tC only looks and acts expensive ...
05-09-2005, 02:30 PM
#1
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tC only looks and acts expensive ...
Need I say more?
Paul
Allscion -- an e-commerce Web site with news and accessories for your Scion vehicles
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Price Is Right
Stylish Scion TC Only Looks And Acts Expensive
By ED MURPHY
Day Automotive Editor
Published on 5/7/2005
It has the Scion badge and the same funky naming convention as the line's other two models, but there's something decidedly different about the tC.
This one looks expensive.
While the diminutive xA and xB are certainly cute little rascals, you can easily tell they are economy cars. At first glance, you can figure a price in the low to mid-teens. That's not the case with the tC.
Unlike the other two, the tC has a very sophisticated sense of style yes, you might even call it upscale and comes with equipment that would have you figuring a price in the low-20s. That was the best guess of most observers, and that number certainly didn't appear out of line.
After all, it comes with four-wheel disc brakes with antilock and electronic brake assist, driver knee bags, sport-tuned MacPherson struts, 17-inch six-spoke alloy wheels, power outside mirrors with integrated turn signals, a large glass moonroof with power tilt and slide, outside temperature gauge, a six-speaker, 160-watt sound system, air conditioning and power everything.
Options on the tester included seat-mounted side and curtain airbags, along with things like carpeted floor mats, cargo liner and rear bumper protector. The favorite items on the list, though, were the FrontStrut tie bar by Hotchkis tuning, the very cool speed star mesh shift **** by OBX that added an aftermarket look for only $59 and the TRD performance exhaust system that provided the car with a throaty growl.
After looking at all that, a price in the low- to mid-20s seems quite reasonable. It's really not even close.
The 2005 Scion tC has a base price of $15,950. Add in the options and destination fee, and the test car topped out at $18,231. Nobody believed it.
Even though Scion is a subsidiary of Toyota, the tC bears no resemblance to anything in the Toyota line. This is a completely different animal that was developed exclusively in a mere 13 months from blueprints to final product for Scion.
Sitting low, wide and sporty, the tC has sleek exterior lines, a low, dramatic roofline and stubby trunk. The short overhangs add to the sporty appearance and help to highlight those expressive wheels and their low-profile, Z-rated Bridgestone Potenza all-season tires. The tester was painted black cherry pearl, providing a richer look than you'd expect from a car costing in the teens.
What comes apparent from viewing both the exterior and interior is that Toyota did not cut corners anywhere on this car. All materials have a first-rate look and feel. The seats, dash materials, even the headliner all have that top-shelf appearance.
I particularly liked the sportiness of the three-spoke steering wheel, the metallic gauges that spring to attention when the car starts and the simplicity of the dash, where a single large dial adjusts the temperature setting. The sound system controls are hidden behind a door at the top. The only gripe here is that all those controls consist of small buttons, even going with two buttons for volume control instead of the more standard ****. Here, simplicity would have been the way to go.
The front bucket seats are covered in a soft fabric and are comfortable, and there is plenty of head and leg room. Things aren't as rosy in back. On the plus side, there's far more leg room than you'd ever expect to find in a vehicle classified as a sub-compact. But those in back will suffer for the sake of sportiness which means that dramatically sloped roof does not leave a lot of space for your noggin.
Scion has also managed to build a lot of versatility and utility into the interior. Along with loads of storage nooks and plenty of cupholders, the driver's seat has a height and thigh adjustment, along with a walk-in function with memory for both the seat and backrest.
The passenger seat provides a wide step-in for those heading to the rear quarters. If your cargo needs exceed your passenger needs, the rear seat has a 60/40-split and fold nearly flat to the floor. Those rear seats also recline to 45 degrees and can be adjusted into 10 different positions.
Power is nicely matched to the weight of the tC. The only engine available is a 2.4-liter four-cylinder that produces 160 horsepower and 163 ft.lbs. of torque. When matched with the smooth-shifting five-speed manual, it feels quick off the line and cruises effortlessly on the highway.
The manual allows to wind out the engine a little more than normal in each gear, and the throaty sound produced by the TRD exhaust system provides a very nice payoff.
No, it does not come with a V6 option and probably won't win a lot of money at the drag strip. That, however, does not appear to be the mission of the tC. Instead, it provides a pleasing blend of performance and economy, with the test car getting 22 mpg around town and 29 mpg on the highway. The automatic does a little better, with numbers of 23 and 30.
The ride quality has the same sense of sophistication as the styling. The tC glides across smooth surfaces, gobbles up inconsistencies in the blacktop and stays dead level through the turns.
It's that blend of fun and sophistication that not only sets the tC apart from its Scion stablemates, but also appears to give it a leg up on the competition.
Paul
Allscion -- an e-commerce Web site with news and accessories for your Scion vehicles
http://www.allscion.com/store
Price Is Right
Stylish Scion TC Only Looks And Acts Expensive
By ED MURPHY
Day Automotive Editor
Published on 5/7/2005
It has the Scion badge and the same funky naming convention as the line's other two models, but there's something decidedly different about the tC.
This one looks expensive.
While the diminutive xA and xB are certainly cute little rascals, you can easily tell they are economy cars. At first glance, you can figure a price in the low to mid-teens. That's not the case with the tC.
