My Experience

I test-drove a Scion tC at a local dealership. My test drive lasted about forty-five minutes, and covered city streets, the freeway, and winding secondary roads.


Performance

The tC uses the same 2.4-liter four-cylinder that you'll find in the base-model Toyota Camry. This engine provides smooth, above-average thrust, but the feel is more "peppy" than "fast"--through the seat of the pants, the tC doesn't feel as quick as I'd hoped.

The tC's engine is happiest when you're scooting around town at a brisk pace. At part-throttle, acceleration feels eager and torquey, with better low-end response than you'll get from most four-cylinders. If you keep your foot in it, the tC rewards you with a plump midrange--when the tach needle passes 4000rpms, power builds to a satisfyingly urgent pull.

But when you really want to hustle, the tC's power delivery feels a bit flat and indifferent. The midrange grunt fades as the revs increase, making the engine feel breathless from 5000rpm to its 6200rpm redline. As a result, there's not much fun to be had in wringing this engine out. And there's no growly exhaust note to encourage full-throttle antics--just an antiseptic hum.

It's a bit of a backhanded compliment, but I can easily see why this engine was first chosen for duty in the Camry. It's quiet, silky-smooth, and totally inoffensive. The trouble is this: when you put a family-car engine in a sports coupe, the rules change. "Quiet" becomes "uninteresting," and "smooth" becomes "anesthesized." So even though the tC generates good performance numbers (0-60 takes just 7.4 seconds, according to Car and Driver), it comes up short in the adrenaline department.

Aside from the lack of thrills, the only real issue I had with this powertrain is its gearing. The tC's gear ratios are quite short, which makes the engine rev busily on the freeway. At 80mph, it spins at over 3600rpms--frantic enough to get bothersome on long freeway drives. And aural irritation isn't the only downside here. The short gearing also results in freeway mileage that isn't as frugal as you'd expect from a four-cylinder. The tC gets just 30mpg in freeway cruising. That's on par for the class, but the Mazda 3 gets 35mpg, and the Celica gets 33mpg.


Transmission/Clutch

The tC's shifter and clutch are, in my opinion, the best aspects of its driving experience. The shift lever looks oddly angled at first--it slants back toward the driver, like an old Alfa Romeo roadster's--but it doesn't feel at all awkward to use. Its action is quick and solid-feeling, with can't-miss gates and short, crisp throws. It's much better than the shifters in the other two Scion models, and certainly feels better than the units in rival coupes such as the Hyundai Tiburon and Volkswagen GTI.

The clutch is even more impressive. Its extremely short throw and sweet take-up make it one of the best clutches I've ever experienced. The pedal travel is so short that the clutch seems more like an on/off switch at first, but its smooth action makes shifting a no-brainer. If this is going to be your first car, and you like the idea of driving a stick, the tC would be a perfect car to learn in.


Steering/Handling

Scion's marketing materials make the tC sound like a pocket-rocket coupe for enthusiasts, and that's what I was expecting. Instead, I found that while the tC's handling is solid, composed, and confident, it's not terribly exciting. The tC seems aimed at commuters who want a touch of extra sport in their ride, without compromising comfort. As a result of this tuning, the tC feels smooth rather than immediate, accurate rather than precise.

The tC is at its best in around-town driving. In this environment, the steering feels firmly weighted, with good resistance at the rim, and its action is quick and precise. This made it easy to whip around the parking lot of the dealership, and take quick 90-degree turns on city streets. It also made the tC a cinch to maneuver into tight spaces. The suspension felt firm and composed, allowing little or no body lean in turns, and the tires felt grippy and surefooted. As an urban runabout, the tC is a blast.

On the freeway, though, my enthusiasm waned. The tC shows good straightline stability, but the steering's on-center feel isn't as tight and locked-in as I prefer. Also, its responses feel feathery and vague just off-center, so it doesn't feel precise in gentle turns, where only small changes in steering angle are needed.

