Even though it hails from Japan, the 2014 Scion tC feels very much at home rolling along the Mother Road. This highway has always been a melting pot of cultures, and this drive captures the essence of that.
I’ve been captivated by Route 66 since I was a teenager, reading every book I could find about it. The lore of recent Americana, the Old West, and its tie-in with cars has always given it a magic.
The Mother Road was born of a time when we were headed out West to escape depression, and the towns that grew up on this vine were flourishes of excitement and hope for a new adventure. The colorful architecture, neon and look at me signage captures the time well.
Today as much of the remaining road and its towns are relics of a day past, their ruins speak of souls that rubbed elbows with a life much slower and simpler.
Kingman, AZ found its place along Route 66 as a stage coach and railroad stop in the late 1800’s. As Route 66 came along, Kingman became and remains the largest town you will find until Needles, CA.
Today Kingman celebrates it’s Route 66 heritage with a well kept historical district, a large museum and plenty of signage to direct you along the path.
Our 2014 Scion tC rolled smooth and solid on the scenic road west out of Kingman. One of Scion’s best selling models, the tC got a fresh design for this year, powertrain and interior updates, as well as suspension tuning revisions.
My first impression along the highway is how tight and vault-like the tC feels, a notion that comes from heavily weighted steering, firm seats, and a well isolated suspension.
Once out of Kingman, Route 66 becomes the Oatman Road, a long stretch of isolated and less maintained highway that has no services or rest stops. As you head toward the Black Mountains, you feel well out in the middle of nowhere,….because you are.
The Scion tC is getting excellent fuel economy so far. It’s EPA rated at 23 mpg city, 31 mpg highway, and 26 mpg combined. I’ve been seeing a consistent 28 to 29 mpg combined on this trip.
The further you get from Kingman the road gets rougher. Cracks filled with tar become the norm, but the Scion tC is doing a good job of keeping them to a mild message rather than a wicked rock concert.
My first stop headed into the Black Mountains is Cool Springs Cabins, a restored gas station which is now a gift shop and museum of sorts. A decade ago this place was in ruins, having been closed since the 1960’s.
Today it’s been restored to period correct condition, giving this route new life and an appreciation for what once was. It’s a place you just must stop and check out.
Stopped here, we took a look at the 2014 Scion tC’s styling. The front gets a new fascia with much more aggressive lines, LED accent lights and sharp angular headlamps. New 18” wheels are standard with nicely sized 225/45 tires. Clear lens LED tail lamps and an FR-S like center reflector in the rear fascia round it out.
Back on the road to Oatman, this section of Route 66 has lots of sights along the way. This road and its ruins have as many stories and ghosts as cracks in its pavement. The scenery lights up with colorful jagged rocks, desert vistas you don’t get from the interstate.
And it gets windy and steep quickly with jagged cliffs just inches from your tires. You need to be on your wits here as a minor lapse of attention could mean a trip over the cliff. It’s fun however, with lots of curves to push the tC into.
For 2014, the Scion tC gets revised suspension and steering that is noticeable over the 2013 model. The electronic power steering is heavier, requiring more effort up here. Shock valving and the sway bar have been revised for better feedback, and the body structure got beefed up with additional spot welds.
The changes make for a car that is more sporting in feel as well as more solid in ride, especially on this less than smooth road. I did find the steering to be almost a little to stiff at times however. A driver selectable mode might be a welcome touch in future models.
I finally approached Sitegreaves Pass at the top of the mountains, which offers sweeping vistas of the West. It must have been a popular stop for travelers back in the day, offering the first glimpse of California. For the weary at the wheel it was also a happy time knowing that hard climb was finally over.
One must remember back in the 1920’s and 1930’s many cars and trucks could not make a climb like this as easy we we take for granted today. It was often a trek that took days not hours, with breakdowns and overheating along the way.
Taking a break, the interior of the Scion tC has proven a welcome place thus far. The cabin is simple and down to business with firm seats that fit will in a sport coupe. The standard panoramic sunroof makes for an airy feel given its low roof line.
For 2014 is remains largely similar to the previous year but a new 6.1” display audio deck is now standard. The sound quality is excellent, and you can upgrade it at your dealer to include Satellite Radio, Nav and Scion’s Bespoke applications.
Back on the road down the western slope, this side of the pass is littered with gold mines both active and defunct. While its tempting to stop and take photos, there are few pull off spots on this road. You also have to watch close as the shoulder remains non existent.
The 2014 Scion’s 2.5 liter engine carries over with 179 horsepower. It’s a large torque motor, doing well at grunting up hills, but not as excited to rev out. It has a distant sound, but an ever present exhaust note as you power through the canyons.
The six-speed automatic transmission for 2014 gets retuned to offer a well done sport shifting behavior. What Scion calls Dynamic Shift Management, means when shifting manually you get rev matched down shifts with the computer blipping the throttle for you. Upshifts are more immediate than before and more crisp as well.
That aside, the Scion tC makes for a good all around road trip car, offering a good balance of handling, ride, comfort and mpg. It’s not an all-out performance car but offers up a good balance of style and sport to go along with excellent fuel economy that makes living with it easy for the younger buyers Scion seeks out.
At the end of a long drive, it feels like and old friend that has gone the extra mile with you and hasn’t, made you want to get separate hotel rooms at the end of the trip. And at its price of $20,965 including destination, you can afford a nice room.
Coming into Oatman, AZ is like going back in time. It’s a true American ghost town that hasn’t evolved much since the early 1900’s when it was a gold mining center. It has the aura of a Mexican village in a Quentin Tarantino film, only charming instead of violent.
Wild burros own the streets, milling about and watching the flocks of tourists go by. They don’t seem to mind our trespass in their domain. Not much mining goes on here anymore, except for the gold in tourist’s wallets. The majority of businesses here are saloons, restaurants and shops just for them.
The town has a rich history however, a place where Clark Gable and Carole Lombard spend their honeymoon. He often came up here to play cards with the miners to get away from bustling Hollywood.
Oatman was a busy and congested hub through until 1950’s when the new Interstate 40 bypassed this section of the Mother Road, closing off the stream of traveling millions forever. Today it’s only frequented by those who choose to come and see.
For a more in depth review of the Scion tC log onto Sciclonic.com
