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2011 Scion tC (photos)

Scion used to represent the youth-oriented cutting edge, but that edge left Scion behind years ago. The second generation of the tC does a poor job keeping up with the newest tech.

Wayne Cunningham
Wayne Cunningham reviews cars and writes about automotive technology for CNET's Roadshow. Prior to the automotive beat, he covered spyware, Web building technologies, and computer hardware. He began covering technology and the Web in 1994 as an editor of The Net magazine.
Wayne Cunningham
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1 of 15 Josh Miller/CNET
Formerly the nonboxy car in the Scion lineup, for 2011 the tC gets some angles. The tC is a coupe design with a hatchback, laid out with front engine and front-wheel drive.

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Where the previous generation tC used a sleek look, the new one is more beefy, with some elements of American muscle car. The front looks particularly aggressive.

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3 of 15 Josh Miller/CNET
The engine is the same as that in the four-cylinder Camry, a 2.5-liter inline four with variable valve timing. In the tC, it makes 180 horsepower, which tends to screech the front wheels.

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Scion puts good-looking wheels on the tC standard, and fits it with disc brakes all around.

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The roof on the 2011 tC rises up a little higher in the back than previously, giving rear seat passengers head room. But the front roof rails are low enough to cause frequent forehead bruising.

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Although not a superstar, the tC handles reasonably well due to a double wishbone suspension at the rear, MacPherson struts up front, and antisway bars all around.

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The hatchback and fold-down seats afford a surprising amount of cargo space.

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We easily fit a number of bins and bags in the back, which represents the typical worldly possessions of your average college student.

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Hard plastics cover much of the cabin, giving it a cheap feeling. One of the best things about the tC is that the cabin tech can easily be upgraded.

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Scion fits the 2011 tC with a flat-bottom steering wheel, a funny little feature sporting pretension.

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Deep wells help prevent glare on the gauges.

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The six-speed manual has a short throw, but it lacks the preciseness found in competitor's transmissions.

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Audio controls on the steering wheel spoke make it easy to adjust the volume.

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14 of 15 Josh Miller/CNET
The base stereo is this Pioneer head unit, which has a single CD slot, FM and AM, and a USB port. It is very easy to pull the stereo and substitute a better one.

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15 of 15 Josh Miller/CNET
An array of three speakers is molded into each door. But this large amount of speakers does not mean good-quality sound. We were underwhelmed by the mids and highs.

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