2011 Scion tC....the end of "boring" small Toyotas?
10-03-10, 02:48 PM
#1
Lexus Fanatic
Thread Starter
2011 Scion tC....the end of "boring" small Toyotas?
A number of you, on CAR CHAT, have either grumbled or expressed dissatisfaction with the design of many current Toyota products, complaining that they weren't "sporty" enough, lacked "personality", were too "staid" or "boring" (Lexus IS-F and LF-A, of course, notwithstanding). I don't happen to share that view myself, about Toyotas necessarily being boring, but I but respect your opinions 
.
I was reading, in my monthly paper-copy of Road and Track, this write-up of the new 2011 Scion tC (like Car and Driver, they do First-Drive impressions, in addition to the regular comparisons and road tests). Sam Mitani, one of R&T's regular staff-members, seemed pretty impressd with the new Scion tC...quite a different vehicle from the 1Gen model. Scion, of course, has traditionally been the most youth-oriented of Toyota's three divisions, though the xB and xA sold surprisingly well to older folks who wanted a simple, reliabile, versatile car.
The new tC, of course, is not a torque-heavy, RWD road-stormer (it still retains a standard 4-cylinder and FWD), but, from Sam's write-up here, it certainly takes a different direction than its predecessor.
(For some reason, R&T didn't put the full paper-copy article on-line, but the condensed version shown here still gives a good overview)
http://www.roadandtrack.com/tests/im.../2011-scion-tc
At first glance, the new tC looks meaner and more purpose-driven. The front is highlighted by canted rectangular headlights and a slim grille. The bulging rear fenders and thick C-pillars give the new tC an American muscle-car flavor, and when seen from the rear, its squarish taillight treatment smacks of a Ford Mustang. A wider stance, increased from 69.1. to 70.7 in., not only makes the car look sportier, it improves overall stability. The new car’s length and height remain unchanged at 174.0 and 55.7 in., respectively.
Under the hood resides a new 2.5-liter 2AR-FE inline-4 that produces 180 bhp at 6000 rpm and 173 lb.-ft. of torque at 4100, increases of 19 bhp and 11 lb.-ft. of torque from the current model. It features Toyota’s variable timing system (VVT-i), tumble control valves and a variable-induction intake manifold system, all of which help the engine achieve fuel economy of 23/31 mpg. This is nearly a 3 percent improvement over the current tC.
The engine comes mated to a couple of new gearboxes: a 6-speed manual and a 6-speed automatic. For our evaluation purposes, we chose the 6-speed manual, and took the car on the winding roads outside San Diego, California, to see if the new tC drove as sporty as it looked.
The new tC is a completely different animal than its predecessor. The chassis has been stiffened dramatically, as each bump in the road was communicated to the driver through the seats and steering wheel. And speaking of that wheel, it’s a new design with a super thick rim; in fact, a bit too thick for my tastes. Thick rim or not, the tC’s handling was sharp. Although it did feel front- heavy through tight corners, the car maintained good overall balance through the high-speed turns, while turn-in felt crisp. The suspension system—MacPherson struts up front and upper and lower A-arms at the rear, did a commendable job keeping the car stable, although a semi-choppy ride quality results from the stiff tuning. But this is a sports coupe, and a bit of ride harshness is just part of the deal.
The engine exhibited excellent low-range tractability, although I wish there was a bit more punch in the upper rev range. Still, it gets the job done, powering the car to 60 mph in 7.6 seconds, according to Toyota, while letting out a growl that I can’t recall hearing in a Toyota product since the Celica. The new 2011 tC will arrive at dealerships this fall with a base price of $18,275 for the manual and $19,275 for the automatic.
TOP COMPETITORS
Chevrolet Cobalt coupe
Ford Focus coupe
Honda Civic coupe
Kia Forte Koup
.I was reading, in my monthly paper-copy of Road and Track, this write-up of the new 2011 Scion tC (like Car and Driver, they do First-Drive impressions, in addition to the regular comparisons and road tests). Sam Mitani, one of R&T's regular staff-members, seemed pretty impressd with the new Scion tC...quite a different vehicle from the 1Gen model. Scion, of course, has traditionally been the most youth-oriented of Toyota's three divisions, though the xB and xA sold surprisingly well to older folks who wanted a simple, reliabile, versatile car.
