Why not xC, you ask? Well, Volvo has the rights to that with its XC90. The tC stands for Touring Coupe. And the name Scion, what does that mean? According to the trusty Merriam-Webster online dictionary, a scion is a descendant. This is logical, for Scion is Toyota's. Toyota understands that Gen Y buyers have different priorities, and that the cars should be designed to meet them.
It would, however, be a mistake to think of Scion as an opposite of Toyota's luxury brand, Lexus, as the buyers of both want more than a plain-Jane Toyota product. Both Lexus and Scion buyers desire practicality, comfort, safety and innovation. Of course, price is of supreme importance with Scion buyers; however, that doesn't mean they deserve less of a car.
All Scions offer a lot of car for the money. The xB, with its boxy practicality and good fuel efficiency, can now be seen everywhere in Southern California. Both x-models are based on Japanese-market Toyotas, but this new tC is built solely for Scion, sharing its platform with the European Toyota Avensis.
Where the x-models are all about practicality, the tC is thankfully more about performance. While the xA and xB manage yawn-inducing 0-60 times of just under 10 seconds, the tC will chase down a Mini Cooper S or a Honda Civic Si in just 7.4 sec. That's some big game for a car with an MSRP of $15,950, although our test car has some accessories that bump the price up to just under $20,000. For that kind of money, you might want to look at a Dodge SRT-4, which will run 0-60 mph in 5.9 sec. But if fuel efficiency is important, stick with this new tC. It's quick, slick and easy on your wallet at the pump, as it needs only regular unleaded.
For full Road Test click here
For more Road Tests click here