Autoweek Long-Term tC Update
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Autoweek Long-Term tC Update
Here's the link.
Originally Posted by Autoweek.com
2005 Scion tC: First-quarter update
Attitude Adjustment: Living with our long-term Scion demands a youthful frame of mind
BOB GRITZINGER
Published Date: 4/4/05
FIRST-QUARTER UPDATE
MILES DRIVEN: 6090
FUEL MILEAGE: 27.3 mpg
FUEL COST: $425.22
MAINTENANCE: 5000-mile maintenance, including oil change (warranty); rotate tires ($16.64)
Take a deep breath and you can almost detect a faint odor emanating from the interior fabric in our long-term Scion tC. It’s not really there—our car remains nearly pristine, despite three months in service and 6090 miles on the clock. But olfactory memory is powerful, and we know that if the tC had arrived a few decades earlier, say as a Toyota version of a Datsun B210, it would have reeked of cannabis and/or soggy sweat socks.
We’d never suggest Scion drivers are dope-smoking weekend shredders, but even a sideways glance at Scion’s marketing plans tells us there is more than the average brand’s worth of over-athletic youthful inhalers in the demographic the company covets.
So where does that leave the AW staff, more than half of whom fall on the more sedentary, Scotch-drinking, 40-plus side of the equation? For the most part, it leaves us looking past Scion’s well-researched intentions to judge our little blue coupe on its own merits.
First off, we’re unanimously impressed by tC’s sub-$17,000 base price, even if a handful of options shoved our sticker past $20,000. Kudos to tC’s strong 2.4-liter 160-hp inline four, stylish and sporty appearance, and surprisingly roomy and reasonably accessible back seat.
One staffer who admits to a solid anti-Scion bias, at least when talking about the xB and xA models, says, “This tC is a totally different story. It has a very attractive exterior that blends the best of RSX, Accord coupe and Tiburon GT, and the interior is the nicest in the Scion lineup, too.”
Though we universally applaud the throaty note from our $525 optional TRD performance exhaust system, we could do without some of the harsh road and wind noise that make it into the cabin. Depending on who is driving, the tC’s balance between a smooth everyday driver and tightly sprung sport coupe is a blessing or a curse. Some complain our tC, sans a few aftermarket add-ons that would easily beef up its handling, is far from the extremes of an SVT Focus, both in ride and handling prowess. At the same time, most staffers say the tC feels tight and fun to drive.
“I just drove this for three days straight, and I wasn’t bored at all,” a more Scion-friendly tester said.
We’re still getting our arms around the Scion as an everyday workhorse—it’s a great baggage hauler with the rear seats folded, but space gets tight under the hatch otherwise. We love the XM satellite radio, but these old eyes and big fingers could do with slightly larger buttons with which to control the audio system. And we sure wish there was a way to read the upper half of the speedometer in normal daylight conditions.
Now that Scion has announced plans for a factory-installed supercharger, we’d be remiss if we didn’t credit one editor for recommending that we should have waited for the blown tC. Of course, he’s also the same staffer who has never met a hybrid he didn’t like, so we’re surprised he hasn’t put in a pitch for a gas-electric version of our little Scion.
Imagine: the Scion tHC. That sounds about right.
Attitude Adjustment: Living with our long-term Scion demands a youthful frame of mind
BOB GRITZINGER
Published Date: 4/4/05
FIRST-QUARTER UPDATE
MILES DRIVEN: 6090
FUEL MILEAGE: 27.3 mpg
FUEL COST: $425.22
MAINTENANCE: 5000-mile maintenance, including oil change (warranty); rotate tires ($16.64)
Take a deep breath and you can almost detect a faint odor emanating from the interior fabric in our long-term Scion tC. It’s not really there—our car remains nearly pristine, despite three months in service and 6090 miles on the clock. But olfactory memory is powerful, and we know that if the tC had arrived a few decades earlier, say as a Toyota version of a Datsun B210, it would have reeked of cannabis and/or soggy sweat socks.
We’d never suggest Scion drivers are dope-smoking weekend shredders, but even a sideways glance at Scion’s marketing plans tells us there is more than the average brand’s worth of over-athletic youthful inhalers in the demographic the company covets.
So where does that leave the AW staff, more than half of whom fall on the more sedentary, Scotch-drinking, 40-plus side of the equation? For the most part, it leaves us looking past Scion’s well-researched intentions to judge our little blue coupe on its own merits.
First off, we’re unanimously impressed by tC’s sub-$17,000 base price, even if a handful of options shoved our sticker past $20,000. Kudos to tC’s strong 2.4-liter 160-hp inline four, stylish and sporty appearance, and surprisingly roomy and reasonably accessible back seat.
One staffer who admits to a solid anti-Scion bias, at least when talking about the xB and xA models, says, “This tC is a totally different story. It has a very attractive exterior that blends the best of RSX, Accord coupe and Tiburon GT, and the interior is the nicest in the Scion lineup, too.”