The tC also lacks sharpness on twisty back roads. The chassis is very stable and predictable when pressed, but it understeers more than I'd like. Push it past 7/10ths or so, and all you'll get is front-end scrub--a trait that makes the car forgiving of mistakes, but somewhat stodgy and aloof. Body lean is always minimal, and the tires grip well, so it seems like the chassis could handle much more assertive tuning. As it is, the tC feels more safe than tossable in the twisties.


Ride

Here's where the tC's sedan roots pay off. For a sports coupe, especially one riding on low-profile 45-series tires, the tC has a remarkably comfortable ride. It feels firmly controlled but absorbent on city streets, with none of the stiff pitching that I expected. On the freeway, the ride remained smooth and composed. However, I was disappointed to find that the tC exhibits a bit of float over dips and rises--enough to bother enthusiasts, if not the average buyer.

One other disappointment in this department is that the tC's body structure doesn't feel as solid as that of the Acura RSX or Hyundai Tiburon. When I drove over sharp bumps, like expansion joints, I could feel momentary reverberations through the tC's structure and steering column. The shudders weren't pronounced enough to really bother me--competitors like the Mitsubishi Eclipse and Volkswagen GTI are worse in this regard--but I expected more solidity from an all-new design.

In terms of quietness, the tC is a mixed bag. The engine is quiet, its note fading to a muted hum at freeway speeds. But there's a fair amount of road noise from the low-profile tires. Also, the car I test-drove exhibited quite a lot of wind whistle from the panoramic sunroof. The salesperson said this was the first time he'd heard that noise in a tC, and given Toyota's reputation for building quiet cars, I was inclined to believe him. Still, I wish Scion would put a little more character into the engine note, and muffle the noises from other sources.


Interior

As with the other two Scion models, the tC's interior is likely to be its biggest selling point--it's stylish, the materials are high-quality, and the level of equipment is almost unbelievable for the price. The centerpiece here is the tC's panoramic sunroof. It's essentially two conventional sunroofs in tandem, but when viewed from the outside, it looks like an all-glass targa roof--the kind more often seen on Porsche 911s. Considering that the tC is aimed at style-obsessed twentysomethings, this feature is sure to be a huge hit. And the best part is, it's standard equipment.

There are other cool features beyond the sunroof, though. I particularly liked the aluminum-look console, complete with a rotary climate-control knob that's made of the real stuff. The six-speaker stereo sounds great, and it comes with a built-in faceplate cover so it won't attract the attention of car thieves. The dashboard is finished in an unusual texture--Scion says it's similar to that of Japanese rice paper. I don't know about that, but it certainly makes it interesting to run your hands across the various surfaces. The tC is pleasantly tactile in other ways, too. The grab handles are of the soft-release variety, the steering wheel rim is fat and grippy, and the heavily-bolstered seats feel rich and supportive.

All of this is pretty amazing for a car that starts at $16,465, and remember, all the stuff I've mentioned is standard equipment. But the tC's interior isn't perfect--there are some ergonomic goofs that offset the cleverness. The biggest flaw is the driving position. The tC's pedals seemed too close to the seat, and the steering wheel too far away, so I had to sit with my knees bent and my arms stretched. I have the same problem in other Toyota products, namely the Corolla and Matrix--I think these cars are designed for drivers with shorter legs than mine. Of course, this driving position might suit you perfectly. But you'll still find some annoyances--the sunroof shades take too much effort to close, the rear cargo cover is a complicated mess of hooks and lines, and the grey markings on the console buttons are near-illegible in daylight. If you're an enthusiast, you'll also be irritated by the undersized tachometer, and the poor readability of the grey-on-silver gauges.

