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4.7

Scion tC

Starts at:
$17,000
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2dr HB Man (Natl) 2dr HB Auto (Natl) Shop options
New 2009 Scion tC
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Key specifications

Highlights
Gas I4
Engine Type
20 City / 27 Hwy
MPG
161 hp
Horsepower
5
Seating Capacity
Engine
162 @ 4000
SAE Net Torque @ RPM
161 @ 6000
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 -TBD- in
Rear Brake Rotor Diam x Thickness
10.83 x -TBD- in
Front Brake Rotor Diam x Thickness
Yes
Disc - Rear (Yes or )

Engine

162 @ 4000 SAE Net Torque @ RPM
161 @ 6000 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.
2,932 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 -TBD- in Rear Brake Rotor Diam x Thickness
10.83 x -TBD- 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

Photo & video gallery

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Factory warranties

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

Consumer reviews

4.7 / 5
Based on 26 reviews
Write a review
Comfort 4.4
Interior 4.3
Performance 4.6
Value 4.6
Exterior 4.6
Reliability 4.9

Most recent

Made in Japan

It's got 233,000 miles and all I do is fill it with gas, check the tire air pressure, and add a quart of oil once a month, the owners manual states that it burns a quart of oil every 600 miles, so its normal no problem. Its fun, easy to drive, handles great, and has plenty of power. If it ever dies, I will buy another one.
  • Purchased a Used car
  • Used for Commuting
  • Does recommend this car
Comfort 4.0
Interior 4.0
Performance 4.0
Value 5.0
Exterior 3.0
Reliability 5.0
4 people out of 4 found this review helpful. Did you?
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Lovely Ride

Rides smooth, looks great, nice sound system, seats/headrest feel great, engine runs great. I recommend. Trunk is a bit small but seats fold down if you need to transport something bigger than trunk size.
  • Purchased a Used car
  • Used for Having fun
  • Does recommend this car
Comfort 5.0
Interior 5.0
Performance 5.0
Value 5.0
Exterior 5.0
Reliability 5.0
13 people out of 15 found this review helpful. Did you?
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2009 Scion tC review: Our expert's take

By Scott Burgess


The 2009 Scion tC makes me feel old.

I’m not a tuner, one of those people who want to accessorize his Japanese racer with neon lights, lift kits and spoilers that look like card tables.

But I’m not a typical Scion customer, by at least 20 years — though I’m sure there are lots of people in their 40s who want to recapture some of their youth with this cute little coupe, which starts at $17,800.

And lots of customers can’t resist from the hundreds of options available for this cruiser — making it an off-the-shelf tuner’s dream.

My test vehicle topped $24,000 and Scion champions, the people at Toyota dealerships who specialize in selling the three Scion vehicles, say some customers have double the price of their vehicle stocking if full of nearly limitless options. It’s possible that every tC sold is different than any other tC sold — and that’s the appeal of this vehicle for many of the people.

It’s all about customization in today’s plug-and-play society: my test car included ground effects, fog lights, a pedestal spoiler, rear LED tail lights, satellite radio, 18-inch seven spoke wheels, a sport muffler, under-the-dash illumination and front strut brace.

Most of these options are cosmetic, but there are some performance enhancements available as well. The sport muffler gave my tC that higher pitched sound that made me want to put some Beano in the gas tank when I filled her up.

The tC is a practical city cruiser though. Its 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine offers plenty of pep around town. The engine produces 161 horsepower and 162-pound-feet of torque. My test vehicle includes the four-speed automatic transmission that seemed to clunk through the gears when being pushed from red light to red light.

The car handled itself well through town. The 106.3-inch wheelbase and overall short body (174 inches) give the tC a go-kart feel. The steering is clean and the return to center is precise. For a coupe under $20,000, it’s a fun car. When I tried more mild acceleration, the four-speed was much smoother.

My only complaint regarding its performance was the braking, which felt like it required a very heavy foot on the pedal. This could be a product of the car’s small rotors (10.8 inches on the front) and the car’s lightweight body — weighing in under 3,000 pounds.

The light body also made the tC feel a little floaty on the highway when cruising 70 mph.

However, losing pounds does help the tC hit 29 miles per gallon on the highway (with the automatic transmission) and 21 mpg around town.

Inside the tC offers 41 inches of legroom in the front, more than enough room for a 6-foot middle-aged man. The cabin is open and sporty, with comfortable well-bolstered seats and a techno-feeling dash. There are neat little covers that go over the stereo, which can operate your iPod.

The back seat, however, is cramped. There is only 31.6 inches of legroom. Even climbing into the back leaves you out of breath as you contort your body to squeeze in. Stuffing a third person back there might require a marriage license in some states.

I like the exterior. It has a generic stylish look that is appealing. In a way, it’s a blank canvas, ready for a customer to start adding kits to change its simple and clean lines.

The smooth curve of the roof line and the wide front end, the long doors of the coupe, the steep windshield and the tight-fitting tires are all elements that make this car worthy of second glances.

Whenever I see a tC, I start looking for things the owner decided to change, and typically, there’s something: a unique spoiler or an interesting paint scheme.

The key to the tC is the choices it provides. The underpinnings make it capable on the road. The options make it appealing to young customers.

The tC may not help me recapture my youth — 41 may not be middle aged nowadays, but I’m definitely on the back nine in the golf course of life — but it can provide an affordable fun car. I don’t need all of the options, and don’t understand some of them, such as the purple neon light under the dash that reminds me of black velvet paintings and head shops. There are some parts of my youth I don’t need to discover again.

A fun car, however, is good at any age and the tC fits the bill.

2009 Scion tC

Price: $17,800

Type: five passenger compact coupe

Engine: 2.4-liter four-cylinder

Horsepower: 161

Torque: 162-pound-feet

Transmission: Five-speed manual, four-speed automatic EPA gas mileage (city / highway):

Manual: 20 mpg / 27 mpg

Automatic: 21 mpg / 29 mpg

Suspension:

Front: Independent

Rear: Independent double wishbone

Steering: power-assisted rack-and-pinion Turning circle: 36.1 feet

Brakes:

Front: 10.83 inch ventilated discs

Rear: 10.59 inch solid discs

Anti lock brakes: Standard

Tire size: 17 x 7 inch (18-inch wheels optional) Dimensions (inches):

Wheelbase: 106.3

Length: 174

Width: 69.1

Height: 55.7

Ground clearance: 5.2

Interior dimensions (inches)

Front/rear

Headroom: 37.6 / 36.6

Legroom: 41.6 / 31.6

Shoulder room: 54.3 / 50

Hip room: 53.2 / 47.3

Trunk space: 12.8 cubic feet

Curb weight:

Manual: 2,932 pounds

Automatic: 2,987 pounds

Fuel tank: 14.5 gallons

Warranty information:

3 year / 36,000 mile comprehensive

5 year / 60,000 mile powertrain

5 year / unlimited miles corrosion perforation

Read more

Safety review

Based on the 2009 Scion tC base trim
NHTSA crash test and rollover ratings, scored out of 5.
Frontal driver
5/5
Frontal passenger
4/5
Nhtsa rollover rating
4/5
Side driver
5/5
Side rear passenger
5/5

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