First Drive: Scion tC

If this is the wrong forum pleas move to correct one.


Well let me start by saying this car is one of the best cars I have driven. It has it all, and the upgradability of this vehicle is limitless. The Scion tC is going to be a big hit this year in the small car market.

Exterior:
The body fit and finish is superb. The buyer could in fact consider it "Lexus-Like". From the seventeen inch hyper-black alloy wheels wheels to the "BMWesque" headlights everything on this car is perfect.

Interior:
The interior of this vehicle seems well put together. The brushed aluminum trim is beautiful as is the Japanese parchment style dash. The driver seat is eight way adjustable and holds the driver tightly in place. The leather wrapped steering wheel is the perfect size and is adjustable up and down. The rear seats recline opening up enough space for even the tallest of passengers. The sound system is a 160 watt six speaker Pioneer system that sounds as good as an aftermarket system, and with it upgradable to a six disc in-dash changer and XM satellite radio who could go wrong.

The Drive:
When you first get into the car you feel right at home. The silver backed gauges and the steering wheel fit perfectly. The shifter is not too close to the wheel but it is in a very nice location. First gear is short but gets you up to speed quickly. Second gear is a beast, and it launches you even faster. Third and Fourth have ample power and even below 3000 rpm they seem strong, and Fifth well thats basically just an overdrive.

The suspension seems very worthy of some track events. It is borrowed from the Lexus IS300 and is rather sport like in handling. The weight of the tC makes itself apparent in the turns but is very controlable. During high speed turns the seventeen inch tires grip like mad and do not miss a beat. Even though the car rides like a luxurious car it does handle quite well. The four wheel disc brakes are antilock and stop on a dime.

Overall:
This car performs on par with the Mazdaspeed protege. The amount of standard features this car comes with is excellent for the base price of 16k. This car is a must drive for 2004.

I loved the car it was amazing for the money.

J
 
the suspension can't be borrowed from the is300. The is300 has a full double wishbone suspension front a back. tc has macphearson struts up front.

Good review though.
 
Most dealers don't know jack s*** & a lot of them will tell you anything to sell a car.

Believe it or not this was the most knowledgeable dealer i have ever worked with. I research cars inside and out before i goto the lot and I was surprised when he was able to answer all of my questions with the CORRECT answer. And there were somethings i didnt know about the car that he told me and were in fact true. It was amazing. This dealer was top notch.

J
 
actually i did a little research, and it turns out the saleman was partially correct. The rear suspension has the geometry, just less stiff spring rates as the is300 rear. The rear is mechanically the same though.
 
Focuz_Freek_XxX said:
This car performs on par with the Mazdaspeed protege.
Out of curiousity, how much seat time do you have in an MSP to be qualified to make that statement?

Regardless...my friend is looking to get a new car & I suggested the 3S sedan, but I'm going to make sure we test drive the tC now too.
 
Out of curiousity, how much seat time do you have in an MSP to be qualified to make that statement?

3 runs in autocross! And a test drive. But initally accelleration and handling of the tC seem to be on par, meaning that it is close to the Mazdaspeed. Not to bash the Mazdaspeed Protege or anything. I do like the Mazdaspeed its a great car but the tC is comparable.
 
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I test drove the TC the other day , it does indeed perform on par with the mazdaspeed. The two cars are different thoe, one is a 2 door. The lack of turbo is made up with displacement. It's got a nifty roof too, might be my next car.
 
I saw the car for the first time in person yesterday. Its a nice car, but the shape of the car seems a little bland.
 
i think its a little too long. the rear wheels need to be moved forewardand the chassie need to be shortend
 
So would those of you who have driven the tC say that it's faster than a 3S? Which would you choose, all things considered?
 
I think it's faster then the 3s only because of the gearing. 2nd gear only takes you to 53 or so , really short gearing. The long wheelbase makes for a nice smooth ride thoe.

2.4 liter engine. Compared to 2.3 for mazda 3. Many aftermarket parts from dealer and from companies.
 
Here's a nice pic of the car.
 

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