Sunday Drive in the Scion tC

Decided to try something with the Scion tC that I would never try with my Celica - installing my daughter's carseat in the back seat.  The back seat of the Scion tC is actually fairly roomy for a two-door coupe and the standard childseat anchors are provided, so the process was pretty straightforward.  Getting her into, and out of the seat wasn't too terrible.  I actually had enough room, with the front seat slid forward, to climb into the back seat area and squat so that I could tighten her belts.  I think I proved that it is possible to use the tC as a family car, although not the most convenient.

The trunk certainly had more than enough room for the usual baby-related stuff - stroller, diaper bag, etc.  This is one of my favourite features of cars like this - the two-door coupes with the liftbacks.  The liftback allows for a large opening into the trunk, and with the rear seats folded down quite a bit of trunk space.

Anyway, we headed out for our Sunday drive.  Up Highway 27 and then west along the 8th Line into Beeton, Ontario.  It occurred to me that this may be the very first time Beeton has been visited by the Scion!  Who really knows?  Had a bit of a swing at the park and headed out for our next stop.

The Scion tC in Beeton, Ontario.

Next up was the bustling town of Tottenham, Ontario.  I hadn't realized it before but Tottenham actually has their own community centre, and it was very busy on Sunday morning.  This compliments their conservation area and steam train.

It was this bit of driving that really highlighted the tC's touring capabilities.  The car was very comfortable for the three of us.  The available power was quite adequate for the cruising we were doing, and the fuel economy gauge kept reporting better numbers as the drive went along.  

I have found the suspension to be a little choppy at slower speeds - say 50km/h or less - but once travelling along at the speed limit of 80km/h on the back roads the suspension is a delight. Very smooth and stable.  I believe it is a car I could drive all day long.  All in all, the tC proved to be an excellent Sunday drive car, and showed that it would be suitable for longer trips with the family.

Picked up a Scion tC today.

Picked up a Scion tC today from Scion Canada's headquarters - again thanks to their grassroots marketing campaign.  My initial impressions are very good.


The car feels a little choppy at slower speeds (~40km/h), but once on the highway it just eats up the road.  Really a wonderful highway car - plenty of torque to execute a pass, stable at speed and comfortable.


The interior is nicely laid out with a typical dash - large tach and speedo.  The steering wheel is a treat - it is thick and meaty, with a sporty flat bottom - pics will follow.  The driver's seat is comfortable with plenty of adjustments, which along with the tilt n' telescoping steering column, means it was easy to quickly get comfortable.  The stereo is also very good, with a decent low end.

Only problem is, it's price is making me a little upset.  When I bought my Celica GT-S in 2004, they were listing at over $30,000 - if I recall correctly it was closer to $33,000.  A little pricey at the time. Now, here's a car that at first drive seems to be nearly as exciting and enjoyable as the Celica, but you can get into it starting around $21,000!  Astounding!  This car seems to be an incredible value.

I look forward to the next couple of days with the tC.  As in the past, I'll post an update or two, and then a final driving impression.

Scion Canada to have a motorsports contingency program?

First heard this rumor that Scion Canada might be supporting Canadian motorsports with a contingency program on the CASC-OR message board.  It might even involve cash!  So I tweeted Scion Canada:

And this is the response I got back:

If this comes to fruition I think it will be a very good marketing tool for Scion.  Building some awareness in the motorsports community will only help in the long run.  Potentially it leads teams to run a Scion over another brand, which leads to more exposure, which builds credibility among the fans.


It used to be "race on Sunday, sell on Monday", but it takes a lot more than that now.  Scion is already involved in some racing, but a more grassroots-based program is a great approach.  I'm involved in autoslalom, and probably the most popular car is the Mazda MX-5 (Miata).  You watch one of those cars rip around a course, faster than higher horsepower and more expensive cars and you'll want one too - trust me.  If I could fit into one better I might have one in my driveway right now.  


Having said that, I'd still love to pick up an xB, throw some TRD suspension parts on it, a set of R-compounds and surprise a few people at the first autoslalom of the year.  Sadly, when I'm out at the events I am typically one of only a couple of Toyotas there, sometimes the only one.  


If the contingency program falls into place I hope it will really support the grassroots racers in this country.  It would certainly build Scion's name in the racing community.


NOTE: If you are looking to get into some grassroots, low cost racing of your own, I strongly recommend checking out the SoloOntario website.  There you can find out about Solo 1 Time Trials and Solo 2 Autoslalom.  These events are tons of fun in a safe and friendly environment.

Scion Tuner Challenge

"What would you do with $10,000, access to the Toyota Racing Development and Scion Authorized accessory catalogues, and a Scion xB, xD or tC? That’s the question posed by the first Canadian Scion Tuner Challenge." (Full details here)


Scion has challenged tuners across Canada to produce concepts of tuned Scions as part of the Scion Tuner Challenge.  This is not a contest for the average Scion fan, but rather for actual car tuners.  The Grand Prize, for each region, is $5,000, an iPad (doesn't specify if it's an iPad 2) and a trip for 2 to SEMA.  Each regional winner (There are 3 regions across Canada - Western, Central and Eastern) gets:

• $10,000 budget to build their concept
• a Scion vehicle to modify (model depends on the region)
• trip for 2 to Importfest in Montreal, including a bit of spending money

Each "Team" must consist of 1 to 8 people.  A team leader needs to be appointed, as well.  A rendering of the concept must be provided as part of the entry, so break out your Photoshop skills. Deadline for entries is MARCH 31st, 2011, so don't delay.

This sounds like an incredible opportunity for the small tuner shops around the country.  I'm sure this contest will produce some unique and exciting entries.  I, for one, look forward to seeing the entries.

Wanna win a Scion xB and support a great cause?

This year's Princess Margaret Home Lottery, in addition to the homes you can win, you can also win a variety of vehicles.  This isn't really new for the the lottery, but a new addition this year is the chance to win a "2011 Toyota Scion xB". That's right a Toyota Scion!  Someone should let them know about that little goof.


Anyway, the car is courtesy of Oakville Scion, so good on them for donating the car.  The fun twist is, should you actually win you get to choose between two vehicles.  In this case, you are choosing between the Scion xB and a Smart car.  No brainer for me, I'll the the xB in Sizzling Crimson Mica, thank you very much.

So check out the lottery, and if you are feeling lucky, or just want to support a worthwhile cause, order a ticket or two (actually a three-pack is the bargain).  Good luck!  And if you win the the SLS AMG would you take me for a ride, please???