The Scion tC is a compact car built from 2005 to 2016. Most were assembled in Japan — 100% of those on record. Engines offered: 4-cyl. Worth buying? It depends heavily on which year you buy at 3.5/5 — and the year you pick matters far more than the badge (best and worst years →).
What the tC is
The Scion tC is a compact car that Scion built from 2005 to 2016 — 12 model years. It has been offered with 4-cyl power. Its closest siblings in the Scion range: FR-S, iA, iM.
Where the tC is built
A badge says where the company is registered; the VIN says where the car was bolted together. We counted the first three characters — the manufacturer identifier — across 540 tCs on record.
| Assembled in | Share | VIN starts with | Years seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | JTK | 2005-2016 |
Check your own: the first three characters of a Scion VIN decide which of these lines your tC belongs to. What every character in a tC VIN means →
Got the full 17 characters? A free VIN check on a Scion tC adds what the decoder can't see: open recalls, theft and total-loss records, and the safety ratings for that exact build.
Scion tC tire size, oil type & owner specs
The fitment tC owners look up most — tires, wheels, oil and batteries. Exact wheel and tire sizes decode from your VIN or the driver's door-jamb placard; the universal items are listed below.
Exact tire, wheel, oil grade, capacity and battery group are added per trim and model year — decode your VIN above for the factory fitment. Universal items shown as-is.
What engines does the Scion tC have? Power & range
The Scion tC is offered with 1 powertrain — 2.5L 4-cyl. Here's the lineup by engine, transmission and drivetrain — 1 for the Scion tC, against one or two on most rivals.
| Engine | Displacement | Transmission | Drive | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4-cyl | 2.5L · 4-cyl | Automatic (S6) | FWD | Regular |
Horsepower, torque and fuel-tank size decode from your VIN — exact figures vary by engine and trim.
Source: EPA fueleconomy.gov (engines, drivetrain, range, charge time). Horsepower & torque from NHTSA vPIC on VIN decode.
The tC by the numbers
What the federal and market records say about the Scion tC. Each line opens the full breakdown by year.
| Topic | tC | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Recalls | 30 campaigns | NHTSA, all years |
| Owner complaints | 512 filed | What breaks and when |
| Reliability | 3.5 / 5 | Best and worst years |
| Insurance | $1,984/yr | Estimated full coverage |
| Used value | 187 listings | What it sells for now |
Frequently asked questions
What kind of car is the Scion tC?
The tC is a compact car, built from 2005 to 2016. Engines offered: 4-cyl.
Where is the Scion tC made?
Across 540 cars in our records the split is: Japan (100%). The first three characters of a VIN identify the plant's manufacturer and country — that is where these shares come from, not from a press release.
What is the Scion tC warranty?
New models carry 3 years / 36,000 miles basic cover and 5 years / 60,000 miles on the powertrain. Worth knowing: across our complaint records the typical car reaches the halfway point of its faults at five years, so most repairs land after the basic warranty ends.
Is the tC reliable?
It scores 3.5/5 in our data. The honest answer depends on the year far more than the model — see the best and worst years, and when this car starts to break.
How do I check a specific tC?
This page describes the model; it cannot tell you whether that car has an open recall or a branded title. Run its VIN against the records — free, and matched to the exact production run.
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