Scion tC vs. Subaru Impreza
iSeeCars' unbiased and data-driven comparison of the Scion tC and Subaru Impreza contrasts the two cars across a broad spectrum of vehicle specifications to determine which car is better. In addition to comparing pricing and specs, iSeeCars uses all the ratings, rankings, and insights from its comprehensive analyses of each vehicle model, including calculations of reliability, safety, depreciation, value retention, and the vehicle's projected lifetime recalls (based on analyzing over 25 billion data points). This in-depth evaluation is used to identify which vehicle represents a better overall choice for shoppers who are considering both the Scion tC and the Subaru Impreza.
When we compare the Scion tC's and the Subaru Impreza's specifications and ratings, the Scion tC has the advantage in the area of base engine power. The Subaru Impreza has the advantage in the areas of typical lower range of pricing for one- to five-year-old used cars, and fuel efficiency and interior volume. Based on this comparison of the Scion tC's and the Subaru Impreza's specifications and ratings, the Subaru Impreza is a better car than the Scion tC.
Pricing: A used 2016 Scion tC ranges from $9,477 to $17,997 while a used 2016 Subaru Impreza is priced between $9,107 to $18,776.
Engine Power and Fuel Efficiency Comparison: For engine performance, the Scion tC’s base engine makes 179 horsepower, and the Subaru Impreza base engine makes 148 horsepower. The tC is rated to deliver an average of 26 miles per gallon, with a highway range of 450 miles. The Impreza is rated to deliver an average of 28 miles per gallon, with a highway range of 493 miles. This gives the Subaru Impreza the fuel efficiency and maximum range advantage over the Scion tC. Both models use gasoline.
Passenger Space Comparison: The Subaru Impreza has the advantage of offering more interior volume, reflected in more front head room, front shoulder room, front leg room, rear head room, rear shoulder room, rear leg room, and cargo space.
Safety Ratings: The Subaru Impreza has an average safety rating of 5 out of 5 Stars based on NHTSA's crash test ratings.
New Car Pricing
Asking Price:
-
Starting MSRP:
$19,385
Category Avg Starting MSRP:
N/A
Category Starting MSRP Range:
N/A
New Car Pricing
Asking Price:
-
Starting MSRP:
$18,795
Category Avg Starting MSRP:
(Compact Cars)
$19,416
Category Starting MSRP Range:
(Compact Cars)
$15,990 - $35,650
Used Car Pricing
Avg Used Car Price:
$13,916
Price Range:
$9,477 - $17,997
Category Avg Price:
N/A
Category Avg Price Range:
N/A
# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:
26
Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:
92,738
# Good or Great Deals:
10
Used Car Pricing
Avg Used Car Price:
$13,947
Price Range:
$9,107 - $18,776
Category Avg Price:
(Compact Cars)
$13,577
Category Avg Price Range:
(Compact Cars)
$10,035 - $24,151
# Used Cars for Sale Nationally:
162
Avg Mileage of Used Cars for Sale:
99,349
# Good or Great Deals:
52
Scion tC Scores & Rankings
Overall Score:
Not available
Reliability:
Not available
Retained Value:
Not available
Safety:
Not available
Subaru Impreza Scores & Rankings
Overall Score:
8.6 / 10
Reliability:
8.1 / 10
Retained Value:
8.7 / 10
Safety:
9.0 / 10
iSeeCars Reliability Insights for Scion tC
Remaining Life Expectancy (years):
3
Typical Category Remaining Life Expectancy:
N/A
Category Remaining Life Expectancy Range:
N/A
Chance of Reaching 200k Miles for a New Car:
