The driver's blog: Introducing the 2nd Generation 2011 Scion TC

In 2002 Toyota Motor Company launched a new division under the name Scion. Toyota is no stranger to launching a new brand and they literally blew us all away back in 1999 when they launched Lexus and completely changed the face of the Luxury car market. Scion was originally marketed and directed at today's 20 somethings. Loaded with tons of standard features, almost limitless options, and a price point directed at America's youth, Scion came out firing on all cylinders. Since 2002 our economy has taken quite a tumble and the 20 something demographic that Toyota was aiming for went down with the rest of us. That being said Scion has not even come close to the notoriety of the Lexus, but Scion continues to chip away at their share of the market. Originally launched in 2004 The Scion TC was easily Scion's best looking and most attractive vehicle. The new 2011 Scion TC is in it's 2nd generation now, and while most of the TC's lines and design remained the same there was a much needed face lift. Today's 2011 Scion TC is dressed in a metallic black paint job and it's accented nicely inside with black cloth seating surfaces. To the untrained eye, she appears to be pretty much the same old TC, but after a little studying you can see and feel the new TC is drastically different. The TC is built on the same platform as the original 1st generation, but the engine, transmission, and suspension were tweaked for the better. When looking at the TC from afar she looks devastatingly fast as well as furious, but as the old saying goes "Don't judge a book by it's cover". The 2011 Scion TC is powered by a 2.5L inline 4 Cylinder engine, which gets 180 horsepower and 173lb feet of torque. The zero to 60 times look to be about 7.3 seconds which is far from impressive, but more than enough power for today's generation of driver's. On the inside the TC is pretty awesome looking. Very much like the cockpit in a jet even the inside of the TC looks fast. The coolest interior feature by far is the dual Panoramic moonroof which can be set to let light and air in or sealed completely silent and dark. All of the gadgetry and technology are within reach and nicely placed, nothing is overdone or to flashy, but she's very well appointed. The seats feel sporty yet comfortable and the 6 speed transmission is a blast to shift through. I took the TC out on I-65 North and she had plenty of power to run with the traffic. Despite the oddly shaped steering wheel the handling was nimble, but still sporty. Whipping in and out of position was no issue and a good driver could have a ton of fun in the TC. With most sport model vehicles the suspension is stiff, but this car felt very nice and secure. Corners were fun, there was no real body roll issue and the braking was very responsive . All in all the car is a fun car to drive and it is quite different than it's competitor's from Honda or Ford. The only real set back to me was the design of C-Pillar which seemed unsually blocky and pretty squarely shaped. The TC got alot of attention at stop lights though and you could see the look from the passers by trying to make out what kind of make and model the TC is. Overall the styling is bold, very aggressive, and perfect for the 20 somethings of today's marketplace. There's plenty of storage inside and the gas mileage is very good on the highway at around 31mpg. The thing I've noticed most with the Scion's is there ability not to depreciate. They seem to hold their value nicely and even after a year or two of driving the car it is still in the ballpark that you originally paid for the car. In today's car market almost everyone leaves the dealerships upside down, but with the Scions you seem to get alot for your money. If you are out shopping Civics, Focuses or anything in this class, I would definitely take the time to drive the 2011 Scion TC, she is definitely a contender and she looks faster than the whole lot combined.

2011 Scion TC Specs:

Engine & Performance