Pros: Lithe, agile handling; true sports-car personality; decent list of standard features; good fuel economy for a sports car; affordable pricing
Cons: Some enthusiast drivers will wish for more power; low-slung body and long doors make for tricky entry and exit; barely usable back seat
CG Says: The 2016 Scion FR-S is little changed. A rearview camera is now standard and there is a new audio system with a 7-inch screen. Save for its near twin, the Subaru BRZ, the FR-S is almost in a class by itself. It has respectable performance credentials, a fun-to-drive personality, and surprisingly modest pricing. Other relatively affordable 4-cylinder sporty/performance cars include the Mazda MX-5 Miata and the Hyundai Genesis Coupe. The Mazda is great fun to drive and it is a convertible body style, but it lacks a back seat and can’t match the FR-S’ greater practicality. Though the Genesis Coupe base model costs less than the FR-S, it weighs more and lacks the FR-S’ level of standard equipment. Also, neither of those cars offer an array of stand-alone accessories, and certain features can be found only in option packages or higher trim levels. Driving enthusiasts should add the FR-S to their shopping list. Despite the standard sports-car vices of a somewhat firm ride, barely habitable back seats, and somewhat poor rear-corner visibility, the FR-S makes up for those demerits with lively performance, decent fuel economy, and unusual-for-the-class levels of comfort and daily drivability.
| Class | Sporty/Performance Car |
| Body Style(s) | 2-door coupe |
| Passenger Count | 4 |
| Drive Wheels | rear-wheel drive |
| Manufacturer | Scion |
| Nation of Manufacture | Japan |
| Base Prices | Base, manual: $25,305 Base, automatic: $26,405 Release Series 2.0, manual: $29,510 Release Series 2.0, automatic: $30,610 |
| Base Engine 2.0-liter 4-cylinder |
| Horsepower 200 |
| Std. Transmission 6-speed manual |
| Avail. Transmission 6-speed automatic |
| EPA City Range (mpg) 22-25 |
| EPA Hwy Range (mpg) 30-34 |