21.1%
iSeeCars Reliability Insights for Subaru Impreza
Remaining Life Expectancy (years):
3
Typical Category Remaining Life Expectancy:
(Compact Cars)
2.5
Category Remaining Life Expectancy Range:
(Compact Cars)
1 - 6.5
Chance of Reaching 200k Miles for a New Car:
3%
Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls
Expected Lifetime Recalls:
1.9
Typical Category Recalls:
N/A
Category Range for Recalls:
N/A
Expected 30-year Lifetime Recalls
Expected Lifetime Recalls:
3.8
Typical Category Recalls:
(Compact Cars)
3.8
Category Range for Recalls:
(Compact Cars)
0.6 - 9.8
Scion tC Rankings
Not yet available
Subaru Impreza Rankings
Ranking
1 out of / 5Ranking
1 out of / 5Ranking
1 out of / 5Ranking
1 out of / 5Ranking
1 out of / 5Ranking
1 out of / 3Ranking
1 out of / 1Ranking
2 out of / 5Ranking
2 out of / 5Ranking
2 out of / 3Ranking
3 out of / 5Ranking
3 out of / 5Ranking
4 out of / 5Available Body Styles
Coupe
Available Body Styles
Sedan, Wagon
Available Drivetrain Options
Gasoline
Available Drivetrain Options
Gasoline
Scion tC Trim Levels
Base, Release Series 10.0
Subaru Impreza Trim Levels
Not yet available
Warranty Information
Warranty, Bumper-to-Bumper:
3 years / 36000 miles
Warranty, Powertrain:
5 years / 60000 miles
Warranty, Roadside Assistance:
2 years
Warranty Information
Warranty, Bumper-to-Bumper:
3 years / 36000 miles
Warranty, Powertrain:
5 years / 60000 miles
Warranty, Roadside Assistance:
3 years / 36000 miles
Safety Ratings
NHTSA Safety Rating (last 5 year average):
Not yet available
2025 NHTSA Overall Rating:
4 out of 5 Stars
2025 NHTSA Front Crash Overall Rating:
4 out of 5 Stars
2025 NHTSA Side Crash Overall Rating:
5 out of 5 Stars
2025 NHTSA Rollover Rating:
4 out of 5 Stars
IIHS Safety Rating:
Not yet available
Safety Ratings
NHTSA Safety Rating (last 5 year average):
5 out of 5 Stars
2025 NHTSA Overall Rating:
5 out of 5 Stars
2025 NHTSA Front Crash Overall Rating:
4 out of 5 Stars
2025 NHTSA Side Crash Overall Rating:
5 out of 5 Stars
2025 NHTSA Rollover Rating:
5 out of 5 Stars
IIHS Safety Rating:
Not yet available
Base Drivetrain Specs
Horsepower:
179 hp @ 6000 rpm
Torque:
172 foot-lbs @ 4100 rpm
Power-to-Weight Ratio (higher is better):
0.058 hp per pound
Base Drivetrain Specs
Horsepower:
148 hp @ 6200 rpm
Torque:
145 foot-lbs @ 4200 rpm
Power-to-Weight Ratio (higher is better):
0.050 hp per pound
Engine Specifications
Engine Size:
2.5 liters
Engine Configuration:
Inline
Number of Cylinders:
4
Transmission:
Manual
Standard/Optional Drivetrain Type:
FWD
EPA Fuel Economy
(City/Highway/Combined MPG):
23 / 31 / 26
Range (city/hwy):
334 / 450 miles
Recommended Fuel Type:
Gasoline
Engine Specifications
Engine Size:
2 liters
Engine Configuration:
Flat/Horizontally Opposed
Number of Cylinders:
4
Transmission:
Manual
Standard/Optional Drivetrain Type:
AWD
EPA Fuel Economy
(City/Highway/Combined MPG):
25 / 34 / 28
Range (city/hwy):
363 / 493 miles
Recommended Fuel Type:
Gasoline
Standard/Optional Features
Alloy wheels:
Standard
Bench Seats:
Standard
Bluetooth:
Standard
Keyless Entry:
Standard
Keyless Ignition:
Standard
Power outlet:
Standard
Sunroof/Moonroof:
Standard
Internet Radio:
Available
Navigation System:
Available
Paddle Shifters:
Available
Voice Recognition:
Available
Adaptive Cruise Control:
N/A
Air Suspension:
N/A
Android Auto:
N/A
Apple CarPlay:
N/A
Automatic Parking:
N/A
Captain's seat:
N/A
Cooled/Ventilated Seats:
N/A
Front Bench Seats:
N/A
