The sporty xC, however, hit its target and became the darling of younger drivers looking for style and performance in a practical package. A new model, recently shown at the New York Auto Show, should make new drivers even happier.
“The all-new tC features styling that is both refined and aggressive, appealing to a sports coupe owner who wants to make a bold statement,” said Jack Hollis, vice president of Scion. “The tC has had the youngest median age buyer in the industry, and with more power, superior driving dynamics, and increased fuel efficiency, that should remain the case with the new tC as well.”
Styling is based on recent concept cars like the FUSE, which came from Toyota’s California studios. It has more aggressive style, a sleek grille, projector headlamps, and more faceted rear roof. The interior is snazzed with a three-spoke steering wheel with a race car-style flat bottom, V-shaped instrument panel and center console, and rib-gripping bucket seats. Dual front knee airbags and USB input for MP3 players will be standard. Everything appears simple, safe, and fun.
Under the buff hood is an all-new 2.5-litre four-cylinder engine that produces 180 horsepower, up 19 HP from before. The engine routes energy to the front wheels through a shorter shifting six-speed manual or six-speed automatic transmission. A new sport-tuned exhaust system promises to give the little car a throaty rumble. Nobody is going to race top-grade sports cars with the tC, but for a compact sport coupe, it should provide plenty of fun with renowned reliability.
Scion has been taking a lot of heat lately from entry-level competitors like Kia, Hyundai, Ford, Chevrolet, Mitsubishi, Honda, Smart, and Mini. Bringing on a new coupe with refined style and spirited performance should be just the card to get younger trendsetters behind the wheel. I suspect they won’t be disappointed. Expect prices to start under $20,000 when the tC reaches showrooms later this year.
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