By folding down the rear seats as well as the right front seat, a load floor that stretches 103.6 inches is created, ideal for snowboarders and surfers. Although it looks like a coupe, the tC is actually a hatchback, which means flexible cargo capacity. Rear passengers will also enjoy the split seat backs that can individually recline up to 45 degrees. Speaking of standard equipment, the tC, like the other Scion models, comes in one trim level and is chock-full of unexpected goodies such as one-touch up and down power windows, cruise control, air conditioning, keyless entry, mirror-mounted turn signal lights, four-wheel antilock disc brakes and a 160-watt Pioneer sound system with CD player that is satellite (XM) radio ready.Īlthough the tC is a compact car at just 174 inches long (about the same as a Honda Civic coupe), a relatively long (106.3-inch) wheelbase provides more than ample legroom, especially for those riding in the back.
Both of these high-end features are standard. Another is the set of double-spoke, 17-inch alloy wheels that to our eyes looked as good as anything in the aftermarket. One is the deeply tinted glass panoramic roof that features a power sunroof above the front seats and a fixed glass portion above the rear compartment. Still, there are a few head-turning elements. Somehow managing to look a little pudgy yet sleek at the same time, the tC has a generic rectangular grille, headlamps with BMW-like "eyebrows" and a body that boasts crisp, clean lines. Unlike the xA and xB that look like they could've come out of a comic book (and we mean that in a good way we like their funky yet practical style), the tC is a more mainstream design. Loosely translated, that meant congested city streets (complete with working road crews and plenty of orange cones), gently winding parkways and fast-moving four-lane freeways. It also allowed the car to be driven in an "urban" environment, as that is part of the intended demographic for the tC.
Scion staged its latest introduction in Washington D.C., which allowed for the cute "tC in DC" tagline (and obligatory baseball cap) for the event. We're not sure we agree the company does make the Celica and the MR2 Spyder, does it not? But who are we to question the business decisions of a very successful company? Let's get to the car. The company has stated that the reason for the separate brand was that it wanted to hit the younger generation ("Y" or whatever it may now be) with personable vehicles intended for their active, fun-loving lifestyles and felt that the practical Toyota name didn't foster that impression.
It's not as if Toyota doesn't have a popular name and solid reputation. We have to say that we were surprised when Toyota decided to go to the trouble and expense of spinning off another brand, namely Scion, rather than just introducing those two models (the xA and xB) as Toyota products. This can be bedeviling not just to consumers but also to companies that face an ever-increasing number of competitors.Īnd so it is within the automotive marketplace. Just trying to decide what kind of running shoes to buy can be a project should you get, say, the Nike Air Max Tailwind or the Asics Gel Cumulus? It's just mind-boggling. Here in the land of plenty we have almost too many choices.