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by Mike Kowdley, 2004-Sep-25
2005 tC Road test
 After visiting with Scion in Seattle, we couldn't wait to get our hands on a tC for a little more time behind the wheel.
Also, coming up was Scion's Scion Night, hosted by local Scion dealers. It sure would be fun to roll to Vallejo in a 2005 tC!
Scion's PR agency dropped of a tC on Thursday. Ours was Light Blue Mica with the standard dark gray interior. Optional equipment on our test vehicle included Side Impact Airbags and Overhead Front & Rear Side Curtain Airbags ($650), carpeted floor mats ($145), and the six disc Pioneer CD Changer ($395). Out the door price after the delivery fee was $18,455.
Specifications
You've seen them before, but just for recap:
| Engine |
| Type |
2AZ-FE 2.4 liter, 4-cylinder, DOHC 16-valve EFI with VVT-i, aluminum alloy block and head |
| Bore and Stroke |
88.5 x 96.0 mm |
| Displacement |
2,362 cc |
| Compression Ratio |
9.6 : 1 |
| Valve Train |
4-valve/cylinder with VVT-i |
| Horsepower (SAE) |
160 hp @ 5,700 RPM |
| Torque |
163 lb.-ft. @ 4,000 RPM |
| Ignition System |
Toyota Direct Ignition (TDI) |
| Fuel System |
Multi-point EFI |
| Recommended Fuel |
87-octane unleaded |
| Tires And wheels
|
| Wheels |
Aluminum Alloy 17 x 7.0 inches |
| Tires |
P216/45Z R17 All-season steel belted radial |
| Exterior Dimensions |
| Wheelbase |
106.3 inches |
| Overall Length |
174.0 inches |
| Overall Width |
69.1 inches |
| Overall Height |
55.7 inches |
| Tread Width (front/rear) |
59.3/59.3 inches |
| Minimum Ground Clearance |
5.2 inches (Two passengers / no cargo) |
| Vehicle Mass |
| Curb Weight |
5M, 2,905 lbs
4-ECT 2,970 lbs |
I won't re-list all of the standard and optional equipment because we've done it before. The Scion standard features give you a vehicle that is well equipped and could almost be called "fully loaded" - I definitely enjoyed the standard moonroof, external temperature gauge, and bucket seats.
Some of the nice touches that I hadn't noticed on the first drive:
- The tC's European-style shifter took a little getting used to, but it's actually quite easy to use. Since the handle moves left and right as well as up and down along its track, switching from Drive to 3 and from Reverse to Drive is quick and solid, no need to check the knob to make sure that it's in the right place. During the adjustment period, I found the in-dash display of the current gear selection to be pretty handy - and still better then looking down. I actually thought it was interesting that all of the press photos that Scion sent me in May show the standard (manual transmission) controls - even though the AT shifter was one of the first things that I noticed when getting in the tC.
- It's no Porsche, but the tC rockets up and down the hills around San Francisco and Marin county with ease. Passing on the 101 was a breeze, and the low level of road noise is a nice treat.
- Gas mileage was fair (definitely better than my daily driver). The entire week of commuting ran me less than 3/4 tank of gas. Scion's official numbers are 23MPG City and 30MPG Highway (please to post your personal experiences).
As always, there are nits. As you'll see, after collecting everything that I didn't like about the tC, the list is pretty short:
- Only one accessory jack. After removing the cigarette lighter, only one spot is available to plug in a 12V device. Come on, I gotta charge my cell phone, charge my girlfriend's cell phone, run my radar detector, and recharge my IPod. At the same time. I know that Scion's target market has these needs, and two more jacks would be dandy.
- No light automatically came on in the rear hatch when it was opened. It's dark back there!
- The faceplate that covers the radio doesn't have the best latching action.
Another amusing observation was that the tC doesn't have the same looky-loo value of it's predecessors, the xA and xB. Those of you lucky enough to be driving the xB during it's introduction are probably pretty familiar with the turned heads, the questions, the curiosity. The tC, while certainly not another face in the crowd, doesn't stand out either the way the xB did. Actually, other than friends that I actually showed the vehicle to, the only comment I got was "Hey, I think I saw that car in Japan once!" (Nice, that was the toll worker on the Golden Gate Bridge.)
Never mind that. The tC is sporty, quick, fully equipped, and fun to drive. The Pioneer sound system keeps the tunes pumping (with signal processing options called "Neutral", "Listen" and "Feel") and the moonroof has low wind noise so you can have air and sound at the same time. Scion has given us a great car and the consumers are pleased: at well under $20,000 the tC outsold the xA and xB in its first two months of nationwide availability. If you haven't driven one yet, what are you waiting for? (I know, I know, the supercharger. It's coming!)
Special thanks to Michael and Catherine Dobrin of Michael Dobrin Public Relations.
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