 2011 Scion tC. Click image to enlarge |
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2011 Scion tC
The first thing that struck me about the new-to-Canada Scion tC (touring Coupe) is that it’s not a coupe: it’s a hatchback. It looks like a coupe, but in fact, the rear window and trunklid are a one-piece liftgate that raises to reveal a cavernous opening and a roomy cargo area that’s roomier than most sporty coupes’ trunks. Granted, no one is going to buy a sporty coupe just because it has a bigger trunk – looks, handling and price are probably the main motivators – but a bigger cargo area is certainly a bonus in a coupe-like bodystyle.
Unlike most sporty coupes (I’ll just keep calling it a coupe for simplicity), this (second-generation) tC isn’t a particularly sleek design. The nose is rather blunt, the window sills are high making the side windows appear narrow, and the tail is chopped off. There’s not much pizazz here. Like other Scions, the tC’s overall styling theme appears to be “chunky cool.” Scion says its “helmet-inspired” cabin shape was adapted from the Scion FUSE concept first shown at the 2006 New York Auto Show. Come to think of it, in profile, it does look like a helmet…
 2011 Scion tC. Click image to enlarge |
The front-wheel drive tC has a comparatively large, normally-aspirated 2.5-litre four-cylinder DOHC, 16-valve engine with variable valve timing that puts out a generous 180 horsepower and 173 foot-pounds of torque. Unofficial 0 to 100 km/h times are in the mid seven second range, competitive with the 197-horse Civic Si coupe, however the tC’s bigger displacement and greater torque give it better low-end throttle response and fewer gear changes. For city driving, it’s nice to have the responsive off-the-line and mid-range performance that a bigger, torquier engine with VVT can give you without the lag inherent in small-displacement and turbo engines. And for highway cruising, the big engine revs comfortably at under 2,000 rpm in sixth gear at 100 km/h.
2011 tC’s can be had with a standard six-speed manual transmission that the manufacturer says has better shift feel than its predecessor, or an optional six-speed automatic, like the one in my test car. I found this auto tranny a smooth shifter but not very aggressive in its shift patterns, which seemed out of place for a sporty car, perhaps designed to maximize fuel economy. Driver’s can choose to shift manually and clutchlessly by popping the gear lever into the left gate, pushing forwards to shift up, pulling back to shift down – but there are no shift paddles behind the steering wheel to complete the boy racer package.
  2011 Scion tC. Click image to enlarge |
The tC’s EPA fuel economy ratings (L/100 km) of 10.2 city/7.6 hwy are good in its class: better than the Civic Si’s 11.2/8.1 (6-speed manual), Mitsubishi Eclipse’s 11.8/8.4 (4-speed automatic), Genesis coupe’s 11.8/7.8 (5-speed automatic), and equal to the Forte Koup’s 10.2/7.6 (5-speed automatic). Both the Civic Si and Genesis coupe use Premium fuel while the others use Regular.
Common to all Scions is a rumbling exhaust note, which makes the tC sound menacing, even while idling. This is sure to appeal to Scion’s intended market of young buyers but its artificial exhaust note has little to do with performance and more to do with making a statement that will be appreciated by some and not by others.
I found the tC’s ride rather firm over pavement cracks; however, its long, 2,700-mm wheelbase helps smooth out the ride over highway undulations. The tC’s wide track, fully independent suspension (front MacPherson strut/rear double-wishbone) and standard low-profile 45-series 18-inch radials, provide surprisingly flat, stable, sticky handling with high limits and minimal understeer. My car was equipped with Michelin X-ice 225/45R18-inch winter tires which drove well in the rain but a there was no snow during my time with the car, it wasn’t a real winter test. Steering response from its “performance-tuned” electronic power-steering system offers fairly quick and satisfying steering response, while its big disc brakes with ABS at each wheel provided sure stops and a firm pedal feel.