Heated Seats
N/A
Heated Steering Wheel:
N/A
Leather Upholstery:
N/A
Massage Seats:
N/A
Panoramic Sunroof/Moonroof
N/A
Parking Sensors:
N/A
Power Lift Gate:
N/A
Quad Seats:
N/A
Roadside assistance:
N/A
Roof Rack:
N/A
Satellite radio:
N/A
Trailer Hitch:
N/A
Wifi:
N/A
Wireless Smartphone Charging:
N/A
Standard/Optional Features
Alloy wheels:
Available
Bench Seats:
Standard
Bluetooth:
Standard
Keyless Entry:
Standard
Keyless Ignition:
Available
Power outlet:
Standard
Sunroof/Moonroof:
Available
Internet Radio:
Standard
Navigation System:
Available
Paddle Shifters:
Available
Voice Recognition:
Available
Adaptive Cruise Control:
Available
Air Suspension:
N/A
Android Auto:
N/A
Apple CarPlay:
N/A
Automatic Parking:
N/A
Captain's seat:
N/A
Cooled/Ventilated Seats:
N/A
Front Bench Seats:
N/A
Heated Seats
Available
Heated Steering Wheel:
N/A
Leather Upholstery:
Available
Massage Seats:
N/A
Panoramic Sunroof/Moonroof
N/A
Parking Sensors:
N/A
Power Lift Gate:
N/A
Quad Seats:
N/A
Roadside assistance:
N/A
Roof Rack:
Available
Satellite radio:
Available
Trailer Hitch:
N/A
Wifi:
N/A
Wireless Smartphone Charging:
N/A
Safety Features
360-Degree Camera:
N/A
Backup camera:
N/A
Blind Spot Monitoring:
N/A
Driver Attention Monitoring:
N/A
Forward Collision Warning:
N/A
Lane Departure Warning:
N/A
Lane Keeping Assist:
N/A
Pedestrian Detection:
N/A
Rear Cross-Traffic Alert:
N/A
Rear Seat Reminder:
N/A
Safety Features
360-Degree Camera:
N/A
Backup camera:
Standard
Blind Spot Monitoring:
N/A
Driver Attention Monitoring:
N/A
Forward Collision Warning:
N/A
Lane Departure Warning:
N/A
Lane Keeping Assist:
N/A
Pedestrian Detection:
N/A
Rear Cross-Traffic Alert:
N/A
Rear Seat Reminder:
N/A
Interior Dimensions
Front Head Room:
37.7 inches
Front Leg Room:
41.8 inches
Front Shoulder Room:
55.4 inches
Rear Head Room:
36.4 inches
Rear Leg Room:
34.6 inches
Rear Shoulder Room:
52.1 inches
Cargo Space:
14.7 cubic feet
Cargo Space, 2nd-row seat folded down:
34.5 cubic feet
Cargo Space, 3rd-row seat folded down:
Not applicable
Overall Interior Volume:
88.4 cubic feet
Interior Dimensions
Front Head Room:
39.8 inches
Front Leg Room:
43.5 inches
Front Shoulder Room:
55.6 inches
Rear Head Room:
37.7 inches
Rear Leg Room:
35.4 inches
Rear Shoulder Room:
54.2 inches
Cargo Space:
22.5 cubic feet
Cargo Space, 2nd-row seat folded down:
52.4 cubic feet
Cargo Space, 3rd-row seat folded down:
Not applicable
Overall Interior Volume:
120.0 cubic feet
Exterior Dimensions
Curb Weight:
3082 lbs
Width:
70.7 inches
Height:
55.7 inches
Length:
176.6 inches
Wheelbase:
106.3 inches
Ground Clearance:
6.3 inches
Exterior Dimensions
Curb Weight:
2955 lbs
Width:
68.5 inches
Height:
57.7 inches
Length:
174 inches
Wheelbase:
104.1 inches
Ground Clearance:
Not yet available
Standard Wheel/Tire Information
Wheel Size:
18.0 x 7.5 inches
Wheel Type:
aluminum alloy
Tire Size:
P225/45R18
Standard Wheel/Tire Information
Wheel Size:
15.0 x 6.0 inches
Wheel Type:
steel
Tire Size:
195/65R15
Exterior Colors
Black
Black
Blue
Blue Streak Metallic
Gray
Cement / Cosmic Gray Mica / Magnetic Gray Metallic
Red
Absolutely Red
White
Blizzard Pearl
Green
Not available
Silver
Not available
Exterior Colors
Black
Crystal Black Silica
Blue
Quartz Blue Pearl
Gray
Dark Gray Metallic
Red
Venetian Red Pearl
White
Crystal White Pearl
Green
Jasmine Green Metallic
Silver
Ice Silver Metallic
Interior Colors
Black
Dark Charcoal
White
Not available
Interior Colors
Black
Black Tricot
White
Ivory Tricot
