2013 Scion FR-S

Because most of us have been driving 3 ton SUVs and bloated sedans for the past 20 years, the definition of driving fun has been severely watered down.  That’s why a car like this all-new 2013 Scion FR-S is such a breath of fresh air.  At a tidy 2,806 pounds with the optional automatic transmission, the FR-S knows what’s it’s like to be light and agile.  Plus at a little over 4’ high and with a Boxer engine that’s seated deep in the engine bay, the FR-S has a low center of gravity that lends to its road hugging abilities.

Co-developed with Subaru, the FR-S is rear drive and powered by a 200 horsepower 4-cylinder engine featuring Toyota’s D-4S injection system combining direct and port fuel injection.  For an extra $1,100 buyers can opt to mate the flat 4 to a 6-speed automatic like here in my tester.  Featuring what Scion calls Dynamic Rev Management, this auto is nothing short of brilliant in its operation.  Paddle shifters execute gear changes with the speed of an automated manual, a sport mode energizes the transmission to take better advantage of engine power and even its design emulates a stick shift.  I never once lamented the absence of a do it yourself gearbox this week and furthermore, the auto nets 25mpg city/34mpg highway…an over 10% improvement over the 6-speed manual.

Scion has applied the less is more philosophy to the FR-S to create a car that handles the curvaceous road with jaw dropping, permagrin-inducing ease.  I’d best liken the driving experience to a Porsche Cayman.  Free of any switchgear, the steering wheel in the FR-S is a conduit to the quickest, most precise action you’ll find anywhere.  Its ability to exactly transmit the motion of each individual wheel is almost spooky.  And the double whishbone rear and front strut suspension keep these 17” Michelin tires firmly planted and you in complete control while also providing a relatively supple ride.  Despite a variety of VSC and traction control modes, the FR-S and its 151 pound feet of torque don’t light up the tires though friskiness can be found when desired – yet this is a rear driver that’s not going to scare you when the back end starts to break loose.  There’s a trust that instantly builds between car and driver unless you go completely free of computer aides in which case the driving is all up to you.

The FR-S is also one of those cars that feel quicker than it really is.  0-to 60mph takes just over 6 seconds – which isn’t slow in its own right – yet the engine feels like it always has enough power on tap and gives you the feeling of even greater speed.  Brake pedal feel and stopping acumen are also top notch.

One look inside and you’ll see the FR-S as a clean slate, purpose-built machine.  Surely some will see this entire car as a blank canvas to their Frankenstein aspirations.  There are few options to be had and as is usual Scion’s use of these aftermarket-like Pioneer head units will have you shaking your head.  But the FR-S is all about driving – not the shallow trunk, claustrophobic back seats or dour interior.  It’s a car that for $26,191 as tested will reacquaint you with the attributes that make driving fun.