2010 Scion TC

Specifications prices Modifications and Image 2010 Scion TC
The 2010 Scion tC is a two-door hatchback coupe that parent company Toyota has aimed squarely at the 20-something crowd. These drivers likely want rides that are stylish, customizable and affordable, and the tC is a success on all three counts. Note that the tC is not a performance car, so if it's back-road thrills you're after, we'd advise you to look elsewhere. Otherwise, there's just not much wrong with the tC, even though it's now entering its sixth year of production.

As has been the case since the car's debut, the tC offers a comfortable ride and adequate handling for most tastes. A notable tC feature is its 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine, which provides more low-end grunt than most cars in this class. Fuel economy isn't impressive, though, so there's a penalty for that extra displacement and punch.

The 2010 Scion tC also boasts a cleanly styled cabin with an accommodating rear seat. Two adults can fit back there, a rare feat for a car of this nature, and the seatback even reclines. The hatchback's cargo area is also roomy with the rear seats up; flip them down and you'll have 35 cubic feet of maximum cargo space.

In addition to the tC's solid list of standard equipment, there are numerous accessories available at the Scion dealership, including stylized wheels, body kits, upgraded stereo systems and various interior accents. Additionally, if the 2.4-liter engine leaves you wanting more, the dealer-installed supercharger boosts horsepower up to 200. That puts the tC's straight-line acceleration (and price) in the same league as pocket rockets like the Honda Civic Si coupe, Mini Cooper S and Volkswagen GTI; however, all of the above are far more engaging to drive. Our advice would be to set your sights on the base tC and cross-shop it with other compact two-doors like the regular Honda Civic, the base Mini Cooper and the Volkswagen Rabbit.

INTERIOR
Inside the 2008 Scion tC are first-rate materials. There aren't a lot of different grains and textures, and the swoopy brushed-metal center stack housing vents, sound system and climate control system are a marvel of modern design. Scion has pumped up the volume a bit for 2008, adding metallic accents that match the center stack to the steering wheel spokes and door-mounted grab handles. Everything fits together beautifully, works intuitively and looks great.

The front bucket seats look and feel like they were designed for racing, but that doesn't mean to say they're too narrow or too hard. We found them very comfortable, with enough fore/aft adjustment to suit tall American drivers regardless of age (including our tall and, shall we say, experienced correspondent). The driver's and shotgun seats can be reclined all the way down into what Scion calls a sleep position.

The core model's rear seats recline through 10 stops and 45 degrees to convert the interior into a conversation bin. With seats up, there's more than 26 inches of cargo length there; with the second seats dropped, almost 60 inches; and with the front passenger seat folded over, almost 104 inches of cargo length available.

Attention to detail is evident in the mechanical seat position memory on the front bucket seats, the 60/40 split folding rear seat, the dead pedal for the driver's left foot, fully closing vents, and a cover for the stereo faceplate.

The three-pod instrument panel is amber-illuminated, deeply tunneled and easy to use, day or night, as are the balance of the instruments and controls. The metal-tone center console features a cast-aluminum temperature control dial flanked by soft-touch electronic buttons and an LCD display showing exterior temperature, seven fan speeds and a clock. Shutter-type flush-closing dash vents complement the center console's waterfall design.

The Pioneer single CD system that comes standard on all Scion tCs (even the Spec Series) features a user-customizable welcome screen, MP3 capability, four speakers and 160 watts. Sirius and XM Satellite Radio are optional.

The head unit allows iPod owners to listen to their tunes through the car speakers and to control song selection and read stored information through the head unit's display. Also standard (on core models) for 2008 is a Pioneer six-inch subwoofer with 35-watt maximum power, tuned specifically for the tC. This compact unit is mounted in the under-floor storage area, keeping it out of sight and leaving the cargo floor clear.

The optional premium audio adds the ability to download skins to play on the head unit's organic electroluminescent (OEL) faceplate. These so-called skins include images, four-second video clips, and eight-second movies from Pioneer's website. Pioneer software also allows customers to burn their own images and movies onto a CD and upload them onto the head unit.

