result in positive gear engagements. I found the clutch pedal a tad too close to the brake, causing my feet to touch at stoplights. All the controls are where expected and feel good. The car begs to be driven quickly. As such, it's easy to over-drive the tC. To cure the problem, optional TRD accessories will help you get the suspension sorted. But don't forget to strap your stuff down, as it will be tumbling about in the cargo area.
The tC's hatchback body style makes it capable of carrying a lot of stuff. An interesting design feature is the Transformer-like ability to fold the front seats flat. This produces enough space for a couple to stretch out on the rear reclining seats and gaze upward through the panorama glass roof, presumably to study the constellations. I found myself in the front seat and instead enjoyed the fresh breeze provided by an open sunroof. Although the glass top seems to be an expensive item, it's standard on the tC and gives the car an exotic, upmarket touch.
Although it's a younger crowd, the Y-generation still knows quality, even if it isn't wrapped in leather and wood. Seats, for instance, are covered in a grippy material that unlike leather keeps you from sliding around. The center stack is plastic, but it doesn't feel thin or weak, and all the seams are flush. A stereo cover flips up with an expensive-feeling damped action. When closed, the cover hides a 160-watt Pioneer system that, in our car, was augmented with a 6-disc changer. The unit is also XM-radio ready and has the unique feature of changing its display color. One complaint is the lack of a volume knob; pushbutton volume control is not quick enough.
The interior was remarkably free from the squeaks and rattles that are all too common in cars in this price range. Only in the speaker distortion range did I notice door panel vibration. Rear-seat leg room is excellent for a car this size, with nearly as much as the Infiniti M45 also tested in this issue.
Our staff photographer Marc Urbano and I made a run from Newport Beach to Las Vegas. The tC made the 300-mile drive easily, as its 14.5-gal. fuel tank goes a long way at 29 mpg and necessitated few pitstops. Which was good because the road between Vegas and L.A. is straight blacktop that cuts through empty desert. Loaded down with luggage and my camera gear-laden associate, the Scion showed no signs of strain maneuvering through weekend traffic. The desert valley crosswinds were pushing tractor-trailers into our lane, but the tC was unaffected by the gusts. Even with its light steering, it has good on-center feel and doesn't wander.
If a big-rig did knock us off the road, I wasn't terribly worried, because safety isn't an afterthought in the tC. Front airbags are standard, as well as a driver's knee airbag, 4-wheel disc brakes, ABS and electronic brake-force distribution. Extra safety is an option though, in the form of side and side-curtain airbags, the only factory option aside from an automatic transmission. It's $650 worth of security. Every other additional cost over sticker on our test car is related to dealer-installed accessories. Why anyone needs a billet oil cap and battery tie-down strap from AEM that cost $120, I do not know, but they were on our test car.
We had requested a car with the best performance. The TRD exhaust may have helped (it sure sounded good), but the floormats, ground-effects kit and OBX pedal covers didn't do anything but increase the price. If you want performance, these aren't the parts to get. The tC needs TRD accessories to be a sporting car, specifically the stiffer shocks, springs and anti-roll bars.
These aftermarket parts are a partial reason for Scion's success. The numerous custom accessories that can be bought at the time of purchase and the car's low initial cost are a big draw for customers. The xA and xB lacked any potential to go fast, but with some real displacement and power beneath its hood, the new tC has potential to take over the entry-level, sport compact car market. Well equipped from the factory and including features one might expect from its highbrow sibling, Lexus, the Scion tC has a bright future.
Look out, Honda Civic, Hyundai Tiburon and Ford Focus; there's a new contender on the block.
