2014 Scion tC new car reviews

The sporty Scion tC comes with a new "muscular look." Its 6-speed automatic transmission features dynamic rev management. It can also toot its own green horn since it gets 31 mpg on the highway. But can it best the rear-drive phenom Scion FR-S, or is it just a sub-par substitute for a few grand less?

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Other staff views

Alan Cesar
SuperDork

I didn't like this car one bit. The electric motor in the power steering assist can't keep up with changes of direction, so as you go thru a slalom (or just quickly change direction), there's a moment of heavy steering where the motor is doing nothing. That's not exactly graceful, nor is it good for autocross.

When accelerating, the engine is loud—but in a whiny and asthmatic way. The automatic transmission wasn't bad, but it didn't bring life to the party. If I were shopping these for some crazy reason, I'd test drive the manual for sure.

Yeah, seas of plastic are to be expected on a lower-tier sporty car, but this thing smells like the inside of a Harbor Freight. It's not pleasant. There are neat storage cubbies in the trunk, but thanks to the uncovered hatchback, you can hear those suckers rattling together on every bump.

I'll give it two major high points: An excellent stereo and that huge hatchback. I'm a big fan of hatches for their supreme utility, so perhaps for that reason I'd pick this 'yota over a Honda Civic Si. Honestly, even though it's a smaller car, I'd still rather have a Fiesta ST.

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