Would be interesting…if it had more power.

Sorry, but a base 160 hp Camry engine is not enough for a new budget minded sports coupe. I could understand if it were the base or midrange engine but that’s the best there is…

Great looks, decent performance, and an unbeatable price with tons of options; whats not to like?

$3000 for a ****ing ****ty skirt kit and mandatory grey paint? **** off.

should have used that $3000 on the kit and used a turbo upgrade instead.

what a piece of crap.

They need to put a V6 in that junk.

Gay. They can’t even put give it a couple performance bolt-ons or offer one that is S/C’d or T/C’d? I can’t tell you how pissed I am that Toyota killed the Celica to come out with this P.O.S!

they are upgrading the wrong part of that car,how about some engine mod

BWAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!! JUST ANOTHER USELESS PIECE OF CRAP FROM A PIECE OF CRAP COMPANY!!!

Decent car, not enough power, terrible suspension. Adding that much money for some appearance items isn’t worth it. You could get an aftermarket ground effects kit and some Sparco or Corbeau seats for less than the $2770 this package costs.

If the Scion Tc had some power to back up it’s looks, then I’d actually have some respect for it. When Toyota sold it’s last Celica GTS that had the 1.8L VVTi that was pumping out almost 200hp, Although I think people either loved or hated that engine and the car it had a lot of after market potential. This car has what an available TRD supercharger that only puts it at an even 200hp, Although on streetfire I’ve seen a couple modded ones that had a turbo kit and a small shot of Nitrous and they looked fast. But what I hate the most is the fact that a lot of people in my area drive these cars and think they’re so fast, well I’m sorry but they’re really not and I’ll race them just to show them that.

Yawn.

Shortly after initial release, Scion will make a 4.01 patch available for download.

Seriously, though, as if the tC wasn’t a posermobile as it stands, $3000 for a rice job that probably weighs its weak ass down even more? Go Toyota!

Either I’ve never seen one of these up here or they’re just so innocuous I’ve never noticed. Deanster, Axehead: help me out. Other than the boxy things, do they sell these in Canada?

No, Scions aren’t sold in Canada. There’s too much competition anyways. Montreal is flooded with Golfs, Cobalts, and Mazda3s for the younger guys (teenagers, minimum wagers) looking to drive a sporty hatch-like car. This would be too expensive and too underpowered to compete. The Mazda3 mops the floor with this thing.

“No, Scions aren’t sold in Canada.”

Once again proving that the Japanese know who they can get away with selling ****ty cars to: dumbass Americans.

The Mazda3s are everywhere here on the west coast too. In fact, I’m thinking of checking out an ‘03 Mazdaspeed 3 (Protege?) Turbo this weekend. Only 37k kms and asking 16k cdn (too much, I know) at one of the local Mazda stores. Looks nice, but it’s yellow (dealbreaker).

haha CA36GTP! sad isn’t it?

johnnycanuck, if you are talking 03, it has to be the Mazdaspeed Protege sedan. Mazda3 wasn’t even available until 04 and the Mazdaspeed3 (only in hatchback form) joined later (06?). Also, Mazdaspeed3 was never available in yellow in N.A.

Anyway, tC is more or less a Camry with two doors and taut suspension. Worse, the first generation xB and xA were redesigned ECHO with rear DRUM brakes, yet they sold fairly well, so go figure.

Toyota tried to slap some plastic on a Camry in Australia and call it a sport model last year and it flop. Let’s see if American are gullible enough to take their crap. Oh wait, you said only 2,300 available? It must be a collector item so they will likely fall for it. Sad!

this country (U.S) is flooded with idiots that don’t know what a real car is. they should pick up a book now and then.

Sharpie: thanks, and you’re right it is the sedan.

I used to think this car was nice, now I’m tired of looking at it. Scion has all of a sudden went conservative. Lets offer a body kit and call it Release Series 4.0? Once again nifty name, ****ty results.

Johnnycanuck,

I’ve only seen these things in Alberta as imports. Any sort of SCION is rare. In fact, if you look at the RIV Canada, I think most SCIONs are exempt from import. So I’m not sure how they’re getting here – certainly no dealers around here.

