2015 Scion FR-S | Budget-friendly sports coupe
The 2015 Scion FR-S, when seen on the road in Firestorm Red, is quite the looker. Toyota’s youth brand joined forces with Subaru to create a sports coupe that appears sleek, yet aggressive, and is certain to turn heads.
The Basics
The FR-S we tested was the base model, which starts around $25,000. The 6-speed manual (don’t fret auto trans devotees, you can snag an A/T for just $1,000 more) sports a chrome-tipped dual exhaust, 17-inch alloy wheels and ventilated disc brakes. Its 2.0L 4-cylinder engine keeps 200 horsepower and 151 lb.-ft. of torque at your disposal.
Sporty on a Budget
Front engine + rear wheel drive = fun. It’s pretty rare to score a RWD in the mid-$20,000 price range, but the FR-S coupe brings it. Scion’s sportiest offering possesses the stiff suspension that performance cars guarantee, and it will hug you in the turns thanks to its sturdy, tailored bucket seats.
Don’t plan on having your friends carpool, though, as the back seat is far from spacious. It’s what I would call a “backpack seat” because that’s about all that fits on it. It had me reminiscing about my first car–a 1995 Mitsubishi Eclipse. Oh, and in case you were wondering, my nephew’s car seat did NOT fit in the rear seat. Sorry, I can’t find a way to call this one a family car like I did with the 2015 Dodge Challenger. 
Although basic as far as features go, the 2015 Scion FR-S still comes with its share of goodies. Bluetooth audio streaming is standard and so are a 6.1-inch touch screen and Pioneer stereo system.
Parents guiding their young drivers and first-time buyers into a Scion FR-S can rest assured that they will be safe. The 2015 FR-S received a NHTSA overall vehicle safety rating of five stars, which is the highest standard a vehicle can achieve.
The 2015 Scion FR-S is no doubt fun to drive. The price is right and it is a great value for a first-time buyer. Behind the wheel, the FR-S gives the feeling of a track car in that it’s minimalistic, straying from too many bells and whistles while delivering in both performance and handling.
