Yesterday I discussed the rather unpleasant hard armrests found in the 2011 Scion tC (Inside Line first drive). Today, I'm in a happier mood and will thus heap praise upon the tC's standard stereo. It's a sophisticated device that easily be an upgrade on other cars in the 20K price range, or not offered at all. Though a tad more complicated than the typical head unit, it has been optimize for the standard iPod interface (another rarity in its class).
Like the ring wheel on your iPod, that big silver knob controls the volume, as well as operating the menu items displayed on the screen by rotating and clicking up/down, left/right. The processing speed is a bit slower than some of the best systems (the screen blacks out if you rotate the knob too quickly), but it's easy to operate and limits your inattention from the road. And yes, you should be paying attention all the time and never do anything at all while driving and hug your mother, but let's be honest here rather than puritanical and admit that people are going to control their iPods while driving so manufacturers might as well make it as safe and efficient as possible.
Sound quality is hampered by the car's ample road noise, and its three sound pre-settings (Hear, Natural and Feel) usually have to be changed depending on the digital music file. In other words, the system could be better, but given this car's low price, I still say it's impressive. Its three-speaker snowman stack on the doors certainly looks impressive.
Stay tuned for additional driving impressions about the 2011 Scion tC, but given the importance of sound systems to Scion's young demographic, perhaps this is the review that shall matter most.
James Riswick, Automotive Editor
By blueguydotcom
on August 19, 2010
06:48 AM
Given that secretaries all over the world care so much about music, I'm sure this will help sell more TCs to its key demographic: people who don't care about driving, or style, or space or efficiency.
By tonupboi
on August 19, 2010
07:39 AM
That's pretty disgusting. We're dealing with a generation to which the sound system is more important than how the car drives? Obviously, they need bicycles rather than cars.