2014 Scion TC hatchback review

At first glance, the Scion tC comes off as an inviting, relatively inexpensive package for young buyers. It looks sleek and sporty, provides the handy versatility of a hatchback, and comes with a generous list of standard features, including a touch- screen audio system and dual-pane sunroof.

But the appeal goes only skin deep. After spending weeks driving it, we found the tC to be a loud, cheap-feeling, uncomfortable car that doesn't really deliver anything notable for its class. In fact, its test score was only 54, too low for us to recommend it.

Scion updated the tC for 2014, with a new six-speed automatic transmission, revised suspension and steering calibrations, and some styling tweaks. You might be drawn to the tC's sporty looks, but we found that its image writes a check that its performance capabilities just can't cash.

The ride is stiff and jittery, but that doesn't translate into sports-car handling. When pushed to its handling limits at our track, the tC was easy enough to drive through our avoidance maneuver, but it was limited by so-so cornering grip and a lack of balance and finesse.

If you're looking for a Scion with more agile handling, the FR-S coupe would be your choice, but that's a hard-core sports car. Even the similarly priced Mazda3 and Subaru Impreza hatchbacks are more fun to drive—and they offer the added practicality of four doors. The Hyundai Veloster is a direct competitor that outscored the tC in our tests, but reliability has been worse than average.

With its 179-hp, 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, the tC is pretty quick for its class. Its fuel economy of 27 mpg overall isn't bad, but plenty of larger midsized sedans with four-cylinder engines are more efficient.

Be ready for a cacophony behind the wheel. The new transmission is poorly calibrated, sometimes holding the engine's revs high after you've accelerated, which causes the engine to scream a bit. It also has a rev-matching feature that makes the engine roar on downshifts. That might seem sporty at first, but it can get as tiresome as a kid endlessly shouting, "Vroom, vroom, VROOM!" The tC's loud exhaust boom also tries to imbue a sporty character, but it creates a constant drone that gets old quickly.

The tC's interior finish, with a sea of hard and drab plastics, looks low rent. And features such as a backup camera, voice controls for the audio system, seat heaters, and a sorely needed rear wiper are unavailable.

The front seats are firm and supportive, but there's no lumbar adjustment. Visibility is limited, and shorter drivers complained that they were sitting too low for a good view over the dash. People of average height or taller found the pedals too close and wished that the telescoping steering wheel pulled out farther.

The low-slung stance makes access awkward, especially in back. But rear-seat space is surprisingly generous, with room for two adults. Squeezing in a third, however, definitely makes a crowd.

The cargo area is also spacious, with room for a bike or other bulky items.

We lack reliability data on the tC.

Best version to buy. You get a reasonable number of features for our tC's $21,130 sticker price, and limited options leave little to choose beyond a manual or automatic transmission or adding navigation. But in the end, a better choice might be another car.