Full 2013 Scion FR-S Review
What's New for 2013
The 2013 Scion FR-S is an all-new, rear-wheel-drive sport coupe co-developed by Toyota and Subaru.
Introduction
When the Scion brand debuted in 2002, its mission was to appeal to young buyers with stylish cars boasting affordable pricing, abundant customization options and the promise of reliability backed up by the reputation of Toyota, its parent company. Largely missing from that mix, however, has been performance. Now, a decade later, all the right elements have been combined for the all-new 2013 Scion FR-S.
Co-developed with Subaru (which makes the twin of the FR-S, the Subaru BRZ), the FR-S ups the performance ante considerably above the Scion tC, the next sportiest car in the Scion family. The FR-S is powered by a 2.0-liter flat-4 ("boxer") engine that sends 200 horsepower to the rear wheels through either a six-speed manual or a six-speed automatic transmission. That's not a lot of power for a sporty car nowadays, and suitably, acceleration is merely acceptable. Yet, the FR-S's light weight, compact dimensions, low center of gravity, sublime steering and beautifully balanced chassis add up to enough fun that you won't mind when a Mustang V6 pulls away from you at a traffic light.
The FR-S cockpit is all business. Frivolous gee-whiz features -- such as Scion's typical flashy instrument displays and adjustable mood lighting -- are nowhere to be found. Instead, the driver faces an array of instruments dominated by a large tachometer, while both front occupants are held fast by aggressively bolstered sport seats. Of course, don't expect a large measure of multipurpose practicality from the compact coupe, as the rear seat and trunk are diminutive.
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