I'll add my tC test drive experience from yesterday (finally after waiting forever!).

I drove a Flint Mica with auto (4 dlrships and none with manuals to drive - sold them all within 2 days). Looked at the Flint in bright sun. Lots of color flakes in there. My guess is there will be interesting color morphs with different light/sun/clouds, etc. Not dark enough to confuse with black on a sunny day.

5'6" - obviously no problems with headroom. The seat is amazingly adjustable. Very nice stock at the price.

Other posters have mentioned the gauge cluster boot cycle when you power it up. Definitely fun to watch. I'd describe the ride as both smooth and communicative. For me, the road feel is somewhere between a Mazda 3s Sedan and an Accord EX Coupe (4cyl). Not as soft as the Accord and not as "brittle" as the 3. The tC communicated the road, but not with as much of an edge as the 3. I wouldn't say better than the 3, just different.

Quieter on the road than the 3 and pretty close to the Accord (maybe better). The 3 was noisy - tire noise and wind noise. With problems like A/C not cooling enough (and Mazda still not fixing it), rattles, and rear disc pitting/scoring (TSB out now), I won't be getting the 3.

Interior quality was good - better than anything in its price range. Closer to Lexus than to Toyota models in the "feel" of the interior. Beats the 3 interior for me. The HVAC controls are great - pushbutton everything except temp adjustment. The cast aluminum temp **** has a good feel to it. It doesn't look like you can display both time and outside temp at the same time unless it's somehow user-configurable. Outside temp is all you get when you choose it. But that's a world away from deal-breakers.

Steering was tight, almost just as tight as the 3 - more communicative than the Accord. I took a couple of 30 mph hard lefts at lights and the car felt like it was gripping the road with little body lean, if any. Couldn't really do much more with salesguy next to me. Reasonable low-end torque for an auto, but I definitely want to test the manual. I saw a new buyer leave a lot with a manual and it moved well in 1st.

I checked out Camry engine and auto transmission forum posts when I heard about the Camry - tC relationships. Camry posters have complained about a lag in the auto when you kick it down to pass or merge. Since the pictures of the 2004 Solara auto look the same as the tC auto (same ****, shaft, display plate and shift movements), I checked for lag. There was a slight lag that felt normal for an auto. Not like the posts I read about Camry people almost getting rear-ended because nothing happened when they stomped to merge. Also, the auto has a smooth manual 1-2-3 shift option (no "tiptronic") and then the fully auto "D" slot which gets you all four.

Visibility seemed good. Side mirrors have good image size (mirror surface) - feels just right. The rear window seemed ok - not huge visibility - but not bad. However, filter that through my current car being a CRX. At no point did I feel like I was missing something, other than the usual blind spot.

The A/C was good. I was looking for that because of my friend's Mazda 3 and the A/C issues on the various forums. The tC was sitting in the sun with windows and sunroof open and direct sun on the seats at 89F (per the dash display). No wind, so not a lot of natural air movement inside the car. To check road noise and A/C, we closed everything once we were in a 55 mph zone (at first, I was up to 72 and didn’t know it –smooth ride). I had to turn the A/C fan down after just a couple of minutes and move the temp up a little because it was too cold. Salesguy was fidgeting with the vents so he wouldn't freeze - it was kinda funny. We never used the recirc - all 89-degree fresh air. The fan speed control is microchip - up or down buttons to cycle through speed. Off button to stop.

A little more on the heat thing - I tested an 05 Corolla LE after the tC - one last forced effort at trying the fuel economy option (it's just not meant to be this time around). Didn't like the Civic - about 5 years too plain (I know, the Corolla's no beauty, either.) The Corolla A/C worked great, too - but the upholstery wasn't as good for me as the tC. Got a sweaty back in the LE but after the tC drive, no problems. Same route, same approach with windows and sunroof open until 55 zone, etc. The A/C was good in both - it was the upholstery that got me in the LE. We did air the LE out with open doors while we were walking around it before I drove, but it says something to me that the tC also started hot, was A/C cooled on the drive the same way, and my back was fine.

The stereo head unit was missing. I read something about the new 05 head unit being on order. Apparently, it has a circuit improvement to give you the option of dealing with compression artifacts on MP3's. (I'm happy with my MP3's - I recommend the free Exact Audio Copy with the LAME codec. I use 192 VBR.)