But – if SCION built a small truck with a small Diesel (I know, I’m a broken record) and sell it from Toyota dealerships, I’d buy one.

Axehead: I just looked at the on line Buysell.com listings for the Vancouver area and got 19 results for Scion- and all of them imported. But you can get the TC here…and that boxy XB thing, so obviously there are ways to bring them across the line if you really want one.

I agree with some of the posts above; this “special edition” would be more noteworthy if it came with a more powerful, supercharged engine upgrade. Superficial cosmetic changes without any substantial muscle backing it up isn’t anything really special.

Other than the tC, I think Scion is missing their intended audience with their current lineup. Every xD and xB I have seen on the road is always piloted by a more mature member of the population. Most tC’s I have seen on the road are driven by younger people.

Regardless of what it is, crap or gold, if it sells then they must be doing something right, even if their intended market is way off.

Ya’ll are way off:

Fact: The base Mazda 3 comes with a 2.0 Liter 4 with 148 horsepower, which is less than the tC’s 161 hp.

Fact: The base tC costs $17,620 and comes with more standard features than the Mazda 3s which sells for $18,070, it’s even more for the 3s Touring ($19,060) and 3s Grand Touring ($20,530) which still have features missing from the tC’s standard features that cost extra!

By the time you add the additional options to match the tC’s standard features, you’re up over $19,000 on the 3s, and are still climbing on the sTouring and Grand Touring whereas on the tC you could’ve already been adding additional options that aren’t even available on the 3s. Keep in mind that the tC has 161 hp to the Mazda 3s’s 156 hp. It’s largely a wash but in fairness… the tC still clinically has more horsepower than the 3s, sTouring, and sGrand Touring. It also has a significantly better car stereo which you’d have to drop a ton more change in the aftermarket to beat as the 3s’ radio is average.

All in all, the tC is a better value than the 3s in that regard. Not to mention, the tC’s base wheels look better than the optional wheels on the 3s, 3s Touring, and 3s Grand Touring which all cost more than the tC’s. My EMX 18″ wheels blow anything on the 3 away and look better than many aftermarket wheels out there. They also won’t void the warranty and work with the tire pressuring monitoring system that comes with the tC standard.

Fact: The Mazdaspeed 3 “BRAND NEW” sells for $22,975 which is much more expensive than a tC. True, it’s far more powerful but it’s also in a completely different category of car as it’s more in the loaded Si or GTI territory which come at a considerable premium over the tC. Those cars base in the lower 20’s and sell for almost $30k when optioned out. For some people, it’s more expense than it’s really worth, and the last thing someone like me would want to do is buy a lame duck stripper version of one of these when I can add desirable content and add-ons to a more practical and affordable offering in the tC, Civic EX/Si, or Mazda 3s. True, you could buy one used… but since it’s a performance car that’s been used, it’s likely been used and abused too. I also want a FULL warranty, that’s something that used doesn’t necessarily jive with.

So if you are into having a solid reliable mode of transport at an affordable tag with a reasonable roster of options, the MazdaSpeed 3 is *NOT* in the same category, it’s not as affordable… and while it offers a lot of bang for the $, it’s buck costs a rung higher than the tC’s target market. Cars like the Cobalt SS (non-Supercharged), the Mazda 3s (and sTouring and sGrand Touring), and Civic EX and Si are more in the category with each having their considerable strengths and weaknesses. It’s just in that comparison that the tC is more in the sweet spot vs. the others, and I think it’s the best looking inside/out of the bunch. It truly looks better in person than it does in photos.

The MazdaSpeed hatch isn’t even as aesthetically appealing as the GTI (another car that looks better in person than in photos), A3, or C30 (amazing looks, but disappointing compared to the GTI, still like it better than the MazdaSpeed 3 though) which are more in it’s range. If they offered the sedan in a MazdaSpeed offering… it might be a different story but I still think I’d rather have the GTI or maybe even a GLI if I had the choice. That said, I wasn’t in the price point to buy any of the above.