Unlike the other two, the tC has a very sophisticated sense of style yes, you might even call it upscale and comes with equipment that would have you figuring a price in the low-20s. That was the best guess of most observers, and that number certainly didn't appear out of line.
After all, it comes with four-wheel disc brakes with antilock and electronic brake assist, driver knee bags, sport-tuned MacPherson struts, 17-inch six-spoke alloy wheels, power outside mirrors with integrated turn signals, a large glass moonroof with power tilt and slide, outside temperature gauge, a six-speaker, 160-watt sound system, air conditioning and power everything.
Options on the tester included seat-mounted side and curtain airbags, along with things like carpeted floor mats, cargo liner and rear bumper protector. The favorite items on the list, though, were the FrontStrut tie bar by Hotchkis tuning, the very cool speed star mesh shift **** by OBX that added an aftermarket look for only $59 and the TRD performance exhaust system that provided the car with a throaty growl.
After looking at all that, a price in the low- to mid-20s seems quite reasonable. It's really not even close.
The 2005 Scion tC has a base price of $15,950. Add in the options and destination fee, and the test car topped out at $18,231. Nobody believed it.
Even though Scion is a subsidiary of Toyota, the tC bears no resemblance to anything in the Toyota line. This is a completely different animal that was developed exclusively in a mere 13 months from blueprints to final product for Scion.
Sitting low, wide and sporty, the tC has sleek exterior lines, a low, dramatic roofline and stubby trunk. The short overhangs add to the sporty appearance and help to highlight those expressive wheels and their low-profile, Z-rated Bridgestone Potenza all-season tires. The tester was painted black cherry pearl, providing a richer look than you'd expect from a car costing in the teens.
What comes apparent from viewing both the exterior and interior is that Toyota did not cut corners anywhere on this car. All materials have a first-rate look and feel. The seats, dash materials, even the headliner all have that top-shelf appearance.
I particularly liked the sportiness of the three-spoke steering wheel, the metallic gauges that spring to attention when the car starts and the simplicity of the dash, where a single large dial adjusts the temperature setting. The sound system controls are hidden behind a door at the top. The only gripe here is that all those controls consist of small buttons, even going with two buttons for volume control instead of the more standard ****. Here, simplicity would have been the way to go.
The front bucket seats are covered in a soft fabric and are comfortable, and there is plenty of head and leg room. Things aren't as rosy in back. On the plus side, there's far more leg room than you'd ever expect to find in a vehicle classified as a sub-compact. But those in back will suffer for the sake of sportiness which means that dramatically sloped roof does not leave a lot of space for your noggin.
Scion has also managed to build a lot of versatility and utility into the interior. Along with loads of storage nooks and plenty of cupholders, the driver's seat has a height and thigh adjustment, along with a walk-in function with memory for both the seat and backrest.
The passenger seat provides a wide step-in for those heading to the rear quarters. If your cargo needs exceed your passenger needs, the rear seat has a 60/40-split and fold nearly flat to the floor. Those rear seats also recline to 45 degrees and can be adjusted into 10 different positions.
Power is nicely matched to the weight of the tC. The only engine available is a 2.4-liter four-cylinder that produces 160 horsepower and 163 ft.lbs. of torque. When matched with the smooth-shifting five-speed manual, it feels quick off the line and cruises effortlessly on the highway.
The manual allows to wind out the engine a little more than normal in each gear, and the throaty sound produced by the TRD exhaust system provides a very nice payoff.
No, it does not come with a V6 option and probably won't win a lot of money at the drag strip. That, however, does not appear to be the mission of the tC. Instead, it provides a pleasing blend of performance and economy, with the test car getting 22 mpg around town and 29 mpg on the highway. The automatic does a little better, with numbers of 23 and 30.
The ride quality has the same sense of sophistication as the styling. The tC glides across smooth surfaces, gobbles up inconsistencies in the blacktop and stays dead level through the turns.
It's that blend of fun and sophistication that not only sets the tC apart from its Scion stablemates, but also appears to give it a leg up on the competition.
05-09-2005, 04:56 PM
#3
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Originally Posted by ack154
Good article... I think that really sums up a lot of thoughts most of us have. It's not absolutely perfect, but it's a good buy for a lot of the things we want and/or need.
05-09-2005, 11:21 PM
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Indeed, the article is right-on. Of course, we are a little biased towards what we drive, as an RSX enthusiast would say about a pro-RSX article, etc...
Dollar for dollar, the tC is excellent investment.
Dollar for dollar, the tC is excellent investment.
05-09-2005, 11:21 PM
#8
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Originally Posted by ack154
Originally Posted by TrafficinLA
Tell that to the "tC versus anything that moves" people.
05-09-2005, 11:22 PM
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yeah the tc is a lot for the money. when I first saw it I thought it was a BMW because of the headlights. I was pretty surprised it was toyota. I get dorky and showoff the reclining seats to my friends.
05-09-2005, 11:39 PM
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Originally Posted by DuMa
i agree with all points except for the trd exhaust. it aint throaty, its simply annoying!
..Most sound either A.) Like a crazy lawnmower on crack that dated a weedwacker for a week or B.) Trying to sound like a V8 but simply can't touch that cubic hottness.
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