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4.5

Scion tC

Starts at:
$16,000
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3dr HB Manual (Natl) 3dr HB Auto (Natl) Shop options
New 2005 Scion tC
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3dr HB Manual (Natl) 3dr HB Auto (Natl) Shop options
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Key specifications

Highlights
Gas I4
Engine Type
22 City / 29 Hwy
MPG
160 hp
Horsepower
5
Seating Capacity
Engine
163 @ 4,000
SAE Net Torque @ RPM
160 @ 5,700
SAE Net Horsepower @ RPM
2.4L/144
Displacement
Gas I4
Engine Type
Suspension
Double Wishbone
Suspension Type - Rear (Cont.)
MacPherson Strut
Suspension Type - Front (Cont.)
Independent
Suspension Type - Rear
Independent
Suspension Type - Front
Weight & Capacity
N/A
Aux Fuel Tank Capacity, Approx
15 gal
Fuel Tank Capacity, Approx
Not Available lbs
Wt Distributing Hitch - Max Tongue Wt.
Not Available lbs
Wt Distributing Hitch - Max Trailer Wt.
Electrical
N/A
Maximum Alternator Capacity (amps)
N/A
Cold Cranking Amps @ 0° F (Primary)
Brakes
Not Available
Drum - Rear (Yes or )
10.59 x 0.30 in
Rear Brake Rotor Diam x Thickness
10.83 x 0.91 in
Front Brake Rotor Diam x Thickness
Yes
Disc - Rear (Yes or )

Engine

163 @ 4,000 SAE Net Torque @ RPM
160 @ 5,700 SAE Net Horsepower @ RPM
2.4L/144 Displacement
Gas I4 Engine Type

Suspension

Double Wishbone Suspension Type - Rear (Cont.)
MacPherson Strut Suspension Type - Front (Cont.)
Independent Suspension Type - Rear
Independent Suspension Type - Front

Weight & Capacity

N/A Aux Fuel Tank Capacity, Approx
15 gal Fuel Tank Capacity, Approx
Not Available lbs Wt Distributing Hitch - Max Tongue Wt.
Not Available lbs Wt Distributing Hitch - Max Trailer Wt.
N/A Dead Weight Hitch - Max Tongue Wt.
N/A Dead Weight Hitch - Max Trailer Wt.
2,905 lbs Base Curb Weight

Electrical

N/A Maximum Alternator Capacity (amps)
N/A Cold Cranking Amps @ 0° F (Primary)

Brakes

Not Available Drum - Rear (Yes or )
10.59 x 0.30 in Rear Brake Rotor Diam x Thickness
10.83 x 0.91 in Front Brake Rotor Diam x Thickness
Yes Disc - Rear (Yes or )
Yes Disc - Front (Yes or )
N/A Brake ABS System (Second Line)
4-wheel Brake ABS System
Pwr Brake Type

Factory warranties

Basic
3 years / 36,000 miles
Corrosion
5 years
Powertrain
5 years / 60,000 miles

Consumer reviews

4.5 / 5
Based on 38 reviews
Write a review
Comfort 4.2
Interior 4.4
Performance 4.5
Value 4.7
Exterior 4.5
Reliability 4.6

Most recent

2005 Scion XA... Bullet Proof!

2005 Scion XA. Bought @ 158,000. Running Flawlessly @ 167,500. Put about $1,100 in Basic Tuning, Oil Change to Full Syn, Matching Filter, Air Filter. No Engine lights. No Issues with my OBT2 Sensor. No Leaks anywhere! Manual 32-37 when New... My last 4 Averages are 34.2 consistently. I drive about 30% Highway. My 2005 Scion XA had a long Carfax Sheet of Regular Care... big reason I paid the $4,400 from dealer ask of $4,900. A Best Buy? I expect 300, 000 from this time machine. A simple car... made to run forever? Very, very happy. Even for a small engine... it's FUN to drive!
  • Purchased a Used car
  • Used for Commuting
  • Does recommend this car
Comfort 4.0
Interior 3.0
Performance 5.0
Value 5.0
Exterior 4.0
Reliability 5.0
2 people out of 2 found this review helpful. Did you?
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tC is fun to drive, reliable.

The Release 1.0 limited edition adds some nice styling touches - billet aluminium engine parts, sway bar, rear spoiler. tC 5 speed in (absolute red only ) is stylish and semi sporty for a great price.
  • Purchased a Used car
  • Used for Commuting
  • Does recommend this car
Comfort 3.0
Interior 4.0
Performance 5.0
Value 5.0
Exterior 4.0
Reliability 4.0
3 people out of 3 found this review helpful. Did you?
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2005 Scion tC review: Our expert's take

By Bob Golfen

Scion tC, an attractive sport coupe from Toyota’s recently minted youth division, deviates from the brand’s quirky image.

Compared with Scion’s two other rides, the stubby xA four-door hatchback and that weird little box on wheels, xB, the new tC is downright conventional. Still, it has the flare and a decent level of performance to turn heads and draw some attention from young drivers.

This also is the first Scion (pronounced SIGH-on) that doesn’t draw from individualistic products homegrown in Japan. This one traces its lineage to the late Toyota Celica and actually replaces that coupe in the Toyota product lineup.

Scion vehicles are sold primarily at Toyota dealerships, with the brand created to spiff up the corporate image among young drivers who consider Toyotas to be sturdy but boring cars that their parents drove. So Scion is vying to lure drivers in their teens and 20s the way Lexus did a generation ago with luxury buyers .

But aside from all that marketing stuff, tC is a sharp little car in its own right. It’s not a minicar, either, but a decent-size coupe with a fairly long 106-inch wheelbase. The interior is roomy enough, though the sloping roofline cuts into rear-seat headroom.

Powered by a 160-horsepower, four-cylinder engine, this lightweight has sharp acceleration and good cruising power, more than you’d expect from a $16,000 car.

So here you have a nicely styled, sporty coupe backed by Toyota’s sterling reputation and enough performance to make it fun to drive, all for the price of basic transportation.

Read more

Safety review

Based on the 2005 Scion tC base trim
NHTSA crash test and rollover ratings, scored out of 5.
Frontal driver
5/5
Frontal passenger
4/5
Side driver
4/5
Side rear passenger
4/5

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