Yeah I did the options yesterday and a loaded one is about $26,000. I know the 4 is under rated, but obviously the tC is also (which isn't uncommon of Toyota to do), how is a 3,000 lbs. car with 160 hp actually running near an IS300, torque will make the difference here, it's why the tC is much heavier yet still outruns the Si.

This post has been edited by darksecret: Jun 24, 2005 - 1:06 PM

-darksecret+Jun 24, 2005 - 6:05 PM

Toyota doesn't under rate their hp number usually, they typically over rate them.

On what, the Supra Turbo is underrated due to the horsepower cap in Japan just like the Skyline, you can't say the US Celica is overrated because it's crappy transmission waste more power than it's worth. Before I put my foot in my mouth i'll wait until the results come up and judge then, I could be wrong, i'm excellent at comparing power numbers to see who might win, but it's to early to tell.

-darksecret+Jun 24, 2005 - 9:15 PM
Supra turbo in Japan and Supra turbo in the US are two different beasts. They use different turbos as a starter...

BTW... the Civic SI has an econo motor also. Lower compression, VTEC-E... but that motor can be opened up with little bolt-ons and an ECU flash. Typically speaking, Toyota engines gain very little from bolt-on modifications. If you're comparing ONLY stock numbers... well, if you like low-end torque... buy the Scion tC. Some people want a sports car to feel sporty... instead of feeling like mom's camry ya know... The fact is... Toyota has NOT made a true enthusiats car in quite a while. The 7th gen GTS was a relative stab at the sports enthusiast market... but still behind the competition and basically recieved zero support from toyota. It is more popular in Japan though, with a lot of engine parts available. Some may argue the Supra was an enthusiast car... but with a 40-50K pricetag... I'd say no. It was a sports car...

I'll give this to the tC... it looks very good, and it's cheap. It has good power and most drivers will be satisfied with that sort of "feel"... it has great forced induction potential... only thing it doesn't have... a sporty feel. When I drove it... felt just like a typical Toyota sedan. Not really an exciting drive.

I can agree with you there Kwanza IMO the tC is bland (looks good when modded), it's a nice pocket rocket but to me it felt like I was in an Eclipse which also suffers from being heavy (albeit not as spacious as the tC either). I feel that if Toyota could shave the weight it could have a serious contender against cars like the SRT-4 and RSX-S, but my personnal flaw is looking at the underdog and seeing it's capability which the tC is full of, instead of comparing to it's own class (Si, SVT Focus, Mazda 3S, and Cooper) which it seems to be dominating so far.

-darksecret+Jun 24, 2005 - 10:05 PM
The weight problem is that damn glass roof... abeit it's pretty damn cool... but it adds at least 400-500 pounds or extra glass, reinforcment... etc. I'm still considering one. I could sell my AE86 for 5-6K... put 3K down on a new tC... then buy a new project car (1st gen Miata) with the other 3K... ooo...

Exactly what I was thinking, I would have much rather seen the roof as an option, Toyota should realize this isn't an SUV.

-darksecret+Jun 24, 2005 - 9:15 PM

Most of the 4a engines are said to be over rated.

Toyota is just not a "enthusiast" car manufacturere as kwanza put it, they are more of a sedan type of car manufacturer, if that makes since. Older demographic I guess is what I am trying to say, with the scion line they are obviously trying to appeal to a younger demographic, look at their commercials.