The premium audio system comes with rear head unit outputs, allowing the addition of external amps to boost power to additional speakers and subwoofers. Scion claims that none of these modifications will affect the operation of head unit's standard features.

Both the standard and premium head units feature Scion Sound Processing (SSP), which allows listeners to choose from three pre-set equalizer settings; Automatic Sound Leveling (ASL); and Sound Retouch Technology (SRT), which provides clearer CD sound quality.

EXTERIOR
The somewhat bland styling of the 2005-07 Scion tC was intentional, offering a blank canvas for hot-rodders and customizers. Frankly, we liked its look of purposeful performance. The 2008 Scion tC certainly looks more sophisticated, but whether it looks better is a matter of taste.

Most changed is the front end, where the headlight housings now contain three sharply defined separate lenses for high beams, projector-type low beams, and amber turn signals, all arranged in a subtle diagonal. The top and bottom grille textures no longer match, with a fussy diagonal-oval mesh up top that fades to solid at the sides; and horizontal slats down below. It's a bit busy to our eyes, and spoils the simplicity we admired in the previous design.

The diagonal three-element theme continues around back, where each smoke-gray taillight housing contains three small round lenses, the larger two of which overlap. As before, a thin, LED center stop light appears gray until it lights up; and the bottom edge of the bumper sports a prominent horizontal pout.

Otherwise the outside isn't much changed, and that's a good thing. Even the standard six-double-spoke alloy wheels are carried over from last year.

The doors are quite long for such a small car, and the door handles are of the reach-around-and-pull variety that we like. The long rear side window suggests a two-door sedan more than a hatchback coupe, and makes the design flow from front to rear gracefully. Wheel arches are exaggerated, suggesting that larger tires and wheels will be fitted as soon as the car is bought. (Or the buyer can opt for the 18- or 19-inch wheels from the dealer).

One of the most surprising bonuses the tC brings is its panoramic glass sunroof, designed without gaskets for a tight, no-creaks fit. It filters 97 percent of UV rays and 100 percent of infrared to avoid sunburned occupants. All of the body panels fit tight and straight, and quality flows from every pore.

ENGINE
Powered by an all-new 2.5-liter four-cylinder gasoline engine, the latest tC is now more powerful and more fuel efficient than ever. At first glance, the new tC might look similar to the outgoing model, but it rides on a new platform and is in fact sporting some noteworthy changes to the sheetmetal.

The new 2.5-liter four-cylinder, sourced from the Toyota Camry, cranks out 180 horsepower in the tC, a 19 pony improvement, and Scion says it is more efficient than before. A new intake manifold design and a sport-tuned exhaust are said to improve the tC's sound, too.

A pair of new six-speed automatic and manual transmissions replace the outgoing four-speed automatic and five-speed manual transmissions as well. The new six-speed manual- or six-speed automatic-powered tC coupes are rated at 23 city, 31 highway.

These new fuel economy numbers represent a sizable improvement, as the outgoing five-speed manual returned just 20 city, 27 highway, with the outgoing four-speed automatic tC achieving 21 city and 29 highway.

SAFETY
The 2010 Scion tC comes with antilock disc brakes, front side airbags, full-length head curtain airbags and a driver knee airbag as standard. In National Highway Traffic Safety Administration frontal crash tests, the tC earned a perfect five stars for driver protection and four stars for passenger protection. Side-impact testing yielded five-star ratings for both front and rear passengers.

Driving Impressions

The 2010 Scion tC handles nimbly enough, though you certainly won't confuse it with a sporty rival like the Mini Cooper. Ride quality is relatively compliant for a budget-priced compact coupe. The 2.4-liter inline-4 pulls eagerly at low engine speeds, a welcome departure from the high-revving power delivery that's more the norm in this segment. The manual transmission is smooth-shifting, but it exacts a notable penalty at the pump.
reference:www.edmunds.com,autos.aol.com,www.leftlanenews.com

2011 Scion xD

Specifications prices Modifications and Image 2011 Scion xD
Unlike its xB and tC siblings, the 2011 Scion xD lives a life of relative obscurity. Perhaps it's because this economy-minded hatchback has more sedate styling, or maybe it's due to its focus on reliable and solid transportation. Certainly, that's nothing to sniff at. But these days most competitors offer a lot more than just basic transportation.