That great tC silver dash door is hiding a stereo void for now. I did listen to the same head unit on an xA and wasn't impressed with the Scion sound shaping (or whatever they call their 3 equalization presets). I'll reserve judgment until I hear the tC, though. Certainly different acoustic space, different sound-absorbing materials, etc.

I did decide that because I burn my own discs and MP3 discs can hold much more data than wave-based discs that I'll skip the extra $$$ to upgrade to a 6-disc breakable mechanism along with 10 changeable colors (that’s for me – to each his or her own). If I don't like the stock unit and someone other than Scion accessories puts out a reasonably-priced better one later, I'll pick it up.

It’s a great car that could easily slot into a higher price point. As soon as I get a chance to test a manual and see the Blue (Flint and Blue are my options), my decision will be made.

 

great review..thanks..

 

Thanks to everyone who has posted reviews, very interesting to read, all of them. It seems like more than a few of you were not allowed to drive the car alone.. what's up with that? I don't want to feel intimidated into driving the car like my grandmother.. It's hard to push a car with the salesman next to you.

 

I test drove one in seattle today!!

okay first of all the looks of it are damned sexy, i love the lines although i will admit it needs to sit lower.

handling was fine for a sub twenties sport coupe, sway bars would be nice but not necisarry in daily driving, the stock suspension works as is for me.

power was what i expected, quick, linear, but not breathtaking, slower than my turbo all-trac, but thats a duh statement. i think the basic performance upgrades, exhaust, intake, header, should do well in making it a more agressive car.

just my two cents guys. im so getting one tho, flint mica 5-speed. probably be the only kid in seattle with one for awhile. i hope.

 

Ok, test drove it again today!

I drove by a Toyota dealership on the way home and looked over to see if I could see a tC. I immediately noticed a pretty blue one among the boxes!

I was hoping it would be a stick, but it was an auto...again. :?

I decided I wanted to hang out with the car sumore and ended up taking a test drive again. This time my future wife stayed back and I took the car out along with the dealer and no other passengers.

This time it felt sorta the same. The engine isn't all that exciting...but it gets the job done. It does lag a little in the low end, but it has a nice mid range.

I'm 5'10" and I put the seat at its lowest setting and the seat back reclined just a little. I'm one of those guys that sits more upright than most...but in the case of this car, you can't really. Not saying it's uncomfortable, it feels very comfy...just a little more sporty than the height of the car would suggest. The TSX sits really upright and has a bit more headroom in comparison. I blame it on the big fat pretty glass roof of the tC. I like it more every time I see it.

The steering wheel is a little smaller than I remembered(good thing). the grip is slightly less meatier than the TSX. But it's definitley a nice wheel with good steering feel.

I was afraid I wouldnt be able to properly heal/toe...but playing with the brake and gas pedal on the auto, I don't think it will be a problem at all. It feels pretty nice sliding my heel onto the gas for a nice blip. Can't wait to drive a 5 speed.

I'm stil impressed with the interior. My fiance mentioned that the texture makes the dash look kinda dirty. I agreed to an extent. But it's really just the way the texture breaks up the reflective light. That dulling effect is a GOOD thing when driving and probably intended knowing how Toyota likes to put entire gauge pods in the center of the dash for less distractions. It give it a rich feeling for the most part, tho. I always liked the feel of Toyota interiors like my mom's old Celica.

I don't expect much as far as handling goes, but it is pretty nice. It has the same stiffness as the Acura TSX, but the whole car is still not quite as solid. It's hard to explain. I would suggest folks take the TSX for a test drive. If anything, just as a comparison to what an entry level sport sedan feels like. Toyota's own IS300 may not make a good comparison with the 6 cylinders and RWD setup. The TSX is a 2.4 liter FWD car with the weight close to 3200 lbs. It's really remarkable what Honda can do with 4 cylinders!

But getting back to the topic, I really love the car in person. It looks so much better in person. On the computer, it seems kinda funny shaped, but when it's on the lot or the street, it looks like any other car...yet clean and sporty. The lights steal the show. I wasn't sure if they would mesh well with the shape of the body and the front end with the big grills, but they look hot! Definitiely eye-catching. It's interesting enough to look at for the next 10 years, I think.