I cross-shopped all of the above (tC, Cobalt SS, Civic EX, Civic Si, and Mazda 3s) and in the end… bought the tC. The tC is a capable handler, it might not have won the awards that the 3 has… but it’s also cheaper to get with the options I wanted and I wasn’t looking for an autocross star in as much as I wanted a sporty, fun to drive, but yet solid coupe. I also don’t care much for sedans and the notchier looking hatches and while the 3 sedan isn’t bad looking… it’s nowhere near as sleek looking as my tC. I’ve gotten a ton of compliments from co-workers since I bought it and even had one of my co-workers run across a parking lot as I was walking to my car to look at it up close and see it inside/out. The only other car in the lot to draw as many stares as mine has been my co-worker with her G35 coupe, and suffice it to say it costs considerably more.

In the end it came down to the tC and the Civic coupe because I wanted a coupe. The tC has the more normal and desirable dash styling vs. the Civic coupes 80’s whizbang GM concept car inspired dash and annoying car stereo options (makes the 3s’s radio look better, I didn’t want the nav system and didn’t care for it in the Honda when I tried it anyway). There’s also the problem that the lower model Civic’s are underpowered and wheezy compared to the far torquier tC, and the Si while a wicked ride… does not come with an automatic or DSG option (which I would love to see even the tC offer) and has to be revved to bloody murder to make it go. The Cobalt SS, while having the power (most comparable to the tC, has a bit more power/torque but isn’t built remotely the same), has an interior that looks like it won’t make it home without falling to pieces. Considering the Cobalt’s general reputation and as a former GM owner (2 Chevrolets), I’ve grown to know quite a bit about GM’s decontenting and corner-cutting over the years. From cheap materials in the braking systems to interior panels that rattle themselves to pieces, electrical system gremlins… after being burned 2 times, the GM options fell from the list quickly.

Oh and just to add when GM began announcing bringing the Astra (the 3-door is rather nice even if it’s not a traditional coupe, it has a coupe-like angle to the hatch which I dig) over, I was intrigued. I checked it out at the Chicago Auto Show briefly before buying my tC. While it looked screwed together a lot better than the Cobalt and made of better materials (still dislike the way the radio is handled in it vs. my tC), the lack of a suitable Redline at launch hurt it. It’s powertrain offering is less powerful than the sweet spot of the lineup I was looking at. An Astra with at least the power of the Cobalt SS would’ve been something to ponder, but after years of GM ownership and GM-level expenditures to keep the 2 cars going… I think I’ll pass on GM cars for awhile.

I know there’s a lot of Toyota haters on this site, I also know there’s a lot of people that like to spew trash. Yet in the end if you can remain objective you can see that the tC is a far better car than it’s given credit for. True, it could always be better… but that’ll always be the case no matter which car you pick. There’s things I’d love to change (i.e. bit more trunk space, bit larger cabin, some changes in material selection, foregoing the panoramic roof for a nice sunroof and a nicer sunroof shade), but in the end… there’s a lot less I’d want to change on my tC than there is on the cars that it competes against. Mazda would need to shed 2 doors from the sedan, get a better sound system, and get some wheels designed for it that don’t look like Wal Mart hubcaps by comparison, and find a way to sell it for cheaper with the same level of options standard as the tC. The Civic needs either a DSG-option for the Si, or needs to put a torquier and more powerful engine in the EX, with a complete interior overhaul (analog gauge pleeeeease, ditch the digital garbage), and a decent sound system. The Cobalt SS needs a major overhaul and the Astra needs a Redline badly, whether a turbocharged version of the current Astra mill, or a bump in displacement to closer to the Cobalt SS coupe’s. Something about GM and turbos scares me… but then again, something about GM and 4 cylinders does much the same as well.

“Anyway, tC is more or less a Camry with two doors and taut suspension.”

