2006 Scion tC Test Drive

Scion Nails Young-Buyer Bull's Eye

What Target is to discount shopping, the Scion tC is to entry-level coupes: sleek design, loads of features and a level of quality unexpected for the price.

The Scion tC, introduced June 2004 as a 2005 model, is surprisingly roomy for a compact coupe and has a number of features you'd expect only in top-of-the-line luxury vehicles — the panoramic glass roof being one of them. A supercharger, which should be available as a dealer-installed option this fall, promises to elevate the peppy, but far from tire-burning, performance.

The tC is virtually unchanged for 2006. A revised Pioneer stereo system features new steering-wheel-mounted controls and an upgrade for compatibility with Apple's hip iPod. Hook it in to a special port and the iPod can be controlled through the stereo buttons.

Scion is Toyota's new youth-oriented brand, which launched throughout the U.S. in June 2004. Its strategy hinges on offering head-turning style, tons of options and Toyota's legendary reliability, all at an affordable price. The fact that Scions can be customized with dozens of options is one of the most appealing aspects for young buyers — and the biggest source of profit for Scion dealers.

Available options include some things that most adults might balk at — like amber or blue interior neon light kits — and some they'd gladly take for their son or daughter — seat-mounted and side-curtain airbags. Furthermore, Scion doesn't limit things by grouping options into expensive packages, which is a major advantage over nearly every other manufacturer.

The company hopes to soon increase the available options to as many as 100, including new performance-related items, says Mark Templin, who heads Scion. Also appealing is the brand's no-haggle pricing policy, pioneered by Saturn, which gives solace to buyers leery of high-pressure sales people.

Scion executives want to maintain annual production of the entire lineup, which includes the xA and xB along with the tC, under 120,000 to keep interest on the boil. They feel that selling more than that risks diluting the brand, making it too mainstream to appeal to trend-setting buyers. As part of this strategy, dealers have a 12-day supply of cars — a minuscule number considering that the industry average is roughly three months, Templin says.

However, don't be fooled into thinking that Scion has carved itself a niche among young consumers by relying solely on hype or clever marketing. The cars are undeniably unique and include many standard features that other vehicles in this price range only offer as options, if at all. In the tC coupe, which was released last summer, this includes anti-lock brakes, 17-inch alloy wheels, power windows and door locks, a knee airbag for the driver and a tilting and sliding glass sunroof that stretches all the way to the rear window.