CNET editors' review
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CNET editors' rating:
stars
Very good
Detailed editors' rating
- Reviewed on: 12/01/2005
On the outside, the hood reminds us of the Volvo S60 R and, combined with the honeycomb grille, give a hint of aggression. In standard form, the styling won't lead to any unwanted street race challenges, but tuners will be happy, as there are plenty of factory options as well as a growing list of available aftermarket modifications. Toyota Racing Development (TRD) has also just announced a $3,200 supercharger that can be fitted to manual transmission tCs, boosting the power from 160hp to 200hp along with a 13 percent increase in torque.
The standard panoramic moonroof on the 2006 Scion tC is a marvel. Both front and backseats have their own glass panels, and to open, the front panel lifts out and over the nonopening rear panel. We found the cloth front seats quite comfortable, although the driver's seat is a little high relative to the pedals for our liking, and we had to recline the front seats slightly to have adequate headroom. What really puzzled us, though, was the lack of front legroom, especially for the driver. The rear passengers have a surprising amount of legroom, but we found that anyone in the back seat taller than 5-foot-8 will be forced into a hunchbacklike crouch, as headroom is extremely limited, even for a small hatchback.Luggage space is decent, and with the 60/40 folding rear seats, there's more than enough room for skis or snowboards. Loading and unloading heavy suitcases is easy, thanks to the SUV-like flat access to the cargo bay floor. Another nice touch is the way the front seats fold down to the same level as the backseat, creating a big U-shaped lounge/bed area. This is going to be a very popular car at just about every lookout point frequented by teenagers across the country. All that's missing are remotes for the stereo and moonroof to help control the mood.
We also like the look and intuitive layout of the air conditioning controls, which, combined with the stereo hideaway door, give the center dash console a very clean, almost concept-car-like feel. And if you don't like the stereo that comes with the car, the double-DIN slot is very aftermarket-friendly, as the covering door maintains the look of the center stack no matter what you install. The hour and minute buttons, located at the bottom right of the stack, make setting the clock a snap, but we would have liked some way to prevent accidentally changing the time.
There are no navigation or hands-free Bluetooth options, so any serious gadgetry will have to come from the aftermarket. The center console cubbyhole contains a 12-volt power supply, an auxiliary audio jack, and an optional iPod docking port, but we were disappointed that it lacks a pass-through slot for the associated cables. However, our biggest complaint is reserved for the windshield wiper operation, which has the right wiper blade pausing directly in the middle of driver's view before starting its downward stroke--very distracting.
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