Scion FR-S Coupe

Scion FR-S Coupe

Scion FR-S Coupe

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.

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.

Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options

The 2013 Scion FR-S comes in two trim levels: base and 10 Series. Standard equipment includes 17-inch alloy wheels, air-conditioning, full power accessories, a height-adjustable driver seat, a tilt-and-telescoping leather-wrapped steering wheel, CRUISE CONTROL, Bluetooth (with streaming audio) and a Pioneer eight-speaker sound system with a CD player, HD radio, RCA output jacks, an auxiliary audio jack and USB/iPod integration.

The 10 Series further adds xenon headlights, front LED running lights, illuminated exterior badges, dual-zone automatic climate control, a frameless rearview mirror, an electroluminescent dashboard (it lights up with the word "Scion" when a door is opened), a 6.1-inch touchscreen sound system display and a solar-powered illuminated shift knob (automatic transmission only).

In keeping with Scion's marketing philosophy, in lieu of factory options there are a number of dealer-installed accessories that include foglights, a premium BeSpoke sound system (with touchscreen display and smartphone app integration) and various suspension and engine performance parts.

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