The new tC, of course, is not a torque-heavy, RWD road-stormer (it still retains a standard 4-cylinder and FWD), but, from Sam's write-up here, it certainly takes a different direction than its predecessor.
(For some reason, R&T didn't put the full paper-copy article on-line, but the condensed version shown here still gives a good overview)
http://www.roadandtrack.com/tests/im.../2011-scion-tc
At first glance, the new tC looks meaner and more purpose-driven. The front is highlighted by canted rectangular headlights and a slim grille. The bulging rear fenders and thick C-pillars give the new tC an American muscle-car flavor, and when seen from the rear, its squarish taillight treatment smacks of a Ford Mustang. A wider stance, increased from 69.1. to 70.7 in., not only makes the car look sportier, it improves overall stability. The new car’s length and height remain unchanged at 174.0 and 55.7 in., respectively.
Under the hood resides a new 2.5-liter 2AR-FE inline-4 that produces 180 bhp at 6000 rpm and 173 lb.-ft. of torque at 4100, increases of 19 bhp and 11 lb.-ft. of torque from the current model. It features Toyota’s variable timing system (VVT-i), tumble control valves and a variable-induction intake manifold system, all of which help the engine achieve fuel economy of 23/31 mpg. This is nearly a 3 percent improvement over the current tC.
The engine comes mated to a couple of new gearboxes: a 6-speed manual and a 6-speed automatic. For our evaluation purposes, we chose the 6-speed manual, and took the car on the winding roads outside San Diego, California, to see if the new tC drove as sporty as it looked.
The new tC is a completely different animal than its predecessor. The chassis has been stiffened dramatically, as each bump in the road was communicated to the driver through the seats and steering wheel. And speaking of that wheel, it’s a new design with a super thick rim; in fact, a bit too thick for my tastes. Thick rim or not, the tC’s handling was sharp. Although it did feel front- heavy through tight corners, the car maintained good overall balance through the high-speed turns, while turn-in felt crisp. The suspension system—MacPherson struts up front and upper and lower A-arms at the rear, did a commendable job keeping the car stable, although a semi-choppy ride quality results from the stiff tuning. But this is a sports coupe, and a bit of ride harshness is just part of the deal.
The engine exhibited excellent low-range tractability, although I wish there was a bit more punch in the upper rev range. Still, it gets the job done, powering the car to 60 mph in 7.6 seconds, according to Toyota, while letting out a growl that I can’t recall hearing in a Toyota product since the Celica. The new 2011 tC will arrive at dealerships this fall with a base price of $18,275 for the manual and $19,275 for the automatic.
TOP COMPETITORS
Chevrolet Cobalt coupe
Ford Focus coupe
Honda Civic coupe
Kia Forte Koup
Last edited by mmarshall; 10-03-10 at 03:35 PM.
10-03-10, 04:36 PM
#2
I'm not a fan of the TC or Scions in general, but I do think the TC represents a good value for those looking for a decently sporty coupe. Offering good fuel economy, respectable power and modern transmissions. Reliability doesn't hurt either. Thanks for posting Marshall!
10-03-10, 09:14 PM
#7
much improved from the previous generations. i agree with Hoovey2411- the scion does provide adequate power and decent gas economy. it's not as weak anymore. the aggressive styling looks nice, and that rear seating just looks larger, which is always nice for those sitting in the rear.
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10-04-10, 12:39 AM
#9
Lexus Test Driver
10-04-10, 08:46 AM
#15
Guest
Posts: n/a
While the new gen seems more tough and butch looking compared to the last one (which still looks good IMO) I have 0 interest in buying or driving one.
I predicted Scion should not have been a separate brand and seeing as it debuted during Toyota's yearning to grow grow grow I wonder do they regret the move now. It sells slow and the money invested in having a separate brand could have been used to develop sportier Toyotas.
I predicted Scion should not have been a separate brand and seeing as it debuted during Toyota's yearning to grow grow grow I wonder do they regret the move now. It sells slow and the money invested in having a separate brand could have been used to develop sportier Toyotas.