Toyota Scion tC - Third Time's The Charm

In the handling department, the car relies on a MacPherson front suspension and double wishbone rear suspension. Front anti-roll comes in at 21mm while the rear is set a 18mm for the manual trans and 20mm for the automatic version. I can see it now. Enthusiasts charging the dealership, buying a rear sway bar from the automatic model as an upgrade. "We must have 20mm!" they'll cry. That's assuming it's affordable. For the most part, TRD has a few suspension upgrades in their line up, which includes a thicker rear sway bar. Also available are front and rear struts, re-valved specifically to work with their lowering springs. TRD also offers larger than stock wheels by Racing Hart and low-profile Pirelli P Zero tires.

Interior detail is great right from the factory. The OEM gauges look as if they are aftermarket units and the center console seems like it was purposely designed for a hide-away monitor. Front and rear legroom is extra roomy, which isn't normal for a Japanese car. What I found very impressive was ability of the rear seats to recline back just like the front seats. Most people will be ready to load the trunk with an audio system consisting of an amp rack and sub box. The trunk space is large enough but the system will have to be designed correctly or you might lose the reclining ability of those rear seats. Another great feature about the interior is the standard panoramic moonroof. The front section incorporates a wind deflector while the center panel pops up and slides back on the outside of the car. The rear moonroof is fixed and doesn't offer a choice to open it up, but it does look dope and there is the option of manually opening and closing the attached shade. From the outside the all-black top makes it appear as if it is one big piece of glass. Most people that read our magazine will more than likely swap out the factory seats but we found out an interesting tidbit that might have you thinking twice about removing them. Optional side curtain air bags are built into the seats and side curtain airbags reside on the chassis for side impact collision. Safety is always key.

For the most part we believe this car is marketable to the tuner crowd but to say it's going to be an easy task is saying a lot. Then again, each tuner is unique themselves and it's up to the owners to mold the offering from Scion in stock trim. The tC starts out with an MSRP of $15,950 to $16,465 which puts a smaller dent in your wallet compared to some of the other cars out there. Time will only tell if the tC is a hit, but ImportTuner believes it has a chance at being successful.