When we tested the Scion tC for Consumer Reports magazine (December 2005), it lacked sporty flair, although its track performance wasn’t particularly slow. It ran from 0 to 30 mph in 3.3 seconds and from 0 to 60 mph in 8.8 seconds. These times were quicker than the Mitsubishi Eclipse and Acura RSX, but significantly slower than the supercharged Chevrolet Cobalt SS (7.3 seconds), all of which were tested alongside the tC.
Nevertheless, owners who want more power and excitement can find Scion-specific go-fast parts from Toyota Racing Development (TRD) at dealerships, including a $3,200 bolt-in supercharger that Toyota claims boosts horsepower from 160 to 200.
Consumers can have the dealer install the supercharger for about $800, protecting the parts under the full three-year/36,000-mile warranty. If the owner decides to do the work or uses an independent garage, the warranty on the parts (everything that comes with the supercharger kit) is one year/12,000 miles. Typically, such modifications void the manufacturer warranty for related parts, but because this kit is Toyota-designed and features approved parts, a limited warranty is provided. The vehicle still retains its full powertrain warranty.
Mechanically inclined owners with the proper tools and access to a vehicle lift will need about 8 to 10 hours to install the parts. (For most owners, it’s best to have your dealer handle the installation.)
During the installation, our experienced mechanics ran into a problem with a missing part. Because of supplier issues, TRD had no way of sending just the missing piece; the only solution was to return the entire kit and reorder it. This inconvenience would have taken an additional two weeks, so we chose to look for aftermarket parts to save time. Because of this, consumers should make sure their kits include all necessary parts before starting the work. In addition, we needed to have the engine control module (ECU) reset by the dealer, for about $120. Not all dealers can do this, so call TRD in advance to find a dealer in your area who can.
When installation was complete, the tC started right up and has continued to run smoothly. Zero-to-30-mph times dropped to 2.9 seconds and 0-to-60-mph now clocks at 7.2 seconds. Performance in the quarter-mile run is 15.6 seconds at 93 mph, an improvement over the nonsupercharged tC’s 16.7 seconds at 85 mph. In addition, these times beat those of the supercharged 205-hp Cobalt SS. Under hard acceleration, we found it was quite easy to spin the wheels on the front-wheel-drive tC.
The supercharger had a noticeable whine at low speeds, common with forced induction systems. Overall fuel economy remained unchanged at 26 mpg, compared with 23 for the Cobalt SS. But installing the supercharger requires a switch to premium fuel; the nonsupercharged tC uses regular fuel.
TRD offers suspension components to improve handling to match the quick acceleration. Scion also has a full catalog of products to further personalize a tC.
Read our complete report and related information on sporty cars (available to subscribers).
