So i finally test drove a Scion tC this afternoon....

[aphex]

My initial impressions of the car? Fairly Impressed.

Scion tC 5-speed manual, 160hp

The engine felt very peppy and definately had some punch. Managed to get her up to around 70 on the main street down here in Sarasota (41), but couldn't go for very long because of the traffic. Simular to the other Scions though, it had the same rather loud engine. Not that i minded, the idle was quiet, but acceleration was kinda louder than i'm accustomed to. Clutch was very light and shifting couldnt have been easier, very nice to drive.

Unfortunately i have yet to drive a manual Mazda 3 (only drove an auto) so i can't do a direct comparison. The Scion felt lighter and more powerful, but that was likely due to the added weight and design of the auto. I hope to drive one this weekend.

Fit and finish of the Scion was nice. Overall though, im a fan of the Mazda 3 interior over the Scion. Something about the Scion interior just seemed overly cheap. Especially the cover over the cd player, which took some prodding to open, the stubborn bastard. When you press on the cover to open up, it didnt'. All it did was bend inwards, and well, look stupid If they made that out of real aluminum or some form of metal, i would be happier, but it just seemed a little cheap.

Also, the backseat in the Scion felt cramped compared to the Mazda 3 hatch.

I dunno, i really like the drive in the Scion, and i still have to drive a Mazda 3 manual. But right now im leaning slightly toward a Mazda 3 (65%)

EDIT: oh yea, one other complaint about the Scion. They placed the tach off to the right and it's kinda small, so it was hard to see at times. Especially driving a stick, this was kinda annoying.

 

[imported_DocHolliday]

*points* you said peppy

 

[aphex]

Fergot to mention; the prices of the two cars im considering (and the options)

Scion tC (most everything i want comes standard): ~17k
Mazda 3s Hatch (w/ Nav, Hid's, Side Curtain A/B): ~20k

 

[Savarak]

I drove a friend's Scion TC once too... I also thinks it feels peppy, but it seems my Celica GT would be faster overall

 

[Ketteringo]

MZ3

 

[Apex]

Seems like a lot of car for the money.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: Apex
Seems like a lot of car for the money.

That's the point. The car itself isn't all that impressive until you consider the cost. Then it is VERY impressive.

 

[aphex]

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: Apex
Seems like a lot of car for the money.

That's the point. The car itself isn't all that impressive until you consider the cost. Then it is VERY impressive.

Exactally. And i really do like the whole 'one price' concept. Takes some of the hassle out of buying a car.... The mazda seems like a good deal as well, just not as good as the Scion.... Hmmmmm

 

[aphex]

^

 

[randomlinh]

the only thing.. and a big thing for me.. against the scion is 2 doors. I really could use the 4 doors. But I think i'm probably in the minority on that one. Which is why I'm really trying to save up for a 3 w/in the next 2-3yrs (and gives me time to see how reliability pans out.. at least for that long). If the 4 doors isn't important, the tC seems to be a more logical choice. But the 3 design just appeals more to me

 

[Demo24]

I just drove one this afternoon and I am also impressed Maybe I can grab one sometime

 

[digitalchris]

i bought my 05 Altima 3.5se for only $1500 more than the Mazda 3 you quoted, you should look into it, real fast (~250hp) and the drive is great.

 

[freebee]

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: Apex
Seems like a lot of car for the money.

That's the point. The car itself isn't all that impressive until you consider the cost. Then it is VERY impressive.

Isn't this what Hyundai and Kia have been saying for years?

 

[b0mbrman]

Originally posted by: digitalchris
i bought my 05 Altima 3.5se for only $1500 more than the Mazda 3 you quoted, you should look into it, real fast (~250hp) and the drive is great.

I was wondering when someone was gonna suggest a Nissan .

Also, the Sentra SE-R V Spec can be had for under $15k these days...but neither of these have the cool factor of the 3 or the tC

 

[Demo24]

Originally posted by: freebee

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: Apex
Seems like a lot of car for the money.