So in terms of ergonomics, the tC's interior is a mixed bag. But how does it fare in terms of space and comfort? Quite well, for a two-door of modest exterior dimensions. The front cabin feels open and airy, with a low cowl and excellent forward visibility. And while the driving position won't suit everyone, there's no denying the seats' excellent comfort and support. In back, the tC offers far more legroom than I expected. Even with the driver's seat moved back for my six-foot frame, my knees cleared the seatback with plenty of room to spare. Unfortunately, this alone doesn't make the tC's rear seat comfortable. The cushions are hard, flat, and quite low to the floor. And despite the "down-in-a-bathtub" feel, my head barely cleared the hatchback glass. The tC's rear seatbacks recline to maximize headroom--another clever feature--but that still won't be enough for taller passengers. I suppose this isn't really a big deal, since no one buys a coupe for its rear-seat space, but it's still worth knowing before you sign the paperwork.


Practicality

Again, I know no one buys a coupe for its practicality, but the tC is one of the least versatile two-doors I've sampled recently. Its cargo space is curtailed by two factors: the rear seat is pushed as far back as it can go--which gives it that generous legroom--and the trunk floor is quite high. This results in a short and shallow cargo hold only capable of swallowing a load of grocery bags.

Of course, this is with the rear seatbacks up. If you fold them down (a 60/40 split folding rear seat is standard), there's enough room to haul a decent load of musical instruments or "active lifestyle" gear. One nice feature is that the fabric panels covering the seatbacks and trunk floor fit neatly together when the seats are folded, giving a smooth, flat surface to push heavy loads over (this is especially relevant when you haul a bass amplifier on a weekly basis). Still, the bottom line is that the tC comes up short on cargo space compared to rivals like the Toyota Celica, Mitsubishi Eclipse, and Hyundai Tiburon.


Reliability

There's no reliability data out on the tC, since it's such a new model. But Consumer Reports has predicted excellent reliability for the other Scion models, and nearly every other Toyota product has received their highest rating of Much Better Than Average. In addition, the car that the tC is based on--a European-market sedan called the Toyota Avensis--earns five out of five stars for reliability, according to the prominent British publication WhatCar? So you're very unlikely to get into trouble here.


Overall

As you've probably gathered from reading this review, I have mixed feelings about the new tC. On one hand, it's undeniably an excellent entry into the sub-$20K segment. It's stylish, it's loaded with features, and it has that elusive "want-it" factor in spades. I'm generally suspicious of anything marketed specifically to my generation, but Scion has nailed it with the tC. Its tech-savvy, feature-heavy design should strike a chord with buyers my age, and I bet they'll sell every one they can build.

But on the other hand, the tC's mild driving dynamics came as a bit of a disappointment. This is because the tC is essentially a replacement for the Celica sports coupe--Toyota will stop building the older hatchback after 2005--and I don't think the tC quite fills its predecessor's shoes. The Celica is a lithe, agile little car with razor-sharp steering and go-kart handling. Yes, it feels cheap and tinny next to the tC, but it feels far more connected to the road and to its driver. In comparison, the tC comes off as more of a mini-luxury coupe--sadly, it seems Toyota is content to leave enthusiasts out in the cold.

Still, I suppose I should put aside my bitterness and appreciate the tC for what it is--a stylish little coupe with loads of features and an amazingly low price. For around $17,000, no other car feels so "special," or makes you feel so spoiled. And while its driving dynamics aren't as sharp as they could be, the tC feels far more substantial than the Celica ever could. It's also more sophisticated than a Sentra SE-R, better-looking than a Lancer Ralliart, and simply mops the floor with the underachieving Honda Civic Si. If you're looking for style and substance on a budget, with an emphasis on creature comforts, nothing else comes close.




Feel free to check out my reviews on some of the tC's competitors:
Ford Focus ST
Honda Civic Si
Hyundai Tiburon GT V6
Mazda 3
Mitsubishi Lancer Ralliart
Nissan Sentra SE-R Spec V
Subaru Impreza 2.5RS
Toyota Celica GT-S
Toyota Corolla XRS


Amount Paid (US$): 16,645