2011 Scion tC: First Drive Page 4
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2011 Scion tC
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At a base price of just a hair under $19,000, the 2011 Scion tC hits almost all the notes you'd want to hear in this gadget-addled category. Standard gear includes power windows, locks and mirrors; cruise control; steering-wheel audio controls; XM satellite radio; tilt/telescope steering; and that sunroof, which lights up the cabin but comes with a flimsy pull-forward shade that slips out of its track more often than you'll have the patience to correct. The glass roof also has a pop-up mesh wind deflector that doesn't really change the volume of noise generated by the raised panel, just the frequency.
For safety's sake, the tC comes with eight airbags, the two unusual ones being front-passenger knee airbags. Stability control and anti-lock brakes are standard, too, and the tC has a switch to turn off the stability control.
Scion's put a ton of effort into audio, as you can see from the list above. The base head unit has 300 watts of power and eight speakers molded into the door panels and dash, and while it's more loud than crisp and clear, it's what the people want (the people being someone around 26 years old, Scion says). The midrange option is an Alpine unit with a small screen for an available plug-and-play navigation system I thought was too small for easy use and clarity. Spend all you can on Scion's accessory sound and you'll get a touchscreen navigation/audio system with some wonky gen-II iPod controls programmed in--though it does include Bluetooth streaming and phone controls as well as HD Radio. There's no SYNC to be found--and if you don't splurge on the top-dollar head unit, a separate Bluetooth accessory will cost you.
Will that be the thing that drives people from Scion over to Kia or Hyundai, where they hand out Bluetooth like Tic-Tacs? We doubt it, and we're far more ready to "like" the tC's driving feel compared to the clunky manual and slightly squishy feel of the Forte Koup. It's not a tremendous value any more, but the tC finally has some character to call its own.
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Have an opinion?Join the conversation!
By Doug Posted: 8/6/2010 12:13pm PDT
By adamk Posted: 8/6/2010 12:55pm PDT
By TnTPhilly Posted: 8/8/2010 10:01am PDT
By KC Posted: 8/12/2010 2:34pm PDT
Have an opinion?Join the conversation!