We spend a week in the latest version of the highly entertaining and affordable sports car from Scion

2016 Scion FR-S front 3/4 view

Pros

Balanced handling
Communicative steering
Braking performance

Cons

Road noise
Rear seat room
Spartan interior

2016 Scion FR-S rear 3/4 view

2016 Scion FR-S

By now everyone out there is familiar with the back story of how Toyota and Subaru got together (the one that started the conversation is still up to debate) with the results being two very affordable, basic, rear-wheel-drive sports cars, the Subaru BRZ and the Scion FR-S (called the Toyota 86 in Japan – the reason for the stylized "boxer-86" logo on the front fenders).

2016 Scion FR-S side view

Exterior

Both sport the very same fastback body style that, according to Toyota, was inspired by the 1967 2000 GT. It also looks striking similar to a 1970 Nissan 240Z, although the Scion boasts a conventional trunk rather than a hatchback body style.

2016 Scion FR-S headlight detail

Outside, not much has changed. Up front, a pair of keyhole-shaped headlamps rest above a single lower air intake. Its sides are dominated by a flowing roofline (featuring a shark-fin antenna that replaced the old whip-style one in 2015), narrow daylight opening, prominent wheel arches and a sculpted lower character line that sweeps up just in front of the rear wheel well.

In back, the keyhole theme is repeated with the taillights, while an aggressive lower fascia sports a pair of large, round, chrome-plated exhaust tips.

2016 Scion FR-S dashboard

Interior

The interior is as straightforward as the exterior – almost spartan - boasting an excellent fit and finish with the majority of surfaces being soft touch.

A black leather-wrapped steering wheel with red stitching both tilts and telescopes. Below the steering wheel, drivers will find aluminum sport pedals plus a proper aluminum dead pedal, while opening either of the doors reveals matching aluminum scuff plates.

The central instrument binnacle in front of the driver houses three round gauges: a central tachometer featuring black numbering on a white background (plus a welcome inset digital speedo display), a white on black carbon fiber-look 160 mph speedometer to the left along with one to the right which houses the water temperature and fuel gauges.

2016 Scion FR-S seat detail

The dashboard itself features two round outboard air outlets along with an oblong-shaped one above the center stack. The upper dashboard and door trim is soft touch and nicely grained, while the lower dash now features silver-finished carbon fiber-look trim that brightens up the cabin's feel considerably.

Front seat occupants sit in very supportive and aggressively bolstered black sport seats trimmed in red stitching developed with the input from a satellite engineering group based at Germany's Nürburgring. The two back seats, however, are hilariously small for adults, although flipping the one-piece rear seatback forward allows for enough storage to bring along a complete set of four wheels mounted with track tires.

2016 Scion FR-S infotainment system detail

The center stack is simple, but features another upgrade for 2016 – an all-new standard Pioneer audio system with a 7-inch touch screen. Bluetooth hands-free and audio streaming is standard, as is an HD radio and USB connectivity. It's a much simpler and better-looking than the previous standard unit, although this one also lacks the ability to connect to satellite radio.

Below that is a module that contains a digital clock while, further down, three knobs control air delivery, fan speed and temperature/AC functions.

2016 Scion FR-S footwell detail

The view of the road isn't bad for such a low-slung vehicle - aided by both a low cowl and thin front windshield pillars. Views out the back and rear three quarters are not as good, but the three-quarters view is helped by a small window between the B- and thick C-pillar, while the new infotainment system now comes with a standard integrated rear view camera – huzzah!

Speaking of standard, that equipment on the FR-S consists of keyless entry, variable intermittent wipers, projector beam headlamps, LED taillights and center mounted stop lamp, power mirrors and door locks, power windows with one-touch up and down, programmable rev indicator for the tachometer and a leather-wrapped steering wheel and shift knob.

2016 Scion FR-S rear seat detail

Scion's monospec pricing structure means there are no other factory options, although aftermarket choices include a boatload of dealer-installed upgrades from Toyota's TRD racing arm.

Standard safety features include a total of six airbags (driver and front passenger, driver and front passenger seat-mounted side airbags and front and rear passenger side curtain airbags) plus ABS, EBD, traction control, brake assist, stability control and smart stop technology.

4U-GSE 2.0-liter flat-four Boxer engine

Under the hood

Power under the hood remains unchanged and is supplied by Subaru's all-aluminum 4U-GSE 2.0-liter flat-four Boxer engine. More compact and lighter than the one found in the Impreza, it features dual overhead cams, four valves per cylinder and dual variable valve timing. In stock form it produces 200 horsepower at a lofty 7,000 rpm (redline is at 7,400 rpm) and a maximum 151 lb.-ft. of torque between 6,400 and 6,600 rpm.

Feeding fuel to the engine is Toyota's D4S direct sequential injection system with a 12.5:1 compression ratio. In our tester, the engine was mated to a 6-speed manual. Buyers who wimp out and choose the automatic transmission also get steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters. A Torsen limited-slip differential is standard with both setups.

2016 Scion FR-S shifter

Bringing it all to a stop is a pair of 11.6-inch ventilated discs in front along with 11.4-inchers in back. 17x7-inch alloy wheels on our tester were shod with 215/45R17 Bridgestone Turanza all season tires.

For underpinnings, the Scion's suspension consists of a Macpherson strut front setup with a multilink arrangement in the rear. For the 2015 model year, the front suspension was stiffened, while the rear shocks were recalibrated to reduce body roll.

2016 Scion FR-S alloy wheel detail

On the road

On the road, the FR-S exhibits neutral, balanced handling. Set it into a curve and it goes exactly where you point it. At all times it feels well-planted with the steering wheel communicating exactly where you are. That feedback is on par with some of the best around – particularly surprising since it's an electric unit. In addition, the brakes haul down the FR-S’s 2,758 pounds with absolutely no drama, over and over, with no perceptible fade. They’re easy to modulate and there’s excellent feedback through the brake pedal.

The ride is on the firm side, but the suspension on our tester felt more compliant that the 2014 model we previously tested. In particular, the ride feels smoother while body motions have been reduced. Even the worst road imperfections are no longer cringe-inducing. But at the same time, road noise remains noticeable at practically all speeds.

2016 Scion FR-S front fascia detail

Running through the gears, the engine starts to become a bit raucous as you near the 7,400 rpm redline – no doubt enhanced by the FRS's "Sound Creator", a device that allows some engine sounds to be communicated into the cockpit. It doesn't sound ragged, but it's not the same as a traditional high-revving inline-four.

2016 Scion FR-S engine detail

2016 Scion FR-S pricing

2016 FR-S new car pricing begins at $25,305 for a manually-equipped model with a $1,100 bump in price for those who insist on getting by with two out of three pedals. Our Hot Lava tester had no options, so that base price, plus a delivery and processing fee of $770, brought its MSRP to $26,075.

2016 Scion FR-S instrumentation detail

The Bottom Line

We readily admit that cars such as the 2016 FR-S aren't for everyone. But drivers looking for an affordable sports car should know that this little gem can hold its own with vehicles costing two to three times as much. Despite its flaws (road noise, small, spartan interior), we still find its very existence nothing short of a small miracle.

Buyers in the market for an affordable sports car should plan on scheduling a visit with their local Scion dealer.

2016 Scion FR-S rear fascia detail