Review – 2011 Scion tC
By OR Staff, Photography courtesy of Scion
With art installations, underground DJs, and a couple of professional drifting teams, Scion has reached out to the youth of the nation like no other car company. Their paybacks for those efforts are 800,000 in total sales and more rabid car clubs than the Internet can swallow.
But while that dedicated fan base originally gravitated towards the boxy and un-hip/hip xB model, the more performance oriented Scion tC gradually grew to become the top seller in the Scion camp. Scion claims that nearly 310,000 copies of the Scion tC are now roaming the roads of America, almost 40% of all Scion sales.
For the 2011 model year, Scion has released a reboot of the tC coupe with a new 180hp 2.5-liter engine, two new transmission options, bigger wheels, more watts, and better fuel economy. For the first time in the car’s history, both a six-speed transmission and 18-inch wheels are standard. The new tC has also been shaped inside and out by Toyota’s Calty design center for better driver involvement and, finally, a bit of exterior aggression.
More Power, More Gears
With a predominantly male customer base and a median age of just 26 years old, the Scion tC is on the list of many young, first time buyers and those looking for an affordable compact coupe. But affordable doesn’t automatically translate into a buyer that has given up on all hope for performance. Young drivers want more of everything, especially power, and Scion has listened.
The new tC still hasn’t made the leap towards rear-wheel drive but the new 2.5-liter 2AR-FE engine, shared with the Camry and RAV4, produces a decent 180hp and 173 lb/ft of torque. Compared to its two-door price range competitors, the Kia Forte Koup SX and Honda Civic EX, the tC comes out on top with 7hp more than the Kia and 40hp more than the Civic.
Compared to the 2010 tC’s 161hp and 162 lb/ft of torque 2.4-liter inline-four, the new engine has added dual VVT-i, a variable intake manifold, roller rocker arms, variable output oil pump, multi-point oil jets, and new piston rings to reduce friction and increase efficiency.
The engine is paired up with two transmission options, both new for 2011. The manual transmission has grown to six gears, allowing the tC to do 0-60mph in 7.6-seconds (0.6-seconds faster than before) and attain a fuel economy of 23/31 mpg. The automatic is also a six-speed and it features an ECO drive indicator and ”manumatic” sport shift mode. It allows the tC to do 0-60mph in 8.3-seconds (0.8-seconds faster) and get a fuel economy rating of 23/31 mpg.
We tried our hardest to appreciate the ease of the tC’s automatic but could not get over the programming in the new transmission. Designed for fuel economy above all else, the automatic would enter ECO mode often, reacting slowly to throttle movements and refusing to drop gears. Sometimes, when passing on the freeway, it would even shift up prematurely, as if it were telling us that we had tasted enough. By moving the lever to the left in the shifter gate, we could enter Sequential Sport Shift mode, which was by far crisper and more enjoyable to drive.
The stark difference between the two modes had us pining for a more aggressive standard transmission map but, as it stands, our recommendation for those more interested in performance than convenience is the six-speed manual.
One of biggest drivetrain changes for 2011 is the upgrade from a five-speed to a six-speed manual transmission. And, simply put, the new six-speed is good. With a meaty, easy to grab shift knob on top, the lever provided firm movement and precise engagement through the gate. There was no fishing for 1st versus 3rd and no squishy disconnect when shoving the shifter into place.
The gear ratios in the transmission are also surprisingly close, helping the tC accentuate its low-end and accelerate around town that much easier. The 2.5-liter engine doesn’t have a huge amount of top-end but we think that the closely geared six-speed could help a finer breathing supercharged or turbocharged tC immensely.
Tighter And Looser
The original Scion tC was one of the most popular choices for young, first time buyers on account of its price, aftermarket support, and capable handling. We’ve driven everything from supercharged street cars to Pro/Celebrity racecars and have always found the tC’s behavior to be quite good for a front-wheel drive chassis with some amount of torque.
The 2011 Scion tC retains the front MacPherson and rear double-wishbone suspension design but has updated the tuning on the dampers, spring rates, and swaybars. Using a version of the European Toyota Avensis chassis, the new tC has grown its front track by 1.3-inches and its rear track by 2.1-inches.