Though we universally applaud the throaty note from our $525 optional TRD performance exhaust system, we could do without some of the harsh road and wind noise that make it into the cabin. Depending on who is driving, the tC’s balance between a smooth everyday driver and tightly sprung sport coupe is a blessing or a curse. Some complain our tC, sans a few aftermarket add-ons that would easily beef up its handling, is far from the extremes of an SVT Focus, both in ride and handling prowess. At the same time, most staffers say the tC feels tight and fun to drive.
“I just drove this for three days straight, and I wasn’t bored at all,” a more Scion-friendly tester said.
We’re still getting our arms around the Scion as an everyday workhorse—it’s a great baggage hauler with the rear seats folded, but space gets tight under the hatch otherwise. We love the XM satellite radio, but these old eyes and big fingers could do with slightly larger buttons with which to control the audio system. And we sure wish there was a way to read the upper half of the speedometer in normal daylight conditions.
Now that Scion has announced plans for a factory-installed supercharger, we’d be remiss if we didn’t credit one editor for recommending that we should have waited for the blown tC. Of course, he’s also the same staffer who has never met a hybrid he didn’t like, so we’re surprised he hasn’t put in a pitch for a gas-electric version of our little Scion.
Imagine: the Scion tHC. That sounds about right.
Dammit.
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Great to see they had better results on their long term test than the last tC update that was posted from another mag. 27.3 seems a bit higher mpg than I've managed, but sounds way better than the poor 19mpg that the last long term test claimed to get.
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the review seems like they were a little more on the cannabis side, like they had been smoking something when they wrote that.. the article had mostly good things to say about the tC, i give them that.. but they tended to lose focus and talk about themselves instead of more about the car..
oh about the mileage.. i did hit 28 mpg (mostly highway driving).. usually it's been between 26-28 for a combo of highway and city driving..
oh about the mileage.. i did hit 28 mpg (mostly highway driving).. usually it's been between 26-28 for a combo of highway and city driving..
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Another update: http://www.autoweek.com/article.cms?articleId=102520
Originally Posted by Autoweek.com
05 Scion tC: Second-quarter update
Fountain of Youth? Even Oldsters Dig The tC
ROGER HART
Published Date: 6/13/05
SECOND-QUARTER UPDATE
MILES DRIVEN (quarter/to date): 3549/9639
FUEL MILEAGE (quarter/to date): 24.61 mpg/25.96 mpg
FUEL COST (quarter/to date): $315.98/$741.20
DAYS OUT OF SERVICE (quarter/to date): None/none
MAINTENANCE: None
Shortly after our long-term Scion tC showed up at One AutoWeek Tower and staffers were able to cycle through the car putting on a few miles, several of the 40-plus-year-old staffers started viewing the little car as a dose of Geritol: A night or two behind the wheel left you feeling, well, if not more hip, at least a bit younger.
After a half-year with the car, those feelings remain. While some on staff took their time warming up to the tC, for the most part the more we drive it, the more we like it.
At the top of the likes list is the price. At $20,282, few can argue the car is not a good value. It’s a comfortable ride with a potent-enough engine to keep the driver engaged in the process. We also like the versatility of the hatchback and being able to fold the rear seats forward to haul some ungainly cargo, like a couple of bikes in need of repair. Try doing that in your standard two-door coupe.
The tC’s 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine is rev-happy and we like the five-speed manual gearbox. The powerplant is Toyota-smooth and with the gearbox, keeps the driving fun factor high. Even after nearly 10,000 miles, the shifter is a pleasure to use and the chassis and suspension feel as tight as the day the car arrived.
As our second quarter in the car was right in the middle of one of Michigan’s snowiest winters in some time, the tC drew mixed reviews. One editor found the car more than adequate in the snow while a couple others thought otherwise.
“As dog sleds go, the Scion ain’t bad,” wrote one editor with a lengthy daily commute. “With a few inches of snow to work with, the front-driver plunged into the conditions without complaint and readily hauled through the neighborhood snow piles en route to the main road.”
Another snowy day left one editor unable to get out of her drifted driveway. She eventually rocked her way out of the snowbank after depositing a bit of coolant as the engine warmed up. Another editor had a close encounter with an Ohio Turnpike guardrail after a 360-degree spin on an icy off-ramp. The only damage was a scrape to the front fascia. That, and the editor’s confidence.
The 18-inch alloy wheels fitted with 225/40ZR all-season Pirelli P Zero Nero tires are better suited to dry-weather driving than the slippery stuff, and save for the above-mentioned spin the tC handled with aplomb most of what Mother Nature nastily dished out. Some staffers questioned not outfitting the car with snow tires, but with nothing but warm weather ahead, that’s a moot point. We’ll keep our experience in mind for future cars wearing sporty rubber, despite the all-season moniker.
