Model:Scion FR-S
Starting Price: $26,300
Overview: Scion’s back-to-basics sports car features extensive lightweight engineering, a high-revving 200-horsepower BOXER engine, six-speed transmission in the driver’s choice of automatic or manual, and every import tuner’s favorite feature: rear wheel drive. Low-slung and packing distinctive design elements and a surprisingly upscale cabin, this is a driver’s car that’s built for the average Canadian’s pocketbook. All models are two-door, four seaters.
Pros: Handling response, steering precision and dynamic stability are top notch here, making the FR-S one of the ultimate driver’s cars in its price range. The snorty BOXER engine is a joy to put through its paces, and the overall package is exciting and fast. Fuel mileage is appreciably good, thanks to the modern two-litre engine, too.
Cons: Tight rear seat space and limited headroom might strike the FR-S from the shopping list of larger drivers. No up-level engine was available at the time of writing.
Noteworthy: A large, centre-mounted tachometer with shift-light allows drivers to fully exploit the 7,500 RPM redline without taking their eyes off of the road. Dual exhaust outlets and a low, wide stance reinforce the FR-S’s sporty demeanor.
Need the automatic? The paddle shift functionality responds fast, blips the throttle on downshifts and cuts the throttle on upshifts. Performance from the automatic is nearly on par with the ‘dual-clutch’ transmissions you’ll find in some competitors. It also turned in impressive real-life fuel economy on my week-long test-drive.
Starting Price: $26,300
Overview: Scion’s back-to-basics sports car features extensive lightweight engineering, a high-revving 200-horsepower BOXER engine, six-speed transmission in the driver’s choice of automatic or manual, and every import tuner’s favorite feature: rear wheel drive. Low-slung and packing distinctive design elements and a surprisingly upscale cabin, this is a driver’s car that’s built for the average Canadian’s pocketbook. All models are two-door, four seaters.
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| Photo: Sébastien D'Amour |
Pros: Handling response, steering precision and dynamic stability are top notch here, making the FR-S one of the ultimate driver’s cars in its price range. The snorty BOXER engine is a joy to put through its paces, and the overall package is exciting and fast. Fuel mileage is appreciably good, thanks to the modern two-litre engine, too.
Cons: Tight rear seat space and limited headroom might strike the FR-S from the shopping list of larger drivers. No up-level engine was available at the time of writing.
Noteworthy: A large, centre-mounted tachometer with shift-light allows drivers to fully exploit the 7,500 RPM redline without taking their eyes off of the road. Dual exhaust outlets and a low, wide stance reinforce the FR-S’s sporty demeanor.
Need the automatic? The paddle shift functionality responds fast, blips the throttle on downshifts and cuts the throttle on upshifts. Performance from the automatic is nearly on par with the ‘dual-clutch’ transmissions you’ll find in some competitors. It also turned in impressive real-life fuel economy on my week-long test-drive.