Combined with larger and wider 18×7.5-inch alloy wheels and 225/45R18 tires, the new suspension gives the tC a tight and firm suspension feel. Although not quite racecar stiff, the suspension is taut enough that body roll is not a constant evil reminder and even the addition of TRD swaybars cannot be easily felt on the street.
Backing up the suspension is a set of larger brake rotors and a new speed-variable electric power steering system. Although the electric system reduces complexity and increases efficiency with the elimination of parasitic drag, its tuning is not consistent across all speeds. At high speed, the tC’s steering feels adequate, though not as precise as we’d prefer. In the city, at low speed, the tC’s steering becomes overly boosted and loose, with a level of precision that we would fine-tune before taking to the autocross course.
At the time of the tC’s launch, TRD will have available 19-inch wheels, a big brake kit, springs, brake pads, quick shifter, tower bar, swaybars, cold air intake, and exhaust. A supercharger kit has not been confirmed yet.
The Helmet Design
Inspired by the Fuse concept car, the 2011 Scion tC was described by representatives as utilizing a helmet visor for inspiration. Whatever their muse, the new tC has debuted with sharper angles and a more masculine design. The soft edges of the last tC are gone and prospective male buyers of the new tC should be happy about that.
The pointed bodylines, blacked out front a-pillars, and bulging fender flares, more prominent in the rear thanks to a cut with the c-pillar, add up to a meaner tC for 2011.
Scion has also taken efforts in their redesign to increase functionality. The new a-pillars are slimmer for improved visibility and the side mirrors now fold for tight spaces. The panoramic moonroof, one of the tC’s key features, has been augmented with a new mesh wind deflector as well.
More Watts
The Scion brand has always been about community, lifestyle, and experience. With their buyers expected to spend large amounts of time in their cars, it came as little surprise that so much effort was placed on the tC’s interior.
From the leather-wrapped, flat-bottomed new steering wheel to the driver-centric center dash, the 2011 Scion tC bears little resemblance to the old car. Well, almost. The interior trim’s plastic and graining is reminiscent of the past tC in terms of quality, although the functionality has improved.
The new steering wheel is impressively thick and the leather surface gives a much better feel than the last tC’s plastic feedback. Mounted on to a new telescoping steering column, the wheel sits in front of a new, easy-to-read instrument panel. Like many modern Toyotas, the new tC strangely lacks temperature gauges, going instead with a simple warning light.
The door panels and rear passenger side panels have been re-designed as well to fit the new eight speaker audio system, which is derived from the Lexus LX570 SUV. Pushing 300-watts in standard trim, the Pioneer sound system pumps 160-watts through the head unit and 140-watts through an additional two-channel amplifier. The ubiquitous iPod input jack is on board, as is a new USB port.
An available 340-watt Alpine HD radio-capable system adds a 4.3-inch touch screen and can be upgraded with satellite navigation. For those getting lost more often, a Scion navigation system is also available with a 7-inch touch screen display. The audio systems all produced plenty of power and thus retained their sharp quality at higher volumes and outputs. There is no auxiliary subwoofer available so, for those interested in window-shattering DJ-esque bass, an aftermarket 10- or 12-inch subwoofer might just end up on the old wish list.
When the second-generation xB debuted, fans accused designers of going bigger, heavier, and losing the spirit of the car. But even with a bigger engine, bigger wheels, and a new body, the new tC retains much of the same feel and image. That’s due largely to the fact that it’s simply not a radical departure from the old version. And that’s not necessarily a bad thing.
The 2011 Scion tC has been improved in many areas, making it faster, meaner, and more efficient, but at its heart, it’s still the same front-drive coupe that Scion has sold countless thousands of. It’s faster, but not demonically so. It looks different, but isn’t unrecognizable as a tC.
The old saying goes, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” And Scion has wisely kept close to the tC’s winning formula of affordability ($18,275/$19,275 for manual/auto), appeal, and customization.
Just consider the extra gear, 19hp, exterior redesign, stereo, and wheels as bonuses for the new model year. A Scion tC v1.5, if you will.
Contact
Scion
www.scion.com
180hp? The tC has come a long way.