The sub-compact car bracket is the modern experiment; as manufacturers turn their collective attention to generation X and Y, searching for an edge over their market rivals. Two of the sportier sub-compact model varieties are found in the 2008 Scion TC and Mitsubishi Eclipse.
Scion is Toyota’s dysfunctional cousin -- you know, the one nobody claims until the blood-test results come back -- and prides itself on its well-advertised uniqueness. On the other hand, Mitsubishi has seen previous import tuner notoriety with the 3000 GT and Lancer Evolution, and only hopes to progress in this fashion with the Eclipse. Sifting through the pros and cons of these two coupes won’t be easy, but at the end of our six ideals, which one will emerge as the decisive victor?
Scion TC
MSRP (base): $17,620Engine: 2.4-liter, 16-valve DOHC, VVT-I, 4-cylinder
Horsepower: 161 horsepower @ 5,700 rpm
Torque: 162 lb-ft @ 4,000 rpm
MPG: City: 21; Highway: 29
Performance - 16/20
The Scion TC or Touring Coupe borrows its structural underpinning from the Avensis (offered by Toyota’s European division) and is available exclusively in front-wheel drive. The quad-wheel independent suspension is characterized by double wishbone in the rear, and supported by high-resistant MacPherson struts up front. This Scion two-door finds its muscle in the Camry’s 2AZ-FE, a 2.4-liter, 16-valve, DOHC with Intelligent Variable Valve Timing. The smaller powerplant produces 161 horsepower @ 5,700 rpm, with 163 lb-ft of torque @ 4,000 rpm, that's not so bad for its class. There is a forced-induction upgrade courtesy of a TRD supercharger that bumps the output to 200 ponies, should you want to upgrade and spend the extra dough. However, the base TC sees the brunt of its power in the low end revs and the car remains well controlled by the rack-and-pinion steering. Drag-strip test runs clock a stock TC’s 0-60 mph time at 7.8 seconds, and it runs the quarter mile in 15.7 seconds. These results were recorded with a five-speed manual transmission, but an optional four-speed automatic is also available.
Exterior design - 16/20The Scion brand gains much of its allure by promoting itself as a customization specialist, one of the few of its kind. The TC matches its punchy kinetics with a “blank canvas” aesthetic, designed to let the mind wander and provoke the imagination of vehicular modification. The accessories available can all be applied by the dealer upon ordering, and include the bumpers, side skirt and rear spoiler. Beyond all the paneling, the TC receives a fresh grille and taillights, along with an arched roof that stretches from the windshield to the bottom of the back glass. The 17-inch wheels have this coupe resting 55 inches off the ground. Returning from last year’s model is the tinted glass panoramic roof, which makes the TC's interior seem that much bigger.
Interior design - 6/10
As the TC is a coupe, rear-occupant room is limited, especially if the driver breaks the 6'0" mark. The pilot and front passenger’s bucket seats are bolstered and firm, and will keep you firmly planted through the chicanes. The grade of the fabric used is moderate on the whole, but is still impressive for the sticker price. Most will find the four map pockets and bag hooks useful, as opposed to frivolous. Amber backlighting presents a soft glow for the HUD, complete with a trip meter and cruise-control setting, along with 35.4 cubic feet of cargo space, which is made available once the rear hatch is popped.
Sound system/goodies - 6/10
The entertainment bundle in the 2008 Scion TC serves up plenty of sonorous fortitude -- enough, in fact, to appease even the most selective of listeners. Pioneer supplies the AM/FM unit with its single-disc CD player. To boot, there's a remote mini-jack MP3 port and available XM satellite radio capability. The system also boasts the ability to download and upload skins to the TC’s LCD faceplate, as well as images, four-second video clips, and eight-second movies ripped from the Pioneer website. The six factory speakers are as crisp as any in this price range, but can be ameliorated with an optional configuration featuring an amplifier. Beyond all this, there is currently no standard navigation system available for the Scion TC.
Bang for your buck - 17/20
The all new Scion TC injects originality in its styling cues with a two-door package that is sure to make Scion’s cash cow a hit amongst the generation-Y consumers. It exceeds in the sub-compact class and climbs a few more rungs with a sticker price of just over $17,000. Isn't that dysfunctional cousin always the most interesting family member once you work up the nerve to finally go and talk to them?
Driving experience - 16/20Although there really is no comparison between the Scion TC and the class-standard MINI Cooper, and the TC is cited as possessing a below-average top-end speed, we believe this can all be pardoned given the exceptional acceleration and throttle response. Cog swapping is as smooth as a marble and even with the manual transmission trim is still excusable of novice errors, making it optimal for the drivers who are just starting out -- couple that with an EPA of 21 mpg in the city and 29 mpg on the highway, along with Toyota’s dependability, and this Scion is solid.
