I happen to be a 52 year-old "dad" who bought a tC for my daughter a little over a year ago.
My credentials - more for your dad's reference: I am an engineer (registered professional mechanical engineer in 2 states); very particular; perform detailed analysis of every major purchse, especailly vehicles; and have been a faithful reader of Consumer Reports for 30 years (the most objective publication out there) - especially the automotive reviews and reliability records. I also have driven literally dozens of different cars from itty-bitty sub-compacts to mild performance vehicles to monster trucks (personal rides and 100's of business rentals over 30 years). However, I have actually owned very few vehicles, because I have selected them for excellent reliability and kept none for less than 9 years. My current main vehicle is a 1996 Toyota 4-Runner with 215,000+ miles, and it runs like the day I bought it. (and I use it to tow a 4,200# boat & trailer...)
I looked for a full year in preparation of buying my daughter a car when she started her senior year in high school. (She had been an exemplary student and athlete, and deserved a reward.) I had narrowed the field down to the usual suspects by the end of her junior year (Honda Civic; Toyota Corolla, Matrix or CRX; Subaru...). I test drove about 6 different vehicles, and I had really come to prefer the then-new Mazda 3i to the rest of the pack (Consumer Reports later listed it as it's highest-rated small car, the tC not yet being on the streets). But my daughter didn't really like the way it looked, or the way the seat cloth felt. Just then we started seeing some subtle ads and reports on the soon-to-be released tC. I did all the usual research, read the articles, saw one at a dealer, and we went and drove the automatic at some of the marketing events on July 3, 2004. Being impressed, I hounded the dealer until he could get a manual on his lot to test drive. We all drove the manual, and loved it. We made the order right then and there, and received the car a few weeks later.
After a year, here's the bottom line:
1) For the $$$, the base car is the absolute best value on the market (you can buy some nice, stripped down cars for less) - you get a sleek, safe, quiet, smooth, sophisticated, unique, well-handling vehicle that has a wonderful balance betwen performance and comfort, and some practicality; although you won't put any tall people in the back seat or their heads will hit. It is not a race-car, or even a "fast" car, per se, despite all the hoopla on the various forums; but it is plenty quick, is easy to merge into traffic, and really fun to drive. (I imagine with the elusive supercharger one could get into some speed, however.)
2)The main components of the car (Avensis chassis and Camry drivetrain) are proven Toyota products. Any problems with the new-design body have really been minor or extremely rare, and a reputable dealer will correct them. The front suspension has extra reinforcement for rigidity, and the doors have extra reinforcement for both rigidity and safety.
3) Between the maneuverability, 4-wheel discs/ABS, and the airbags, I consider it to be as safe as or safer than most cars on the road. With the optional side airbags, there's very few better. You can check out the government rating yourself at the NHTSA web site.
4) The manual gets better gas mileage on the highway than rated - we got near 33 in the winter (no A/C), and just over 31 in the summer (A/C on), at a steady 70 mph. We've gotten the rated mileage around town.
5) The only problem we had was the "drifting" A/C vents on the dash, and the dealer replaced those with some that were not quite as smooth so they remained where you placed them. (Some of the tC's vents would drift to the side if you didn't have them dead-center in the detent... they operated so smoothly that minute vibrations would cause them to drift "downhill" to whichever direction they were pointed.)
6) I would buy this car again in a heart beat - I have seen nothing out there that would be better for a sporty, small coupe/hatchback. (But I would not buy the xB because I just don't like the way it looks - other than that, it's a fine vehicle if you want/need a roomy econobox.)
7) The only thing I don't like about this car is the throttle-by-wire in conjunction with the manual transmission. I'm so accustomed to other conventional-throttle manuals, that I needed some time to get familiar with the subtle difference in clutch/throttle timing.
I hope that helps you. Good Luck!
