• Competes with: Honda Civic coupe, Kia Forte Koup, Ford Focus coupe
• Looks like: A new design that looks old
• Drivetrain: 180-hp, 2.5-liter four-cylinder, six-speed manual or automatic transmission
• Hits dealerships: Fall 2010

To say the Scion tC needed a redesign was an understatement. Even Scion acknowledged that at 6 years old it was time for a redux for the tC. The new look follows a recent design trend that can be seen on cars from the Kia Forte Koup to the Nissan GT-R supercar, but it looks a bit generic on the Scion tC. At least it's different enough from the outgoing model that car shoppers will notice the change.

A bigger, more powerful engine ups the horses by 19 to 180 horsepower. By adding six-speed manual and automatic transmissions, the 2011 tC will get better fuel economy, too, according to Scion. The car is also lower with large 18-inch alloy wheels and improved handling.

The cabin gets an upgrade with an all-new steering wheel and new cloth seating. There’s also more interior room.

The previous generation’s panoramic moonroof remains standard; USB inputs, an eight-speaker stereo system and steering-wheel-mounted audio controls are also standard.