We always thought the last generation Scion tC was nice to look at, but a bit conservative for a youth-oriented brand like Scion. This new one has a little bit of an edge to it, but it’s very similar to the model it replaces. Upon further inspection, especially after spending a few hours at the helm, this new Scion tC becomes more attractive. Definitely more masculine.
There is some genius to the simplicity of this design. You see, this is a hatchback – and a long one at that. That notch you see in the back is there only to resemble a trunk and thus give the Scion tC a stubby rear section. If they kept the angle of the rear glass and ran it all the way down to the rear bumper (like most hatchbacks) you would definitely notice the rather long roof. As it is, the simple act of adding that notched rear section changed everything on the tC.
The new tC is largely the same, with a larger body.
Fortunately, the overall size is excellent for folks who like a sweet ride. That’s what this long wheelbase provides. The long body also houses one of the most comfortable interiors in its class.
Pushed for an opinion, we’ll say we prefer the Kia Koup’s exterior design a bit more than the Scion tC – until you add the Toyota Racing Development (TRD) accessories. Just the simple act of adding the sweet looking TRD 19-inch wheels transforms the tC into the most aggressive of its rivals from Honda, Kia, Mitsubishi and even MINI.
The new front end is tighter and a bit meaner with the headlights looking slightly perturbed. Still, it looks a lot like the last generation tC. Taillights are completely different from last generation’s triangular design.
Most people we drove past during the Las Vegas, Nevada driving event probably took little notice – unless they were younger.
Pricing, Trims and Options
Prices start at $18,275 for the stick and $19,275 for the automatic. A decent price for a car that is equal parts masculine machine and budget driver.
While option, trim and accessory prices were not available at the time of the writing, we were assured that the prices will be very close to what they were for the last generation Scion tC. That means even a high-end trim with options will still hang around $20,000.
Must Have Features
The popularity of the Scion is based on customization straight from the factory. The TRD performance upgrades are all covered by the same warranty that covers Scion and has been specially developed for Scions.
This is good example of building a better car with readily available components. We are very impressed with the suspension and tire/wheel options as they add significant performance gains. Among these add-ons, we highly recommend:
- TRD 19-inch alloy wheels
- TRD big brake system and TRD brake pads
- TRD spline-drive wheel installation kit
- TRD lowering springs
- TRD sway-bar set and TRD strut tie bar
- TRD quick shifter
- TRD performance exhaust and TRD air filter
The optional Alpine Premium stereo system is a good bet, too. Great audio always makes a good drive better.
Interior Features
The interior is a bit of a letdown in terms of overall quality and excitement. Many of the plastics are hard and cheap, especially on the dashboard. There are a bunch of gaps and ill-fitting components throughout the interior and many of the parts are easily identifiable as once belonging to cars like the Toyota Yaris. Still, despite those gripes, it’s a comfortable and user-friendly place to ride and drive.
The front seats are very comfortable with plenty of adjustment for just about any sized driver. As stated before, this is a larger car than before and the benefit of that length is evident in the back seat. You will find more room back there than in just about any competitor in this space.
Better still, the rear passenger can recline their seat up to ten-degrees.
We love the dual-glass moon-roof with individual, retractable sun shades. It’s the same as the last models but it works better in this tC. With the sun shades open, the drab interior wakes up and give the interior new dimension. This is a highly recommended option.
Like the last tC, several head units are avaialble. In case you’re not clear, the head unit is the space that houses the radio, CD player, etc. in the dash board. In this case, Toyota sourced Lexus head units and increased the amount of standard stereo features in the tC to include a total of eight speakers throughout. The sound quality varies from unit to unit, but the package that includes the integrated navigation is our recommended choice.