Seattle -- Launching a new car lineup is invariably difficult; just ask the folks at Kaiser and Edsel. And to find a niche at the entry level, a category split between the Koreans and the late-model Civics and Corollas, takes an optimized lens. Toyota’s U.S. operation apparently has that breadth of vision, for the launch of the Scion, choreographed on a regional basis since last June, has been an unqualified success. And while the region-by-region rollout has minimized the national buzz, there ’s no denying the reception of the market to its two initial products. Toyota has another hit, which isn’t exactly what the motor mavens in Detroit wanted -- or needed -- to hear.

Joining the entry-level xA hatch and “urban utility” xB (B for "box") is the all-new tC, the first Scion developed specifically for the U.S. market. Designed to provide the Scion prospect with “sophisticated styling” and “surprising versatility,” the two-door sports coupe is a rather amazing combo of stylish attributes at a way-affordable price point. In short, it lives up to Scion’s original premise, delivering -- in the words of Scion vice president Jim Farley -- “a level of style, performance and value that will be flat-out impossible to beat.”

At a regional press preview for the new Scion, Farley outlined the thinking behind the Scion coupe. For the predominantly 20-something target market, the coupe concept is the most popular body type. To that end, the tC boasts a coupe profile in combination with an expansive third-door hatch. It is, for the upscale psychographic to which it’s targeted, more akin to a BMW 3-Series than any of Honda’s oh-so-forgettable (by the marketplace) hatches. And while the invitation to tuners is wide open, this isn’t a stripped Focus to which you can -- and should -- add another $5K. It is, instead, a fully equipped combination of style, room, performance and handling. We now sound like the ad agency.

The small coupe has a rather guarded presence when first approached. To be sure, it’s appropriately low slung, and it favors the aforementioned 3-Series in a way that is perhaps more than coincidental. Beyond the relatively low height and wide track are the shortened overhangs. Sitting on a wheel base of 106 inches, and with an overall length of 174 inches, the coupe is tightly drawn. The longer wheel base opens up the interior, with generous room for driver and passenger, along with adequate room for two in the rear.

Like its predecessors, the tC comes with a generous inventory of standard equipment, along with an extensive list of available options. The Scion Web site will tell you more, but standard items include air conditioning, power windows and locks, cruise, remote keyless entry and an electronic hatch release. Also noteworthy: a panoramic sunroof, four-wheel disc brakes (amen) and 17-inch alloy wheels. It is, in short, fully spec’d right out of its $16,500 box.

Brief drives in and around Seattle -- in two pre-production examples -- were informative. Responsiveness from the 2.4-liter DOHC four was good, and the ride/handling balance was both crisp and composed. One car was certainly pre-production, offering a few rattles that were very un-Toyota-like. The five-speed manual offered crisp engagement, while the four-speed auto was more than adequate for any in-town or on-the-freeway demands.

With a smorgasbord of options (including a TRD supercharger), along with a low-key buying experience, the tC should meet or exceed its projections. It doesn’t have the in-your-face individuality of the xB, but then, not everyone wants to drive the box it came in.