To its credit, the xD features a gutsy 1.8-liter engine, one of the strongest in its class, and good manners whether in the city or on the freeway. It also has plenty of standard features and can be fitted with more than 40 dealer-installed options. That extensive list of customization options is one of the xD's strong points; the range of choices includes everything from shift knobs to performance suspension parts.

Scion is also offering the xD RS 3.0 as part of its ongoing Release Series, a limited-edition xD fitted with a four-piece body kit that includes a front airdam, rocker-sill skirts and rear spoiler, plus carbon-fiber-like trim. Rear seat passengers will appreciate the xD's reclining/sliding backseat, which is a rarity in this segment. One other factor to keep in mind as you consider an xD is Scion's no-haggle pricing.

But these days, many other competing hatchbacks offer even more. The Ford Fiesta boasts a more engaging driving experience, better fuel economy and the innovative Ford Sync system, while the sporty Honda Fit offers more passenger room and utility. Kia's Soul is another solid pick, as are the eccentric Nissan Cube and well-equipped Nissan Versa. The 2011 Scion xD is a worth a look, but these days you can get a lot more style and fun to go along with your reliable transportation.

INTERIOR
The aesthetic appeal of the Scion xD cabin lies more in unconventional elements rather than clean, elegant design, and that's not necessarily a bad thing. From the functional perspective, the xD interior works well.

Materials used inside the xD are generally good for a car in this price range. The expansive plastic that covers the dash and door panels has a woven-grain, matte finish, and it's more appealing than the glossy hard stuff in some inexpensive cars. The shiny black plastic trim pieces look like piano lacquer, and better than fake wood or metal.

The seats are covered in dark charcoal fabric and are quite handsome, especially when compared to the cloth that comes with some other cars in this class. The upholstery isn't plush, but it feels sturdy. The front seats are firm but not too firm, and provide decent bolstering, which is good because some xD owners might be ripping around corners after they add Toyota Racing Development suspension components.

Switches are well placed, with the audio system above the air conditioning controls in the center stack. All the knobs are big and easy to find, though those for the climate controls have a slightly loose, jerky feel.

The gauges are a mixed bag. The primary display, which Scion calls a concentric combination meter, is a speedometer and tachometer in one package, centered over the adjustable steering column. It's designed to be different, but in this case it's not better. With the tachometer and speedometer needles moving in opposite directions around a circle, it's hard to process the information at a glance. The gas gauge is a bright, easy-to-read LED to the left of the steering column, and the xD comes standard with a multi-information display that allows the driver to toggle between the odometer, trip meters, instant fuel economy, average fuel economy, distance-to-empty and average vehicle speed.

The 160-watt Pioneer sound system with six speakers is loud and clear, and plenty for a car this size. Dealer-installed upgrades are available for buyers who want more. The standard system is wired for iPod, MP3/WMA, and satellite, and includes an auxiliary input jack. Like the trip computer, the redundant audio controls on the steering wheel spoke are the exception in this class.

The rear seat is quite roomy when rear-passenger space is maximized. The rear seat easily slides forward or backward six inches, adding space for either cargo behind the seatback or passengers in front of it. With the rear seat moved full forward, there's enough legroom for a 12-year old; with the rear seat moved back, there's room for medium-sized adults. Head room is expansive, and with the front seat set for a 5-foot, 10-inch driver, there was enough rear legroom for a 5-foot, 9-inch rear passenger. Moreover, the rear seatback reclines 10 degrees, which remains a rarity in all cars. The rear-seat headrests rise a long way from the seatback, allowing more comfort for passengers when the seat is occupied, and better rearward visibility for the driver when the seat is empty.

