2009 Scion tC

Review

The 2005 tC coupe was the first “real” car that Scion produced, after introducing the tiny xA four-door hatch and the ubiquitous

xB box on wheels.  It had a proper dash layout in front of the driver, featured cruise control (missing on the other two) and had a near-sophisticated front-wheel drive chassis beneath it.  The 2.4-liter DOHC four-banger, with its 16-valve and variable valve timing gave good bang for the buck, mated to a five-speed manual.

Even with voluminous standard equipment, the tC opened itself to plenty of tuner changes and that's what the public did.  Thanks to a plethora of factory offerings from Scion and Toyota Racing Development (TRD), it has always been easy to personalize the tC – and any Scion, for that matter – to suit the owner's taste. 

Refreshed and upgraded for the 2009 selling season, Scion's tC coupe still boasts the sweet 2.4-liter engine and has 161 horsepower at 6,000 rpm, just below the 6,250 redline.  The speedometer maxes out at 140 mph and at 80 mph the car is running 3,600 rpm in fifth gear.  The five-speed manual is a smooth

shifting, slick piece of work, but another gear would aid the mileage, rated at 20/27 from the 14.5-gallon tank.  Regular fuel is okay.

The Scion tC's underpinnings have gotten most of the work over the last few years and the sport tuned MacPherson strut front and double wishbone rear suspension have gained compliance and a better ride over rough roads.

There's a feeling of confidence to the chassis that wasn't there initially, especially when diving into a curve at speed.  The suspension is tighter and has good balance to its shocks and springs.  Even with ground clearance of 5.2 inches, the 2009 Scion tC doesn't scrape abrupt pavement and its taut nature is just right for this coupe's sporting nature.

In its

class, it's hard to see any rivals that offer the breadth of sophistication in such a sensually pleasing body.  As a three-door hatch, the Scion tC coupe has long doors and easy ingress/egress as the front seats slide fully forward with a prod and return to their original settings.  The hatch swallows 12.8 cubic feet with the rear seats up and increases to a maximum of 60 cubic feet with rear seats flat.  There is a cargo cover and nifty under-floor storage.

The fees are righteous: Scion prices the tC at $17,620 including freight; this classic silver metallic tC with dark gray cloth interior has some very inviting options.  The Pioneer premium audio system goes for $389 and adds video downloads to the faceplate of the 160-watt AM/FM/CD unit (satellite ready) with seven speakers and a Pioneer 35-watt 6-inch subwoofer.  There's an iPod connector and auxiliary audio jack included in the system, which can be hidden

from view with its door, a satin silver finish that appears throughout the center stack. 

This Scion tC also has 2-in-1 carpets that feature all weather mats (with cargo mat) for $171 and a big TRD sport muffler ($525) that has a nifty bellow to it.  The final option is Scion security at $469 bringing the total to $19,174.  Add in another $800 (and 64 pounds) if the four-speed automatic transmission is your choice.

The list of standard equipment on this model is very, very long, so bear with us.  In addition to air conditioning, cruise control, rear window defogger and tilt steering wheel with audio controls, the 2009 Scion tC also features a panoramic glass tilt/slide moonroof with one-touch opening. 

There are very comfortable, fully reclining sport seats in the Scion tC with adjustable headrests at the front that offer excellent standard lumbar and lateral support and feature height and seat bottom angle adjustment.  Gauges are well hooded and complete, including a temperature gauge.  They are white with internal gray circlets; numbers are red, pointers are orange and all are bathed in a comforting orange glow at night.

The rear seats not only fold, but they recline as well and have a nice 33.6 inches of legroom.  The front seats offer 41.6 inches of legroom so it's easy to afford three people reasonable comfort in the back.  Scion fits a double-tier central console that has space for one's phone atop and plenty of CDs below.

The Scion tC has a remote keyless entry with all functions on the key itself and power

door locks, power windows (one touchdown for the driver), together with auto-off headlamps, an engine immobilizer and four cupholders to complete the standard amenities.

Among the active safety features of the 2009 Scion tC are its four-wheel ABS disc brakes with electronic brake distribution, dual stage front airbags with driver knee bag, front and rear side curtain airbags, front and rear side curtain airbags, together with three headrests and seat belts at the rear with head restraints.  There's also a first aid kit and tire pressure monitoring system.

Scion fits the tC with sticky Yokohama 215/45ZR tires riding on 17-inch twinned 6-spoke rims.  They hold the road quite well and add to the sporting feel of this particular coupe.  The brakes are terrific and the steering is very, very

tight and quick, although the turning circle is a large 36.1 feet, typical for a front-wheel-drive car.  The Scion tC weighs a reasonable 2,901 pounds with the manual transmission

The handsomely sculpted and clean lines of the Scion tC make it a winner in the marketplace.  The aerodynamic tweaks are not pronounced, with extended front and rear air dams and dainty side sills.  There is a bit of a blind spot in the C-pillar, common to a coupe.  Front grilles are dressed in flat black and headlamps are covered; large rear lamps are ringed in polished silver and the center high–mounted stop light is set into the rear deck.

Over the road and around town, the 2009 Scion tC exhibits road manners one might expect from a car of far higher breeding.  It goes, turns and stops like a well-machined tool.  Which it is.  Build quality is excellent; seams are evenly placed and everything about the tC is purposeful.  The purpose is to get driver and passengers from A to B happily and safely. 

During our week together, I put about 450 miles on the tC and found it an absolute pleasure to live with.  It's quiet inside, even with the sunroof open, and noisy in the most delightful way when the driver hits the loud pedal.  Sexy, sleek, sporty and affordable – that is the 2009 Scion tC coupe!