Used 2014 Scion tC Consumer Reviews
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Great for the money!
Bought this car for it's reliability and good looks, and it delivers all that I wanted and then some. Keyless entry/ignition is awesome and the shiftable 6-speed automatic livens things up. Great ipod integration and a decent sound system.
More than meets the eye.
My particular model is a 2014 with a Six-speed manual. I have had it since the late spring of 2014. My choices were down to three cars: the 2014 Corolla S manual, the Scion FR-S and the tC. My criteria was relatively simple, first it HAD to be a manual. Secondly, it had to have decent cargo room. During my test drives, the Corolla was crossed off. While it is a good car with some incredible features and nice looks, Toyota gears the manual paired with its 1.8L more for fuel economy, so the gear range is spaced rather widely apart and I wasn't as keen on its very high revving engine. The FR-S had good performance and very good gear selection. But while it is a good car for somebody who can garage it during the winter, it doesn't make the most practical machine where my average commute to work is about 20 miles and measurable snowfall is a possibility from November to May. So I settled on this. As a plus, the tC is a hatchback, which I prefer to trunks. Performance-wise, it is not an FR-S, but the power to weight ratio of the car is very good for its size. The 2.5L engine is the exact same unit found on the Camry and it is the closest thing to a bullet-proof engine you can find. Problems with this powerplant are very rare and it has a 10,000 mile oil change interval with Synthetic oil from the factory. It uses a timing chain instead of a belt, so it will easily go over 100,000 miles with only the chain tensioner needing to be adjusted once in a while (all this meaning lower cost of maintenance). The shift throws feel very good, as does the clutch pedal. Because it is a front wheel drive, it tends to under-steer a little bit while under power, but you can still drive it like a knucklehead if you wish to. At the same time, it calms down nice for long road trips. Gas mileage is not as good as a Camry even with the same engine due to how it has been geared, but if you stick to non-ethanol regular gas and/or premium it hits the target MPG numbers nicely. In my case, short shifting helps to gain a little more MPG in the city, so I tend to average right around 29.5 to 30 MPG for my mixed road commutes (even with the AC on and going full blast). Seat comfort is very good IMHO, mainly because Toyota put about the same amount of padding in these seats as the Camrys and what I like most is I have enough room to stretch out and adjust my posture in the seat a little during long drives. By comparison the FR-S seat, while comfortable, is form fitting like a fighter cockpit and I can only tolerate that for so long. Rear seat comfort is excellent As for the factory Pioneer sound system... put it on the "Powerful" setting and it will make you feel like you are in a live concert. Trust me, include testing out the sound system as part of your test drive and it will probably win you over. Others might complain about the interior and dash being "cheap plastic" but I will give Toyota credit, after two years of use it has not developed any rattles or squeaks. Road noise is not excessive in my example and I like how the engine sounds at highway speeds. After 10 years of use, it will probably be the same. One extra I splurged for during purchase was the BeSpoke Audio, which gives me Aha and a factory navigation system. Aha works well, but I seldom use the internet radio because it is a real data hog. Instead, I have nearly 3000 tunes loaded onto two memory sticks, which I alternate in the standard USB port. The navigation feature works great and is easy to understand/use. I have only encountered two drawbacks with my tC. First, the nose sits a little low, so be careful if you go up a steep driveway or park near a curb to avoid scrapes. Secondly, while the tires are good for all-season use, major snowfall or snow with ice underneath can cause problems as they are NOT snow tires. You can get around, but plan your driving route accordingly. If you go for a used tC, the 14 through 16 models are pretty much identical for the most part. The 16 adds a smart key with push-button start and a rear window wiper (both first offered on the 2014 limited production Monogram series tC). I am considering trading in my 14 for a 16 so I can get these features. The 16's radio has a 7 inch touch screen and to do it, they sacrificed the CD player. In my case, it should be possible to swap in my 2014 radio since the 16 doesn't have a backup camera. Other than that, the engine, wheels, body, moonroof and interior are identical. If you shop for used, get a Certified one with a good maintenance history and the added warranty coverage (it will likely have new tires as well). A new one will give you standard Scion Boost/Toyota Care with 2 years, 25,000 mile paid maintenance. Not sure what Scion going away in 2017 will do to resale values, but mechanically the car is as solid as any Toyota and can last decades with proper maintenance while looking good as well.
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Best car ever!
Ok, so i've owned 4 cars in my life and probably test driven hundreds....why? because i love cars, and not just the awesome sports that "everybody" loves...but i love all cars. I recently bought a 2013 Scion tC...and let me tell ya this car is amazing to look at and to drive. I've had te 2010 Scion tC before i moved into this one....and i could'nt help but wonder that they could've made it better than what it was. It was pretty to look at and the after market parts for it were cheep and made it look and run better. But it is nothing like the 2013....the tC i have now is just so awesome, it hugs the corners, handles very well in the snow and its a game changer in the car industry.
Built like a tank
I have owned over a hundred vehicles. I am very impressed with this one.I have the 14 10 series tc. I usually buy boxy or station wagon like or suv styles,I wanted something different from everyone else. I was actually buying another Prius V, my 2nd. They were doing my paperwork when I spotted the Scion on the showroom floor.I walked around it and then jumped in it,I love the style. I am 6' 1" I could not believe all of the room,I even fit comfortably in the backseat,and it was easy to get in.I could not believe how well it drives and handles,a bigger and better Celica replacement.The Camry engine and revised suspension,steering,transmission are amazing.Huge hatchback opening,versatile
great sporty commuter car
It's no doubt why they call this "The King of The Coupe". Loved my 2013 so much, I am trading it in to get a 2014! When I bought my 13' the 14' was just outside my price range. Now they dropped the 14 to just over the price of 13, making it affordable for me. Was a good daily, fun to drive. To bad they discontinued scion and then stop the tC too from the carry over to Toyota. Horrible decision to remove the top selling car from the Scion line.
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