Cargo volume is good, which is important if it's stuff you carry more than passengers. The rear seat folds totally flat, opening 35.7 cubic feet of space behind the front seats. That's substantially less than in either the Honda Fit (57.3 cubic feet) or the Nissan Versa hatchback (50.4). Small compartments under the xD's cargo floor hold the jack tools and leave some extra room, though not enough to hold and hide a laptop. A cargo blind to cover whatever is behind the seats is available from Scion dealers.

Small storage areas are plentiful in the xD, or at least in the forward half of the interior. There's a 5.3-liter upper glovebox and 5.7-liter lower glove box. There's a box in the center console between the seats, a small compartment for change, a small storage tray that slides out of the dash, and five cupholders, including two molded into the hard bins at the bottoms of the doors. There are no pockets on the seatbacks, so it's a different story for rear passengers. They get a cupholder molded into each door and a third at the rear of the center console.

We found the air conditioning works well. The interior is airtight. With just the driver's window slightly open, there's a thump in your ears, so you have to crack a second window to let the air out, common in many cars nowadays. Much sound-deadening material has been used in many places. The xD is not the quietest small car around, and it's one of the noisier Toyota products we've tested. But with that excellent Pioneer stereo blaring, you may not notice.

EXTERIOR
The Scion xD is a bit shorter and wider than the Honda Fit, its most obvious competitor. It's quite a bit smaller than the Nissan Versa and Dodge Caliber.

The xD has a fairly long wheelbase for its overall size, which should contribute to a smooth ride and good interior space, and the short overhangs help with maneuverability in tight spots.

The xD roofline is boxed in at the rear corner with a wide C-pillar, and its hood is long and quite bulbous. The halogen headlights are sleek, but they're pinched in a shape at odds with the roundness of the hood, which has a chrome Scion emblem stuck on the front.

The standard steel wheels measure 16 inches in diameter, and the wheelwell gaps have been tightened, which is good. But none of the three wheelcover styles do much for the car. A sharp set of wheels goes a long way toward bringing the xD alive, and that's part of Scion's personalization platform. We've seen xDs with the six-spoke, 18-inch polished alloy wheels available from Scion dealerships, and they totally change the bulky looks of the car. The 17-inch black alloys look great too, and those who don't want to spring for new tires can choose 16-inch alloys. With wheels and a rear spoiler to extend the lines of the roof, the xD looks more like something worth showing off.

ENGINE
A 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine powers the 2011 Scion xD, putting its 128 horsepower and 125 pound-feet of torque to the ground through a five-speed manual or optional four-speed automatic transmission. That's enough to zip the xD to 60 mph in 8.4 seconds in Edmunds testing, faster than the Fit by about a second. The xD's fuel economy is only average for a subcompact, however: 27 mpg city/33 mpg highway and 29 mpg combined with either transmission.
Safety

The 2011 Scion xD features antilock brakes with brake assist, stability control, front seat side airbags, full-length side curtain airbags and front active head restraints.

The 2011 Scion xD has not yet been rated using the government's new, more strenuous 2011 crash tests. According to its 2010 ratings (which aren't comparable to 2011 scores) the xD received four stars for frontal impacts and a perfect five stars for side impacts. In Insurance Institute for Highway Safety crash testing, the xD was deemed "Acceptable" (the second-highest score) in frontal-offset crashes and "Good" (the highest score) in side-impact crashes.

SAFETY
The 2011 Scion xD’s standard safety features include: Vehicle Stability Control, Traction Control, Antilock Brakes, Electronic Brake Force distribution, driver and passenger seat-mounted side airbags and advanced airbags, front and rear side curtain airbags and a tire pressure monitoring system.

While the federal government and the insurance industry have not tested the 2011 Scion xD, scores for the highly similar 2010 model are available. The federal government gave the 2010 xD four stars in front driver, front passenger and rollover crash tests. The xD received the highest score of five stars in side driver and side rear passenger crash tests.

The insurance industry handed the 2010 Scion xD its top score of "Good" for safety side impact crash tests, but gave the xD the second highest score of “Acceptable” in front offset crash tests. Scores for roof strength are not available. reference :www.edmunds.com, autos.aol.com, usnews.rankingsandreviews.com