Review: 2014 Scion tC – This Sporty Sleigh is Packed with Value and Utility

Scion has celebrated its 10th anniversary as a brand this year.  The refreshed 2014 Scion tC is a continuation of brand’s core beliefs of value, utility, and customization.  Second generation of the tC came out in 2011 and is now face-lifted.  Is it enough to keep the model fresh and the sales going?

First Impressions

The rich and bright “Absolutely Red” color on this car catches attention and reminds of Santa’s sleigh.  The 2014 facelift adds more aggression to the exterior. This car looks sporty in base trim.

Styling/Design:

Front facia received the most attention with squintier headlights and jagged lines.  Below there is a larger hexagonal grill with new vertical LED running lights on the sides.  Overall, it makes for a meaner more aggressive look.  The rear receives a new LED design for the tail lights and an updated bumper cover, which recalls some design elements from the front.  There are also new 18-inch rims.  Overall, the update is thorough enough to make the new look distinct.

There are not a lot of changes on the inside.  This Scion has a large and thick steering wheel, but the overall feeling of the interior is that of value-minded simplicity.  The space is useable and feels bigger on the inside.  Rear passengers can enjoy plenty of head and leg room as well as a nearly flat floor.  There is also a huge 14.7 cu-ft of cargo room behind the back seat.  Of course, you can fold those down to fit longer items.  The front seats have good side bolsters and are comfortable.  Overall ambiance is that of an economy car.  After all, tC starts at $19,965 with a manual transmission and a ton of standard equipment, including a panoramic glass roof and 18-inch wheels.

Powertrain:

This sporty coupe is powered by a 2.5-liter four cylinder with 179 hp @6,000 rpm and 172 lb-ft of torque @4,100 rpm.  The larger displacement allows this motor to out-torque the 2.0-liter boxer that resides in the Scion FR-S.  However, it’s 21 horses down to the smaller boxer.  This test car came with an optional $1,000 6-speed automatic transmission.  Scion says it has “dynamic rev management” and is supposed to match revs on downshifts.  This car does not have paddle shifters and the automatic does not feel fully refined.  Perhaps, the rev-matching feature acts a little weird.  It felt like the transmission has a mind of its own, or that it was trying to outthink me.  It’s probably fine for many, but I was left longing for the 6-speed manual.  The exhaust note is also lacking a little sport.  Perhaps the TRD system can help here?

You can use the $1,000 after skipping the automatic to spend on TRD Quick-shifter ($145), TRD front strut brace ($285), and TRD lowering springs ($399).  FYI – there is also a TRD performance exhaust system at $699.

Handling/Ride:

The base tC has a relatively smooth ride over rougher surfaces, even with 18-inch wheels.  However, cornering performance and steering weight and feel are about average.  They are not bad, but they also do not stand out.  The tC has a bit of lean through corners, and the steering is not as heavy or communicate as I wanted it to be.  If you are looking for great handling and steering feel, you should take a look at the FR-S.  Just be warned that you will be giving up usable interior space if you do.

Competitors:

Scion tC goes up against other sporty hatchbacks like the FIAT 500 T, Hyundai Veloster, and the MINI Cooper.  The strengths of the tC include: loads of usable interior space, a lot of standard equipment, and a relatively comfortable ride.

On the TFLcar scale of:

• Buy it!
• Lease it!
• Rent it!
• … or Forget it!

I give the 2014 Scion tC a Lease It!

The tC is still Scion’s most popular and thus most important model, as it sold 17,951 units over the eleven months of 2013.  The test car stickered at $20,965 and comes with impressive standard equipment.  The tC is a good car, but its basic interior, lacking exhaust note, and 6-speed automatic prevent me from giving it a full Buy It!  If it had the manual and the full TRD package, then it could win me over completely.

Check out this fun and informative TFL video first drive of the 2011 Scion tC:

Andre Smirnov is a life-long automotive enthusiast, writer, reporter, and software engineer. He has been a contributor at TFL since 2011. When not working or spending time with the family – you can find him tinkering in the garage or simply ‘going for a drive’.