Vehicle Overview
Scion’s sporty five-seat coupe received a complete redesign for the 2011 model year and has seen few changes since then. Powered by a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, the tC competes with coupe versions of compacts like the Honda Civic, Mini Cooper and Volkswagen Golf.
New for 2013
For 2013, a BeSpoke Premium stereo is available, which provides HD Radio, Bluetooth connectivity, iTunes tagging and Pandora internet radio via a connected iPhone. The stereo also works with the BeSpoke iPhone application that consolidates features like Facebook, Twitter and Yelp.
Exterior
The tC’s headlights recall the Kia Forte, but a large lower grille helps distinguish the tC as a Scion and visually grounds the car. Though the tC is a two-door hatchback, the shape of the rear side windows accentuates the dropoff in the roofline, providing a coupe profile. Exterior features include:
- Standard 18-inch alloy wheels
- Blacked-out A-pillars
- Chrome exhaust tip
Interior
A front moonroof and a glass skylight over the backseat are standard. Between these and the fastback roofline, the cabin gets plenty of light, but shoppers will wish the rear window had a wiper. Interior features include:
- Standard USB port and MP3 jack for connecting portable music players
- Standard air conditioningÂ
- Standard power windows, locks and side mirrorsÂ
- Standard tilt/telescoping leather-trimmed steering wheel with audio controls
- Standard cruise control
Under the Hood
Mechanical features include:
- 180-horsepower, 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine
- Uses regular gasÂ
- Standard six-speed manual transmissionÂ
- Optional six-speed automatic
- Front-wheel drive
Safety
Standard safety features include:
- Side-impact airbags for the front seats
- Side curtain airbagsÂ
- Front knee airbagsÂ
- Antilock brakesÂ
- Electronic stability system and traction control
- Active front head restraints
