What we researched for this specific generation: where an enclosure actually fits, what the factory speakers are, how the factory audio is wired, and which real builds and commercial products exist for it. Confidence badges say how well each figure is sourced — this is research, not manufacturer spec.
Body styles covered: 2-Door Hatchback (Liftback)
These are researched envelopes, not a guarantee. Measure your own vehicle — the numbers here tell you what to expect, not what you have.
| Location | rear hatch area, behind the rear seat |
|---|---|
| Outer bounding box | 38"W x 15"H x 27"/20"D — paired depth, unlabelled. The pair means the space tapers between top and floor; which figure belongs to which end is NOT stated and — as noted across these entries, cannot be read from the order. |
| Known obstructions | The hatch tapers, giving a seven-inch spread between the shallowest and deepest points. DESIGN A FULL-HEIGHT BOX TO 20" — the smaller figure is safe whichever end of the taper it describes. Height is the tighter constraint on this car than on the second-generation xB (15" versus 19") despite the identical 38" width. |
| Usable volume estimate | 2.5 ft³ |
Suggested configurations for this vehicle, not prescriptions. Run the numbers in the Box Builder before you buy anything.
| Subwoofers | Powered sub — the source's own recommendation for keeping the cargo bay usable |
|---|---|
| Box type | powered enclosure |
| Location | rear hatch area |
| Subwoofers | 1x10" or 1x12" sealed, laid out wide to work within the 15" height |
|---|---|
| Box type | sealed |
| Location | rear hatch area |
| Subwoofers | 1x12" ported — the 15" height is the real limit here, so a wide shallow ported box beats anything tall |
|---|---|
| Box type | ported |
| Location | rear hatch area |
Sizes and depths below are what research turned up for this generation. Confirm against your own vehicle before cutting or ordering — trim levels vary.
| Factory speaker size | 6"x9" woofers — the largest factory door driver of any Scion here. Replaceable with same-size 6x9, 6-1/2" or 6-3/4", and both full-range and component sets will work, so this location is unusually flexible. |
|---|---|
| Known obstructions | TWO DRILL BITS ARE NEEDED, and mixing them up wastes a door: four rivets hold each factory woofer and come out with a 3/16" BIT, then the NEW mounting holes are drilled with a 1/8" BIT after using the speaker-plus-bracket assembly to mark them. CHECK THE BOX BEFORE YOU START — the source warns twice that replacement speakers for this car often ship WITHOUT mounting screws. Door panel removal order: pry the sail panel; pry the screw cover behind the door release handle and remove the Phillips screw; pry off the outer door pull cover and remove the two screws behind it; pry up the power options switch panel from the rear to release six clips and disconnect its harnesses; then pry the sides and bottom, disconnect the harness, and pry out the door lock and release assembly. Tools: panel tool, Phillips screwdriver, flat blade screwdriver, cordless drill with 1/8" and 3/16" bits. |
| Adapter bracket needed | Yes — an adapter bracket is required, and it doubles as the template for marking the new holes. |
| Tweeter | Attached to the door panel. Removal is just prying them out of their mounts. |
| Midrange | Door panel. Wired in PARALLEL with the tweeters and fitted with BUILT-IN CROSSOVERS that block some of the bass — so this is a genuine factory three-way door, not a woofer with a tweeter bolted on. |
| Factory speaker size | None — the tC is a two-door. Its rear speakers are in the rear side panels (see other_speaker_locations). |
|---|---|
| Known obstructions | n/a |
| Adapter bracket needed | n/a |
| Factory amp / premium audio | An 8-SPEAKER system, and the count is worth breaking down because it explains the whole car: two 6x9 door woofers, two ~1-1/2" door tweeters, two ~4" door midranges wired in parallel with those tweeters behind built-in crossovers, and two 6-3/4" rear side-panel speakers. That is a factory three-way front stage. The source rates the high-end Pioneer head units as genuinely decent for factory equipment. Receiver appearance varied across the run but removal is identical, and both single-DIN and double-DIN aftermarket units fit — no dash cutting mentioned. UNLIKE THE FIRST-GENERATION tC, no factory amplifier and no optional factory subwoofer is documented for this car. |
|---|---|
| Adding subs without a head-unit swap | Yes — no factory amplifier is documented, so a universal line-output converter at the front speaker wires is the standard route and the hatch build never touches the dash. |
| Head unit | No replacement needed |
15"H x 38"W x 27"/20"D in the hatch area — the source's verdict is that you can fit a real enclosure in there, with the caveat that the groceries then ride on the back seat. For anyone who wants bass without giving up the cargo bay, Crutchfield's own suggestion for this car is a powered subwoofer.
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Measure your own vehicle. Trim levels, factory subwoofer options, and mid-generation changes all move these numbers, and a box cut to a researched figure that does not match your truck is wasted wood. Where a badge reads Unconfirmed, treat the value as a starting point for your own measurement, not as an answer.