Overall score - 77/100
The wallet-friendly fuel consumption and abundant personalization options make the 2008 Scion TC a real contender, and maybe not such an outcast after all. True, we've had a bit of trouble warming up the strangling, but after taking a closer look at this coupe we're more than willing to spend more time behind the TC's wheel really getting to know it.
Mitsubishi Eclipse GS
MSRP (base): $19,999Engine: 2.4-liter, 16-valve SOHC, inline 4-cylinder MIVEC
Horsepower: 162 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm
Torque: 162 lb-ft @ 4,000 rpm
MPG: City: 20; Highway: 26
Performance - 15/20
The fourth generation Mitsubishi Eclipse has base-level body panels that were fitted around a recently improved impact absorbing chassis, the same found on the Galant sedan and Endeavor SUV. The Eclipse is available in front-wheel drive only with MacPherson struts laced with coil springs that adorn the front suspension, as even more rigidity is applied with multi-links in the rear. Thrusting the GS is a satisfying 2.4-liter, 16-valve, SOHC, inline 4-cylinder MIVEC crank with a cast-iron block and aluminum cylinder heads. The modestly sized engine pumps out 162 horsepower @ 6,000 rpm, with an equal amount of torque @ 4,000 rpm. The bullish curb weight doesn’t produce much downforce and doesn’t boast well for the handling capabilities of the rack-and-pinion steering either, and instead makes acceleration seem sluggish. You can drive a brand new Mitsubishi Eclipse GS with a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission and you'll touch the 60 mph mark from a standstill in 8.2 seconds.
Exterior design - 16/20
The Mitsubishi Eclipse has always been a leader in design and continues to project a sleek silhouette in 2008. However, the latest incarnation does attempt to discard the heavily displeasing angles of previous sketches, opting for sweeping contours, longer doors, rocker panels, a rear-deck spoiler, and crystalline back lights and headlamps. With all of the new aesthetic bonuses, one flaw that was noted across the board was the obnoxiously swollen rear bumper and the large exhaust cutter. We prefer rear ends of this nature on J.Lo, but not on our rides. In addition to this, we can’t decide whether the rear windshield wiper is unattractive because it’s distracting or distracting because it’s unattractive.
Interior design - 6/10A quick peek into the cockpit of the Eclipse will reveal 97.3 cubic feet of interior volume to work with, credited to the 50/50 split fold. The captain's chair is a six-way adjustable seat with flexible lumbar support and bolstering that's also extended to the passenger’s bucket seat. The dash layout and instrumentation panel has been rethought with a digital odometer, dual trip meters and HUD with outside temperature readings and a compass all draped in an ice-blue back glow. Eclipses of yesteryear were stocked full of cheap plastics and had no distinguishing separators between segments, however this new crop wields a fair amount of room between the center stack controls, as well as an inlay of textured matte-finish vinyl. There is also a height-adjustable steering wheel, but no extra storage compartments past the glove box.
Sound system/goodies - 6/10
The multimedia experience in the all new Mitsubishi Eclipse will do some justice to that romantic Slipknot love mix you burned for your girlfriend as the GS comes equipped with an AM/FM radio mated to 140-watts, with increased clarity at almost any decibel. The single-disc CD unit can handle scanning MP3s as well, and does
so through a convenient input jack. Those desperate for more boom can upgrade to the advanced Rockford Fosgate system that ushers in a six-disc in-dash CD changer, nine speakers and a 10-inch subwoofer. Much like the competitor, the car comes without a standard navigation system.Bang for your buck - 16/20
The Mitsubishi Eclipse has a history, the kind of history one should be proud of not hide from potential in-laws, and the subsequent following that accompanies that status. The most recent Eclipse has incorporated new cues that focus on rectifying the blemishes of past models as reported by consumers and the-nearly $20,000 MSRP suits it, and consumers, as well.
Driving experience - 15/20Taking the wheel of the Mitsubishi Eclipse GS will find you wrestling with responsive and precise power, but also a massive amount of understeer. With careful driving techniques this can easily be compensated for, but what cannot be is the lack of a proper turning radius that may mean a few extra movements when parallel parking. Overall, and in spite of the engine never feeling strained, this is certainly not the grandest 4-cylinder we’ve ever seen. Expect a fuel depletion rate of 20 mpg through the city and 26 on the highway.
Overall score - 74/100
The Mitsubishi Eclipse GS reflects the forward-thinking aesthetics of other flashy vehicles in its class, but on the whole cannot match their underhood prowess.
and the winner is…
The sub-compact bracket is among the busiest in the industry and with so many compelling options at your disposal it’s also the one that causes the most ambivalence. Mitsubishi has always been a staple of performance vehicles, but dug itself into a hole in regards to performance and its relativity to price. Less expensive and just as sporty if not more, the Scion TC is our victor.Resources:
http://www.mitsubishicars.com/MMNA/jsp/index.do
http://www.scion.com/
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