I want one bad, now. I've driven it twice and I'd love to be able to drive it every day. the only thing I'd do is jam some decent aftermarket spring to drop it on the stock rims/tires...and that's it! That and maybe throw in a REAL sound system. Heh.

 

Did anyone else notice how small the steering wheel was, or is it just me?

 

strange more people aren't bothered by the salesman letting somebody go and do 25mph u turns with another persons car!..I have a deposit on one which is supposed to keep it off limits to test drives...shouldn't have to patrol my dealer 24/7 to make sure he isn't letting some idiot(a person who laughs at beating on a car they know belongs to someone else)joy ride and maybe messing with the break in period..if people want to drive these cars hard and the salesmen want to let them...cool...let them do it with a trac/demo vehicle..thats what they're there for..let them stomp on the brakes and run it up to redline all they want...just not in a car with a deposit on it...hopefully there won't be any mystery miles on the tC i have a deposit on when i finally go down to pick it up...are any of you Scion dealers out there driving or letting others drive tC's that people have deposits on?..is that normal?

 

Agreed. The whole point of getting a new car (for me anyway) Is to know EXACTLY how it's been driven from the start, and to know that every effort has been taken to break it in properly.

 

^^^ what the hell. aren't the dealer or salesperson supposed to put a "sold" sign on the car so that it can't be test driven or sold twice? hmmm... makes ya think. anyways, if i buy a new car ill try to get one that is close to zero as possible.

 

i'm a bit worried about that too. I have the showroom model which, according to my dealer, hasn't been driven by anyone yet. Although I'm sure the dealer guys took it out or a while, considering it had 15miles on it when I bought it. Radio comes in this week and there better not be a single mile over 15 on there or we're gonna have some problems. $500 off to start with. Just gets me irritated at the thought of it.

 

you can't drive the car alone for liability reasons but it also depends on your salesperson. if the salesperson was smart he/she would tailor fit the test drive to show what the tC can do. a test drive route in a tC shouldn't be the same as a 4runner.

 

i can't speak for other scion dealers but if our car has a deposit, it can't be driven unless its by the buyer who put the deposit.

what's strange when you guys talk about taking delivery of your tC on monday or this upcoming week. is this their lone car or they have other tC on the lot? if its their lone car all i can say is that dealer won't be getting anymore cars in the future. to be a scion compliant dealer you must have at least one of the three models at your dealership at all times.

 

Or it could be a 100 pound girl and her 43 pound bag of ____ she luges around...

 

Thats why I made my dealer take my car to the back of the dealership behind service. It also has only 1 mile on the odometer and all the paperwork was writin up with that in it. If it is delivered with anything more than 5 miles on it I get $20 per mile ;)

 

mine, at least, is their only tC they have in so far. they used it as the showroom car as soon as they got it in. Im pretty sure the out of stock radio thing is partly an excuse so they could keep it over the weekend for all the potential buyers to see it up close b4 they let it go. they may also be using that excuse until they get another one in, so who knows.

 

Ahem ahem, if i didn't know any better I'd say you were calling me and idiot. First of all, I was exagerating a little bit, it probably wasn't 25mph, it was less. I wouldn't do anything to that car that I wouldn't do to mine. Second of all, if I'm about to dish out $17K for a car, I better know damn well how it handles, so I'm not gonna drive it like my grandma! Finally, I agree, the dealer shouldn't have let anyone drive a car that's already been sold, that's his fault entirely.

 

The tC demo wasn't stock (lowered, 18"s, exhaust) so my impressions may be a bit different. It was also an auto. We took it on a little stretch of curves and then the freeway/highway for the test drive.

Engine - It's a Camry engine so I wasn't expecting any surprises and didn't get any. It was powerful and very smooth. Too smooth. The car moved pretty fast but I couldn't "feel" that, just like the Camry. Maybe cuz I drive a Honda or the tC was an auto, but the engine response to the gas pedal wasn't as fast as I'd liked.

Suspension/Handling - It was lowered so my opinion might be off. It handled great on the few curves that I drove through. Gripped really nicely and with little or no roll. Bumps were absorbed nicely without destroying the road feel. A good balance I think because the next point.....

