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By Jim McCraw
Spec Package is tuner-ready.
Introduction
The Scion nameplate may represent Toyota's next-generation future, but the Scion tC brings a welcome blast from the past: a good-looking but practical sport coupe for the young and young at heart.
The Scion tC is affordably priced but well-equipped. It benefits from Toyota's attention to quality, durability and reliability. Though inexpensive, it is anything but cheap. The body panels fit tight and straight, and quality construction is evident. Interior materials are first-rate, and show attention to detail. The bucket seats are comfortable and there's enough room to suit tall drivers. A 160-watt stereo is standard, and an available head unit provides maximum compatibility with an Apple iPod.
The 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine generates 161 horsepower and gets an EPA-rated 29 miles per gallon on the highway. It is quiet, smooth, and plenty powerful, and the little coupe is surprisingly silent underway. Its steering, ride quality and handling are commendable. Its four-wheel disc brakes are powerful, and ABS and Electronic Brake-force Distribution come standard. A full array of airbags is available to enhance safety.
In the past, sport coupes were often regarded as a kind of blank canvas for personal expression; and the tC continues this happy tradition as well. Factory options are few, but the tC offers a menu of dealer-installed accessories that allow owners to build a tC unique to their tastes. In fact, the biggest news for '07 is the stripped-down, extra-value-priced Spec Series model, with downgraded wheels, seats, etc. just good enough to get you from the showroom to the tuner's shop. (Who here is old enough to remember the Plymouth Road Runner?)
Other changes for '07 are minor and include new extendable sun visors, revised interior fabrics, and a standard tire-pressure monitor.
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