The factory-installed satellite radio continues to draw raves, especially the XM traffic feature, though many staffers continue to have problems using the radio due to the small buttons. But the sound system rocks, just as any car trying to appeal to a younger audience must do.
The interior is beginning to show signs of wear. Several staffers noted in the car’s logbook they are hearing some creaks and rattles and a good bit of wind noise, most noticeably from the sunroof. While still supportive and comfortable, the fabric-covered seats, especially the driver’s seat, seems to be getting shinier with wear.
Other than the scratch in the fascia, the car still looks good and those optional alloy wheels remain some of the best-looking factory wheels we’ve seen. The car didn’t miss a day of service in the second quarter, though we’ve noticed a light-throttle stumble or stutter when the engine is cold. We’ll have it checked out at our next service.
Fountain of Youth? Even Oldsters Dig The tC
ROGER HART
Published Date: 6/13/05
SECOND-QUARTER UPDATE
MILES DRIVEN (quarter/to date): 3549/9639
FUEL MILEAGE (quarter/to date): 24.61 mpg/25.96 mpg
FUEL COST (quarter/to date): $315.98/$741.20
DAYS OUT OF SERVICE (quarter/to date): None/none
MAINTENANCE: None
Shortly after our long-term Scion tC showed up at One AutoWeek Tower and staffers were able to cycle through the car putting on a few miles, several of the 40-plus-year-old staffers started viewing the little car as a dose of Geritol: A night or two behind the wheel left you feeling, well, if not more hip, at least a bit younger.
After a half-year with the car, those feelings remain. While some on staff took their time warming up to the tC, for the most part the more we drive it, the more we like it.
At the top of the likes list is the price. At $20,282, few can argue the car is not a good value. It’s a comfortable ride with a potent-enough engine to keep the driver engaged in the process. We also like the versatility of the hatchback and being able to fold the rear seats forward to haul some ungainly cargo, like a couple of bikes in need of repair. Try doing that in your standard two-door coupe.
The tC’s 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine is rev-happy and we like the five-speed manual gearbox. The powerplant is Toyota-smooth and with the gearbox, keeps the driving fun factor high. Even after nearly 10,000 miles, the shifter is a pleasure to use and the chassis and suspension feel as tight as the day the car arrived.
As our second quarter in the car was right in the middle of one of Michigan’s snowiest winters in some time, the tC drew mixed reviews. One editor found the car more than adequate in the snow while a couple others thought otherwise.
“As dog sleds go, the Scion ain’t bad,” wrote one editor with a lengthy daily commute. “With a few inches of snow to work with, the front-driver plunged into the conditions without complaint and readily hauled through the neighborhood snow piles en route to the main road.”
Another snowy day left one editor unable to get out of her drifted driveway. She eventually rocked her way out of the snowbank after depositing a bit of coolant as the engine warmed up. Another editor had a close encounter with an Ohio Turnpike guardrail after a 360-degree spin on an icy off-ramp. The only damage was a scrape to the front fascia. That, and the editor’s confidence.
The 18-inch alloy wheels fitted with 225/40ZR all-season Pirelli P Zero Nero tires are better suited to dry-weather driving than the slippery stuff, and save for the above-mentioned spin the tC handled with aplomb most of what Mother Nature nastily dished out. Some staffers questioned not outfitting the car with snow tires, but with nothing but warm weather ahead, that’s a moot point. We’ll keep our experience in mind for future cars wearing sporty rubber, despite the all-season moniker.
The factory-installed satellite radio continues to draw raves, especially the XM traffic feature, though many staffers continue to have problems using the radio due to the small buttons. But the sound system rocks, just as any car trying to appeal to a younger audience must do.
The interior is beginning to show signs of wear. Several staffers noted in the car’s logbook they are hearing some creaks and rattles and a good bit of wind noise, most noticeably from the sunroof. While still supportive and comfortable, the fabric-covered seats, especially the driver’s seat, seems to be getting shinier with wear.
Other than the scratch in the fascia, the car still looks good and those optional alloy wheels remain some of the best-looking factory wheels we’ve seen. The car didn’t miss a day of service in the second quarter, though we’ve noticed a light-throttle stumble or stutter when the engine is cold. We’ll have it checked out at our next service.
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i am not a professional car reviewer but i have over 25k miles on my tC for about 10 months. i haven't had any probelms at all...replaced the stock air filter with a TRD one last week...now i'm getting 31.5 mpg for all highway driving...totally Cool 
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From: Halethorpe(Baltimore), MD
Somewhere down the road i gotta get a intake in mine AP tC. My gas milage is iffy. Yesterday it was 27.5, but i've seen 32. Granted, i only have 1500 miles on mine, so once i get some milage on there, i'll know what it's really doing.
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Originally Posted by NJ_05tC
i am not a professional car reviewer but i have over 25k miles on my tC for about 10 months. i haven't had any probelms at all...replaced the stock air filter with a TRD one last week...now i'm getting 31.5 mpg for all highway driving...totally Cool
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