The vehicle's 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine puts out an appreciable 180 horses and 173 lb-ft of torque, and our tester was outfitted with a well-designed six-speed manual transmission, but getting all of that power to the pavement wasn't easy due to the regular intervention of the vehicle's electronic stability control system. We were disappointed with the way the tC conducted itself on Montreal's less-than-stellar pavement, and found ourselves wishing for a softer suspension system during most of our week with the car.įront-wheel drive also comes into play when accelerating the Scion tC R.S. 8.0 model rides on lowered springs, the vehicle's chassis and front-wheel drive setup doesn't so much enhance handling as it does induce understeer in the corners and a rough ride over bumps in the road.
We mention this fact because it is an important aspect of what keeps the tC from crossing over into the sports car camp.
2013 scion tc turbo kit series#
The 2013 Scion tC Release Series 8.0 is based on a front-wheel drive architecture that couldn't be farther apart from the sinuous, rear-wheel drive platform used by the FR-S. Why offer a couple of two-door compacts at an almost identical price point? The answer has to do with the differences between these two automobiles, of which far more exist than similarities. In fact, the 2013 Scion tC we tested for a week came in limited edition Release Series 8.0 trim, which boosted the small vehicle's price to within $1,000 of the FR-S. The latter takes the shape of coupes or hatchbacks that look the part thanks to their bright colors and aerodynamic body work, but which typically ride on platforms shared with more pedestrian models that don't deliver the same level of driving thrills.īoutique automaker Scion happens to build one example of each of these classes of automobile, a pair of coupes that are separated by only a few thousand dollars: the Scion FR-S (sports car) and the Scion tC (sporty car). The former is typically represented by focused models like the Mazda MX-5 Miata and the Chevrolet Corvette, automobiles that make sacrifices in certain areas so as to keep curb weights low, handling tight, and acceleration lively. There's a fine line between a sports car and a sporty car.
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