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| 2011 Scion tC |
The base Mazda3 starts at $15,450, $2,320 less than the six-speed manual transmission tC.
The Civic and Fiesta also save buyers money. The 2011 Scion tC is a two-door coupe. The tC’s 2.5-liter engine four-cylinder engine produces 180 horsepower and 173 pound-feet of torque.
The good: The 2011 Scion tC presents a stylish exterior, and it is easy to upgrade the cabin electronics. iPod integration comes standard.
The bad: The Bluetooth phone system is nearly Stone Age in its features, and the audio system destroys mids and highs.
The bottom line: The 2011 Scion tCs tech, both cabin and drive train, lags behind similarly priced competition, but the car is a solid platform to upgrade. Witness the Scion tC, which in a single generation went from svelte to bulky. Aftermarket-friendly
Staying true to Scions original mission, iPod integration comes standard in the tC, and the cabin tech is as upgradable as ever. A big, multifunction knob controls volume with dial movement and also operates as a joystick to tune radio stations. The Pioneer head unit has three audio settings under the banner of Scion Sound Processing, labeled Hear, Natural, and Feel. Depending on how you look at it, the new 2011 Scion tC is either the second-generation tC or the ninth generation of the Toyota Celica.
The new tC rides on the same 106.3-inch wheelbase, stretches out the same 174.0 inches long overall and stands the same 55.7 inches tall. The front track width increases from 59.3 to 60.6 inches, and the rear goes from 59.3 to 61.4 inches. The larger-diameter and wider tires make the new tC seem somehow more voluptuous. The brakes are bigger too, with front ventilated discs increasing from 10.83 to 11.65 inches, and the solid rear discs growing from 10.59 to 10.98 inches.
The tCs new 2.5-liter engine is virtually identical to the four-cylinder engine offered in the 2010 Toyota Camry SE. The Camry SEs engine is rated at 179 horsepower at 6000 rpm, with 171 lb-ft of peak torque at 4100 rpm. Thanks to slightly different engine-control computer programming and different intake and exhaust systems, the tC develops one extra horsepower at 6000 rpm and two more lb-ft of torque at 4100 rpm. Moreover, a new six-speed manual and automatic transmissions take advantage of the new engines muscle.
The Drive
Tuned for midrange power and solid torque production, the tCs powerplant isnt a screamer like the rev-happy, 8000-rpm redline, 197-horsepower 2.0-liter engine in Hondas Civic Si.
As before, the tC comes with a panoramic sunroof as standard equipment. With the roll-up shade retracted, the roof gives the tCs interior a nice roomy feel.
For buyers in the tCs target demographic, an eardrum-crushing sound system is a must. The tC comes standard with 300-watt system with a 160-watt Pioneer-branded head unit and a 140-watt two-channel amplifier feeding eight speakers. The tCs exterior may promise excitement, but the chassis delivers more comfort than thrills.
Toyota claims a 0-to-60 mph time of 7.6 seconds for the manual transmission version of the new tC and 8.3 seconds for the automatic. Like the first Celica, the tC is sort of a five-sixth-scale Mustang, and like the Mustang, the tC is still accessible to young buyers. According to Toyota, the median age of tC buyers is 26, and its easy to see why. The 2011 Scion tC is a good idea today.
Scion has always maintained that tC stands for Touring Coupe.