That's the point. The car itself isn't all that impressive until you consider the cost. Then it is VERY impressive.

Isn't this what Hyundai and Kia have been saying for years?

u you drive one?

 

[aphex]

Originally posted by: digitalchris
i bought my 05 Altima 3.5se for only $1500 more than the Mazda 3 you quoted, you should look into it, real fast (~250hp) and the drive is great.

Not bad, but why in ever loving hell is the navigaton $6000?

 

[OS]

Originally posted by: freebee

Originally posted by: Amused

Originally posted by: Apex
Seems like a lot of car for the money.

That's the point. The car itself isn't all that impressive until you consider the cost. Then it is VERY impressive.

Isn't this what Hyundai and Kia have been saying for years?

Those aren't built in toyota factories.

 

[Farbio]

i love my MZ3 5 door. the scion wouldn't hold enough stuff for me, so it wasn't an option, but the mazda was and is the best deal out there if you need to take a few people and a bit of stuff from time to time. i got mine w/ no extra packages (didn't need the nav - not worth 2k in my book, and none of the others made enough of a difference on my insurance rates to justify price) for 14.9k including tax and tag. financed 15.7k i think, can't complain at that at all!

 

[digitalchris]

Originally posted by: aphex

Originally posted by: digitalchris
i bought my 05 Altima 3.5se for only $1500 more than the Mazda 3 you quoted, you should look into it, real fast (~250hp) and the drive is great.

Not bad, but why in ever loving hell is the navigaton $6000?

I have no clue man, you can go aftermarket for less than 1.

 

[jlee]

Originally posted by: Savarak
I drove a friend's Scion TC once too... I also thinks it feels peppy, but it seems my Celica GT would be faster overall

The butt dyno lies..

 

[hans007]

Originally posted by: b0mbrman

Originally posted by: digitalchris
i bought my 05 Altima 3.5se for only $1500 more than the Mazda 3 you quoted, you should look into it, real fast (~250hp) and the drive is great.

I was wondering when someone was gonna suggest a Nissan .

Also, the Sentra SE-R V Spec can be had for under $15k these days...but neither of these have the cool factor of the 3 or the tC

yeah but i doubt you are getting NAV on the altima for that, he could probably get a 2.5 SL or something with nav maybe. he's gettting nav on the mazda 3.

mazda 3 is supposed to be a great car. hell i've owned a nissan and now an infiniti, but well... in that price range you have 2.5S sentras loaded up like that 3 and well the sentra is not cool or remotely new looking. altima 2.5 S is a much bigger less sporty car than mazda 3 too.


anyhow, i'd get the 3 over the scion. the scion looks ok from the outside, but the wierd looking interior dash thing for the center console just kills it for me. that and the front. the side profile looks fine though (mostly because they stole it from another car)

 

[hans007]

Originally posted by: digitalchris

Originally posted by: aphex

Originally posted by: digitalchris
i bought my 05 Altima 3.5se for only $1500 more than the Mazda 3 you quoted, you should look into it, real fast (~250hp) and the drive is great.

Not bad, but why in ever loving hell is the navigaton $6000?

I have no clue man, you can go aftermarket for less than 1.

well it totally depends.


there is a mazda 3i and s, the s has more hp. he might got a bunch of other options too price out for 20k with nav. like more power stuff, sunroof etc

 

[NutBucket]

Originally posted by: CadetLee

Originally posted by: Savarak
I drove a friend's Scion TC once too... I also thinks it feels peppy, but it seems my Celica GT would be faster overall

The butt dyno lies..

Agreed

 

[jlee]

A girl at work has a Mazda3..I haven't heard her complain about it, and it doesn't look too bad either.

 

[Rallispec]

We were looking at the Scion TC a while ago until we test drove the Mazda6 and realized how many features it came with standard and could be had for not that much more than the TC.