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2009 Scion tC Quality Review

November 9, 2008

COMFORT AND QUALITY | 7 out of 10

Expert Quotes:

ample legroom for passengers in the rear seats
Edmunds

Drivers taller than six feet may feel cramped behind the wheel
Kelley Blue Book

a nice mix of textures and a rich appearance for its price
Cars.com

headroom is tight for taller adults
ConsumerGuide

As a hatchback, coupe headroom is tight; otherwise the 2009 Scion tC impresses with its blend of fantastic materials, ergonomics, and comfort.

"The driver seat adjusts for height and thigh support—a nice touch—but legroom is only adequate," says ConsumerGuide. Cars.com and most others report that "front headroom is marginal." ForbesAutos suggest you "keep looking if you require a larger [or] more practical vehicle"—though with 35 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded down, the 2009 Scion tC offers more cargo room than some crossovers.

For a hatchback, "the rear seat is more habitable than most small coupes, though it is shaped only for two and legroom is tight without the front seats well forward," notes ConsumerGuide. "The 60/40 split rear seats are roomy and comfy for two," remarks Car and Driver, but "headroom is lacking due to the glass ceiling and long, sleek hatch." Edmunds attests that "rear riders will also enjoy the split seat backs that can individually recline up to 45 degrees"—a rarity at this price point.

ForbesAutos comments, "Only a few of the materials used inside betray this vehicle's affordable price." Value, fit and finish, and ergonomics have long been Toyota hallmarks, and Toyota's ownership of Scion shows throughout the tC. Car and Driver praises the "smart, upscale interior with rich fabrics, plastics, and metallic-look accents," and is pleasantly surprised that "the large HVAC knob actually is aluminum." "Fit and finish are flawless, right down to the seamless dash-mounted airbag," gushes Kelley Blue Book, who adds, "the tC's interior is Lexus-like in its execution." They and others appreciate the instrument cluster that is "neatly arranged into three separate circular housings" and the center stack that "is covered with a silver finish," finding the treatment far more appealing than the strange center-pod speedo in Scion's other models. The only interior change for 2009 is updated seat fabrics.

Unfortunately, Scion 2009 tC's don't have much sound-deadening material. While the tC is "quiet around town," ConsumerGuide reports that "wind rush intrudes at highway speeds, and tire roar is pronounced on rough surfaces."

Finally, while Kelley Blue Book expects the tC "to retain one of the highest resale values in its class" over a four-year period, J.D. Power reports that the 2009 Scion tC rates only "two out of five for overall initial quality," countering some reviewers’ observations.

Conclusion

The 2009 Scion tC's fit and finish belie its price, but if you're taller than six feet or a member of the big man's club, you will not be comfortable.

COMFORT AND QUALITY | 7 out of 10Expert Quotes:ample legroom for passengers in the rear seatsEdmundsDrivers taller than six feet may feel cramped behind the wheelKelley Blue Booka nice mix of textures and a rich appearance for its priceCars.comheadroom is tight for taller adultsConsumerGuide As a hatchback, coupe headroom is tight; otherwise the 2009 Scion tC impresses with its blend of fantastic materials, ergonomics, and comfort. "The driver seat adjusts for height and thigh support—a nice touch—but legroom is only adequate," says ConsumerGuide. Cars.com and most others report that "front headroom is marginal." ForbesAutos suggest you "keep looking if you require a larger [or] more practical vehicle"—though with 35 cubic feet of cargo space with the rear seats folded down, the 2009 Scion tC offers more cargo room than some crossovers. For a hatchback, "the rear seat is more habitable than most small coupes, though it is shaped only for two and legroom is tight without the front seats well forward," notes ConsumerGuide. "The 60/40 split rear seats are roomy and comfy for two," remarks Car and Driver, but "headroom is lacking due to the glass ceiling and long, sleek hatch." Edmunds attests that "rear riders will also enjoy the split seat backs that can individually recline up to 45 degrees"—a rarity at this price point. ForbesAutos comments, "Only a few of the materials used inside betray this vehicle's affordable price." Value, fit and finish, and ergonomics have long been Toyota hallmarks, and Toyota's ownership of Scion shows throughout the tC. Car and Driver praises the "smart, upscale interior with rich fabrics, plastics, and metallic-look accents," and is pleasantly surprised that "the large HVAC knob actually is aluminum." "Fit and finish are flawless, right down to the seamless dash-mounted airbag," gushes Kelley Blue Book, who adds, "the tC's interior is Lexus-like in its execution." They and others appreciate the instrument cluster that is "neatly arranged into three separate circular housings" and the center stack that "is covered with a silver finish," finding the treatment far more appealing than the strange center-pod speedo in Scion's other models. The only interior change for 2009 is updated seat fabrics. Unfortunately, Scion 2009 tC's don't have much sound-deadening material. While the tC is "quiet around town," ConsumerGuide reports that "wind rush intrudes at highway speeds, and tire roar is pronounced on rough surfaces." Finally, while Kelley Blue Book expects the tC "to retain one of the highest resale values in its class" over a four-year period, J.D. Power reports that the 2009 Scion tC rates only "two out of five for overall initial quality," countering some reviewers’ observations. ConclusionThe 2009 Scion tC's fit and finish belie its price, but if you're taller than six feet or a member of the big man's club, you will not be comfortable.  2009 SCION TC STYLING | [8 out of 10] Cars.com: "looks more aggressive than its Toyota siblings" Motor Trend: "gets only revised interior fabrics" Car and Driver: "styling has become a bit familiar" Kelley Blue Book: "At a certain age, you might think the interior is a little too ...

Read More of this Review:

  1. styling
  2. performance
  3. quality
  4. safety
  5. features

Other Choices:

The Ford Focus came out with a new coupe body style for 2008; with a more distinctive, quieter interior than before and more available convenience features, such as the SYNC communications and entertainment interface, the Focus offers a very compelling package for the money, even if it isn't as much fun to drive as the 2009 Scion tC. The Honda Civic coupe feels sportier than the Focus and the tC, but its engine isn't as torquey for ordinary driving, and its interior feels a bit more cramped. Like the tC, it's also quite loud inside on coarse surfaces. The Pontiac G5 and Hyundai Tiburon might also be worth consideration, but both of them feel rather outdated for different reasons. The interior of the G5 feels subpar in appearance and quality, while the Tiburon sacrifices a lot of interior space for a curvaceous exterior shape that is no longer in vogue.

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See the Scion tC in Other Years:

2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005

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