2013 Scion tC vs. Its Competition

Martin Padgett Editorial Director

With an eye to both the sport-compact and the econo-compact market, the Scion tC has some interesting competition with some very lofty performance goals.

At the less engaging end of the spectrum, the latest Honda Civic Si just doesn't thrill us as past generations have done; it's a difficult story to tell, but the strut suspension, inexpensive interior, and overall responsiveness feel more like last-gen also-rans, not the heirs to the throne.

The Kia Forte places somewhere in this territory with its Forte Koup, but that's an achievement from a brand that didn't even field a car in this class three years ago.

New and intriguing this year is the Hyundai Veloster, a four-cylinder four-door with two doors on the passenger side, but just one on the driver side.

It's very dynamic in looks, but performance isn't quite there yet--but there's a turbo version coming in the 2013 model year.

The Ford Focus doesn't come in two-door form, but the sleek hatchback will be offered with a 240-horsepower turbo four in the coming model year.