The Toyota Scion tC is a vehicle built from 2005 to 2016. Most were assembled in Japan — 100% of those on record. Worth buying? It holds up well, with the usual caveat about model years at 4.0/5 — and the year you pick matters far more than the badge (best and worst years →).
What the Scion tC is
The Toyota Scion tC is a vehicle that Toyota built from 2005 to 2016 — 12 model years. Its closest siblings in the Toyota range: Camry, RAV4, Corolla.
Where the Scion 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 16 Scion tCs on record.
| Assembled in | Share | VIN starts with | Years seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japan | JTK | 2007-2008 |
Check your own: the first three characters of a Toyota VIN decide which of these lines your Scion tC belongs to. What every character in a Scion tC VIN means →
Got the full 17 characters? A free VIN check on a Toyota Scion tC adds what the decoder can't see: open recalls, theft and total-loss records, and the safety ratings for that exact build.
Toyota Scion tC tire size, oil type & owner specs
The fitment Scion 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 Toyota Scion tC have? Power & range
Powertrain data warming… reload in a moment.
The Scion tC by the numbers
What the federal and market records say about the Toyota Scion tC. Each line opens the full breakdown by year.
| Topic | Scion tC | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Recalls | 8 campaigns | NHTSA, all years |
| Owner complaints | 211 filed | What breaks and when |
| Reliability | 4.0 / 5 | Best and worst years |
| Crash safety | ★★★★★ NHTSA | Frontal, side, rollover |
| Used value | 247 listings | What it sells for now |
Frequently asked questions
What kind of car is the Toyota Scion tC?
The Scion tC is a vehicle, built from 2005 to 2016.
Where is the Toyota Scion tC made?
Across 16 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 Toyota 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 Scion tC reliable?
It scores 4.0/5 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 Scion 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.
More in Toyota
| Model | Years | Recalls | Best MPG | ForCar score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Toyota Camry | 1983–2026 | 162 | 52 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Toyota RAV4 | 1996–2026 | 168 | 78 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Toyota Corolla | 1981–2026 | 222 | 52 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Toyota Tacoma | 1995–2026 | 197 | 24 mpg | 3.5/5 |
| Toyota Highlander | 2001–2026 | 110 | 36 mpg | 4.0/5 |
| Toyota 4-Runner | 1984–2026 | 172 | 23 mpg | 4.0/5 |