Headroom - If you're 5'9" or higher, you can not drive with your seat upright. I usually have the seat lean 1/3 back so with my setup, I got 2 inches of headroom. People with long torso (body) will have more problems than people with long legs.
If you sit in the back, tilt the backseats and try not to leave them upright for your passengers otherwise tell them to bring a helmet. Rear leg room is good, but headroom is not.

Interior - Good, very good. I love the small steering wheel; feels like it's for racing. The dash and gadgets are nice and clean. Good built quality and very nice front seats. Lots of bolstering and comfort. I like the glass roof alot.

Exterior - Looks $20,000+ but it's not

Windnoise - LOUD, but that was because we had the windows all the way down on the freeway.

I know from the forum that this car got alot of hype as a performance car. If you look at the tC that way, you're gonna be a bit disappointed. Look at it any other way and you'll find that you got alot for your money in a small coupe.

 

WEEKEND TESTDRIVE

I asked my dad to bring home a camry for me to practice stick on for the weekend. (works for toyota corp) I figured he'd forget and pospone it for next weekend. So when I pull up from being out for the night, I was shocked to see a white tC sitting in my drive way. It had lots of options on it...side airbags, illumination, exhaust, OBX shift ****, sub, XM, 6CD, lip spoiler, cargo net and mats. Enough to bring the car up to 20K. I drive an 03 corolla so my review is based off that.

Exterior- SO nice in person. The lip spoiler was a nice touch to it. Made it easier to close the hatch. The sunroof looked great but open and close. My drive way has a tendency to make your car scrape when pulling out but I managed to get out without scraping...may have problems if lowered.

Interior- Very clean and expencive looking. Very roomy. (although Im quite short) The dash isnt a hard plastic and is actually kind of soft. The steering wheel was comfortable to grab. Guages did its full sweep, (thats the picture where it looking like im redlining and going 140) Found some more little things that made it great. On the **** to make the air hot or cold, there is a little light on the edge and as you turn it, it changes color. when on cold, its blue, then turns orange as you turn and then red when on hot. Seats were very firm and held me in when going around turns. Back was roomy for legs but very short on head room, even when reclined. (but its a coupe, so I expected that) The glass roof was very nice, but the covers were kinda cheep, but i didnt car much since its an inexpencive car. =o) Auto up and down windows were very nice, and my dad tested out the pintch protection. It works so it you have little kids or a dog, they'll be okay. Didn't like the sub. Too much base and was quite annoying so i didnt really listen to the radio much.

Engin- I drive a wimpy corolla so when I got behind the wheel, i felt a lot of power! I'm far from an expert but i though the shifts were pretty close together. Really moved when I punched it, but its also really easy to do some wheel spin, even in 3rd. Very easily to learn on, I should know. TRD exhaust sounded great! Deep but not too loud, very sporty. Liked cruising with the windows down to hear it.

Handling- Car companies have to let their cars have some body roll. So when the tC felt like it had less body roll then an IS i was very happy. (IS300's lean like crazy around tight turns) I took this car on PV Dr. East. (picture posted on another thread) It handeled pretty good. better than my corolla. Didnt get to take it too fast, but around a few turns the tires did squeek some. The 17's really help and grip the road quite nicely. Suspension was pretty tight, pretty smooth over bumps, a little rough on a few but nothing like the celica where you feel everything. Very responcive steering. When lowered may handle even better. The strut bar offered will probably help too.

I enjoyed driving this car a lot. I'm so glad I ordered mine. It was very fun. Can't wait till mine arrives! (it's taking a little boat ride as we speak) =o)[/b]

 

great review tc4me!!

u sure you dont work for toyota corp??

 

I didn't actually test drive the tC today, but I sat in it and played with the rear folding seats, etc. I'm 6'1" and I fit fine with headroom, but I had to hunch my back & shoulders to look out the front windshield (have to do that with my current car) and doubt I could fit my daughter's car seat in the car. Another thing is the windows aren't tinted and that would need to be done before I put my kids back there and cook 'em alive sitting under that glass (rear deck glass - not the tiny (and I mean tiny) "panorama" sunroof which really didn't seem like a panorama sunroof to me. The roof of the car is so short that both panels together are like a regular sunroof.

I think it's a great car for people under 6' tall and don't need to carry any more than one other passenger. I'm thinking for my needs, I'll stick with the xB and get an after-market panorama sunroof installed. The lack of power of the xB is the only deterrent.

Just my $0.02.