Scion FR-S: Sporty ride
 at a great price

I loved the reaction I got to the 2013 Scion FR-S — is this a Porsche? Not quite, but this is a true sports car indeed.

I was quickly relieved to find the FR-S wasn't just a sports car lite made for kids fresh out of school looking for glitz with nothing under the hood to back it up. This is truly a high-performance car meant to be driven and a car that willingly returns the favor by being a blast to drive. As soon as the first exhaust note growls out, you know you've got a tiger by the tail.

The 2.0-liter 200-horsepower FR-S is born of a collaboration between independent Subaru and powerhouse Toyota. The Subaru boxer engine mated to a six-speed transmission is wrapped by aggressive styling, creating one very fun car to drive. The shark-like sweeping lines harken back to European sports cars of the '60s and '70s but with 2013 engineering.

The front and rear independent MacPherson struts with 17-inch alloy wheels turn this coupe into a quick, spirited and tight car to drive. The roadster handles crisply and stops confidently with precise steering and powerful ventilated brakes. Throw this nimble car into a turn, happily motor down the highway and it'll pay you back with immense feedback.

What is truly great about this hot little number is the little number — the price. As tested the FR-S will cost you just $26,166. The only upgrade that is available is the $635 stereo, so what you see is what you get with this rear-wheel-drive sportster. The FR-S is a little more than half the cost of the Porsche Boxster and a more powerful car than the Mazda Miata.

A race-inspired interior sports an extremely supportive seat and the thick, red stitched, leather-wrapped steering wheel moves the car with just a flick of the wrist. Even without the six-speed stick the car is powerful, quick and fast. A punch of the gas, downshift with the paddles and you go. There's no lag and when you drop it into sport mode, the shift points switch to aggressive gearing allowing you to wring out every RPM.

The clean dash has a speedometer, tach and gauges in plain view. The stereo was a bit cumbersome, but once I figured it out setting my stations and phone was not too hard. The interior is well-fitted and good-looking with cloth and mixed plastics. Aluminum trimming and accents finished the cockpit. Humorously, it has two "rear" seats that really are for stowing some gear, but my golf clubs had to ride in the passenger seat.

The FR-S returns a solid average of 28 mpg, rating at 25 in the city and 34 mpg on the highway. Although it's a twin mechanically to the Subaru BRS, it has different standard equipment so it cost about $1,000 less.

Compare this sports car to the Honda Civic Si, Hyundai Genesis and don't be afraid to sneak a peak at the Porsche and Nissan 370z to see how favorably it stacks up.

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 at a great price

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 at a great price

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 at a great price

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