-

“more or less” you are wrong.

the tC is “more or less” a two-door Toyota Avensis. which has absolutely nothing to do with the Camry… not even the same class of car. the engine (while also appearing in the Camry) is available in the Avensis as well.

either way i think the tC is kinda dumb. weird proportions in the rear combined with FWD and a dog engine does not a sporty car make. Scion really needs to make a RWD car … something… anything… right now they aren’t doing a whole lot to differentiate from Toyota in any meaningful way.

Haha, torque and tC in the same sentence. Priceless.

IVIIVI4ck3y27: A very interesting and through factual analysis. I’d have to say one thing, I’ve had a bunch of friends and clients who wanted the Mazda 3 but in the end it’s just not worth the extra cost compared to the competition. Sure it looks quite nice which is what those guys are attracted to, but its cheaper interior and resale couldn’t make the deal.

Bottom line, Scion is selling so many of the tC’s that they must be doing something right to a lot a people. A successful business project, even if unexpected is still a money making engine. You guys really think auto manufacturers care about what we think? I just ordered 40 units of Suzukis directly from their factory and they put the deadline on payment a months prior to delivery or else a penalty. What a great way to screw a prime customer…

IVIIVI4ck3y27, you make some good points. I still feel however, that a tC without a more powerful engine option is like a Mazda 3 without the MazdaSpeed, or a Civic without the Si, or an Ion without a Redline…I think you get the idea. The very fact that it’s a two door coupe, combined with it’s sport-minded appearance, very clearly suggests that it has sporty intentions. It’s not an economy car…there is no “cheap” tC. So why isn’t there a performance package? Toyota is far behind in the sport compact category when it comes to things such as the Corolla XRS and this.

“The Cobalt SS, while having the power (most comparable to the tC, has a bit more power/torque but isn’t built remotely the same)”

IVIIVI4ck3y27 are you referring to the Cobalt SS non S/C? Even the Cobalt SS has a 2.4L 174hp still more than a Scion Tc. I have no experience driving that car. I do however have the experience of driving the Scion Tc and a Cobalt SS S/C and there is no comparison in power, torque or exceleration compared to a SS/SC.

oh ok I got ya IVIIVI4ck3y27 you said that you were referring to cross shopping the (non S/C)

010111. why don’t you go find something else to screw. The Avensis isn’t available in the U.S. and Scion is exclusively available here, so there is no comparison for any of us, so what’s the point of bringing the Avensis up? The Camry on the other hand, while not in the same class, offers the same engine, which was what Scion tried to market when the tC came out. I can find stuff on wikipedia too, so don’t act like you are the Scion guru here cuz you are “more or less” a moron.

sharpie: Actually you know what I don’t really care about this car being Toyota and all, but comparing a family sedan to a budget coupe designed for college kids even if it has the same engine just doesn’t cut it. At least the guy was comparing it to something similar though not available in the same region and he seems to be putting his opinion on real world facts. I understand your point though that the pricing scheme is similar to the base model Camry. I sure hope the point of your post isn’t the typical Toyota bashing.

Speaking from experience also of having owned two GM vehicles, it is true that they are not without some issues, however my younger brother is currently driving my first car a Cavalier with 100k miles and with the exception of a motor mount replacement (@61k miles), and new shocks and struts that’s the only thing we’ve had to replace. For us it’s been very reliable and for buying it at 4k with over 50k miles it’s proved to be a bargain for us. One day after class I got together with two of my friends. One had a slightly modded 04 SVT Focus, the other had a 07 Scion Tc. We all swapped cars and tried eachothers’ out. While the Scion did seem to have the best build quality, with a nice interior, it’s performance to me seemed somewhat uninspiring. The SVT Focus seemed quicker and more responsive, but again it had a couple bolt ons added to it. Lastly the comments that I got from my SS/SC was that it was “definitely the quickest and most responsive” but quality wise seemed under that of the Scion Tc. It didn’t bother me because I know it and for a part time worker, full time college student the SS/SC was the best bang for the buck for me. If Toyota can offer some modest performance with the Tc or come back out with the Celica, MR2 or Supra, until any of this is done nothing from Toyota will ever catch my interest.

This car looks almost the same as the old one. Toyota has no balls.