So who is the target buyer for a car that looks fast and furious, but drives like a grumpy Corolla? Overall, I like the way this car looks, particularly in the stealthy midnight blue of my press car. Finishing it off nicely are the jutting chin spoiler, split-spoke alloys and air duct strakes swiped from the Audi R8 supercar.
The cockpit-like interior is finished in rather dour materials — plenty of hard, dark plastics and cloth upholstery — but I like the driver-centric position, with the angled console placing everything within reach.
Seating position is sports-car low, in highly bolstered buckets. But the upside is that the rear seats recline 45 degrees. Standard is a seven-inch colour touchscreen, but without piling on the options, it serves merely to display audio and phone connection.
For that you get a sunroof, six-speed manual transmission, Bluetooth and a gorgeous flat-bottomed steering wheel with controls — but no seat heaters, no navigation and no backup camera. Want heated seats in your tC?
The tC handles quite nicely, thanks to its retuned suspension and stiffened chassis. The iM drives just like other Toyotas, which means there's an inherent sloppiness in the way that it drives. The steering is pointlessly vague, changing gears feels like mashing potatoes, and there's an overall lack of fun behind the wheel.
There are far too many turns lock-to-lock as well, making three-point turns akin to steering a boat. Though the iM is more powerful than the iA, it's also considerably heavier, which is definitely noticeable with the manual transmission. The iM upshifts slightly too early while climbing hills and the engine fails to provide the necessary torque.
The shifter position isn't ideal either as it's a few inches forward from where one would expect. However, with the CVT, the torque problem is largely masked.
In fact, it's one of the best CVTs I've ever used and it is well worth the price premium over the manual. There are lots of things you should avoid doing in life. Opting for the iM's manual transmission is one of them There are lots of things you should avoid doing in life.
Scion has beefed up the suspension and replaced the Corolla's rear torsion beam with double wishbones in the hope that it will improve handling.
It didn't work, and the amount of understeer leaves much to be desired. Much like the Corolla S, the car's grip threshold is very low, and as a result spirited driving just leads to screeching tire noises.
The main difference between the two is that the Corolla S has terrible handling but is still comfortable, while the iM handles terribly with a relatively uncomfortable ride.
In many ways this car is similar to the Corolla S, but at the same time the two bear almost no resemblance. As a late addition to the compact hatchback party, the iM should have blown the competition away. The iM has a lot of nice features but isn't a very nice car in general. Toyota and Scion can do much better, but it seems to me that they hardly tried. Since its release in , the Scion FR-S has stood out against the crop of rear-wheel drive coupes.
It's in a completely different weight and power class compared to similarly-priced V6 and V8-engined coupes, utilizing its low weight and handling capabilities to make a car focused on fun. As a result, its closest rival is the ultra-lightweight Mazda Miata, which was designed for the same purpose.
For , the Scion FR-S has been slightly updated with a standard backup camera, new paint colors, a new BeSpoke audio system and new trim pieces. Powered by a 2. Two transmissions — a 6-speed manual or automatic — are available. The torque is all top-shelf so the engine must be revved out, something the car encourages you to do.
Both cars are a great deal of fun to drive, but the tC — with its horsepower disadvantage, torque advantage and the front wheel drive design feels a touch quicker from a stop. When you drop the clutch for a hard, sporty launch in the tC, the tires spin a bit and the engine revs quickly, creating a very engaging driving experience. In short, the tC feels a little quicker when accelerating from a stop, as the 2.
The FRS is the quicker car overall, but the tC definitely offers more pop when leaving the starting line. It really is a blast to drive on a curvy road so what it lacks in low end acceleration, it more than compensates for those shortcomings in the turns. The compromise to that awesome handling is ride quality and while I love how the FRS feels on the road, it is surely too stiff and too rough for some drivers.
That is where the Scion tC comes into play. The tC is a good handling car and it will gladly dive into sharp, low speed turns and wide, high speed turns with confidence. The tC sits a little higher and as virtue of such, it has more roll and less grip in the turns. The tC is no slouch when it comes to spirited driving, but it puts more emphasis on ride quality than does the FRS so for someone who wants a smoother ride — the tC is the winner.
The tC rear seat has a touch more leg room with the front seats adjusted to accommodate two adults, but putting adults in the back seat of either car will be a challenge. The FRS is situated so low to the ground and the door opening relative to the seats is situated in a way that makes climbing in and out of the back seat a bit of a wrestling match. Really, it is hard to call the FRS a 4-passenger vehicle, while the tC is obviously better-geared towards using all four seating positions — even if the rear seats are only used for small kids.
Maintenance costs are extremely low. Parts, like brake pads and air filters, are also inexpensive to replace. Even adults can comfortably fit without feeling claustrophobic. This is a huge advantage for teens who plan to do a lot of traveling with their high school and college buddies.
A hatchback design also enables the tC to provide plenty of cargo space. From dorm supplies to soccer equipment, your teen will be able to haul a lot of extra stuff. If they need more storage space, the rear seats easily fold down.
Research shows that inexperienced drivers are more likely to be involved in a collision. Although you may have trained your teenager well, the best approach is to not take any chances.
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