4. Scion tC
The Scion tC immediately attracted younger drivers with its angular styling, lowered stance, and sporty profile—seemingly promising spirited performance at an affordable price.
Yet, despite its youthful appearance and aggressive design cues, the tC was powered by a relatively modest 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing just 179 horsepower.
Acceleration to 60 mph took around eight seconds, making its real-world performance surprisingly lackluster.
This meant, embarrassingly, that the Scion tC could be outrun in a stoplight sprint by many popular family minivans, vehicles traditionally associated with soccer practice and grocery runs rather than speed and agility.