2011 Scion tC: First Drive
Scion invited journalists to San Diego this week to drive pre-production examples of the new tC sports coupe — the brand’s most popular model as recently as 2007 and one whose average buyer age, 26, falls closer to Scion’s target youth demographic than the xB or xD hatchbacks. As we just reported, the tC hits dealerships Oct. 1.
Perhaps it’s appropriate that the San Diego Union-Tribune reported that the region has just endured its chilliest July since 1933. The front-wheel-drive tC boasts eye-catching styling and a capable drivetrain, but its cost-cut cabin left me cold.
Either way, the car is certainly enough fun, and much credit goes to the transmissions. The manual has medium throws, a light clutch and precise placements, and the 2.5-liter’s sturdy 173 pounds-feet of torque makes for capable 65-to-75 mph passing in sixth gear, even on uphill interstate grades. Count me a fan of larger four-cylinders in small cars; low-rpm oomph matters. The automatic, meanwhile, upshifts smoothly and downshifts decisively — a departure from too many recent Toyota autos. And thanks to the extra gears, EPA-combined gas mileage is 26 mpg with either transmission. That’s up 2 to 3 mpg over the 2010 tC.
The suspension carries over similar architecture as before, but Nagai characterized tuning as “much firmer.” With the car’s standard 18-inch wheels and thin 45-series tires, it shows. Even around San Diego’s relatively groomed roadways, the tC settled into a turbulent rhythm. You feel the pavement, and many will find the setup too stiff. On the upside, the car corners fairly flat and doesn’t display a predominance of nose-heaviness.
At low speeds, the tC steers with a light touch, but overall response is good, with decent turn-in precision and settled tracking on the highway. The brakes, enlarged for 2011, impart solid stopping power. Performance junkies can opt for larger cross-drilled brakes as well as lowered springs, performance stabilizer bars and 19-inch wheels from Toyota Racing Development. Power upgrades in the vein of the last tC’s TRD supercharger won’t be available at launch, however. “We are always working with TRD” on forced induction, Scion Vice President Jack Hollis told me.
Alas, the interior disappoints. Given a more utilitarian car — a wagon or crossover, for example — you might make the case that cabin materials matter less. But Scion calls the tC an aspirational coupe. What’s inside is crucial, and Scion chose style over substance. The cockpit boasts plenty of contemporary shapes, but it trades the first tC’s near-Volkswagen materials for Corolla-grade trimmings.
Gone are the padded sections and well-crafted climate controls, replaced by Toyota’s latest regime of budget-car interiors — “value engineering,” one staffer conceded to me. That means plenty of hard plastics, inconsistent graining from dash to door and crude air-conditioner knobs. (The knobs in particular are tragic because the old tC’s were excellent. You used to press a button. Now you adjust a knob – and feel the air louvers rotate behind the scenes. Competitors at this price are better.) The old tC’s fuzzy headliner used to extend down the A-pillars, a premium touch uncommon in this segment. This headliner is worse, and the pillars are plastic. Express down/up operation for both front windows, another premium detail from the old tC, is gone. The center armrest lacks any padding; the glove compartment door clatters down undamped. Nitpicks perhaps, but there are dozens of them, and the sum total makes for a cheap cabin, even at this price.
A couple of positives: Like before, the backseat is commodious for a coupe. Save for some short lower cushions, front-seat comfort is good. The steering wheel’s fat leather rim fits neatly to the hand, and the panoramic moonroof’s retracting sun shades are opaque enough to block out light.
It’s up for debate whether sporty front-drive coupes are poised for a comeback, but I’m not convinced this tC will lead the charge. Leave some thoughts below, and stay tuned for a full review.
Previous
Subscribe to our feed
Email us your tips!
Wow this car is ugly!
"Crowd-pleasing"?
The original tC has so much more style than this generic two-door.
"first tC's near-Volkswagen materials"?
I would never use this statement to describe its interior. It looked good but materials were not even close to VW's.
Cheap and ugly. Good car for an under 20 year old.
Kind of a Saab 9-3 vibe off that A-pillar.
I think this looks way better than the old TC. I would install a Mr. Fusion and a Flux Capacitor on this baby.
With this interior they can only dream... of sales.
Kia Forte Koup, Civic Coupe win
EU Avensis handles like a damp cloth... Much to big for a small coupe as well!
A 5 year old Si beats this POS in terms of interior material and speed. Moving Backwards, Toyota.
I really don't know how anyone can call something so bland ugly.
I always wanted to pay more for lower quality...that's the only way to go!
Looks like Saturn sold the rights to the Ion update.
This is a FAIL. As a current tC owner, I am saddened they took out the auto up down windows for both sides and used corolla AC knobs. More power whatever. What I have is fine. Looks aren't as good and the center dash waterfall with cover is what made my older gen tc more customizable and unique!!
Looks decontented. Is it necessary for Toyota to have such a large C-pillar on most of their recent models to impede rear visibility?
This is how cost cutting ruins a good little car. Like the performance/safety upgrades, but I think I'll hang onto my '05 Tc. The '011's styling is just "meh". It's interior is a mix between a '05 Corolla and a '97 Civic and the exterior is too formal, but it does look better in blue or black. Current Civic/Forte coupes look better in and out and Mazda 3 beats it in performance. Overall a FAIL.
The styling outside is aggressive if anything forgettable. its looks sharp but they didnt have to cut half of the rear windows. the back of this is bar far the worst, seems to be the ex designers put their best work in the first generation and is now short of creative drawing ideas. stils looks sexy fromt the front. Interior took many steps back and its evident it was to cut cost of production. the previous model had upscale trimmings. it's sad parts bin sharing from taken from the cheapest models of Toyota. I dislike the HVAC knobs and overall quality is lacking. Scion will still sell a number of these cause of "PURE PRICE" and its targeted hip audience.
Scion will still sell a number of these cause of "PURE PRICE"....
Ha! The price goes up by more then $1000
First of all, most people wont be able to tell this is a new car. The styling is OK but the review definitely exaggerates the attractiveness of this car. Secondly, the old car's interior is CHEAP just like this one. It looked a lot better and looked decent for the price point. This new interior looks cheap and I'm sure it feels that way based on the review. I cannot understand what vehicles Toyota is benchmarking for interior quality. Are they looking at the Golf/GTI or Cruze?
The front looks exactly the same as the last tc's, and the back is just awful.
This seems like it will blend in to the common crowd of cars that are currently out instead of stand up and out like all the previous Scions. They are willing to bland up the most popular car in their lineup. The xb doesnt stand out as much either. The only cars in the line that still hold the true vaule of the original Scions are the xD and the upcoming iQ. Sad to see the two stands out blend in.
I dont understand what everyone is complaining about. The last gen tC was a 16 year old girls car, and no one without a uteris should ever be caught dead in one, let alone driving it, period. This design at least looks like a man should be behind the wheel. Yes, the interior is cheap, but have any of you heard the STANDARD sound system in person? Its amazing! I feel like Toyota cut some corners in some areas, to improve on things people actually care about. For example, rear seat headroom/leg room, more power, better fuel economy, reclining rear seats, factory sound thats equal or better than aftermarket, sharp 18" wheels, masculinity, ect ect. I can go on all night with VALUABLE improvements. So what if the dashboard is hard plastic, and not soft plastic? It still looks better than the old gen.
yeap you guys just complain about something you havent try, and thats true at least this car is for a man, and anyone thats complaining about it is little girl who doesnt know what driving means
Actually I love this car I have one and previously had a Volkswagen so comparing this great car to a vw is garbage because Volkswagen sucks and I love my tc way to go scion you people are just jealous because u aren't driving one