When Scion debuted a decade ago, the idea was to attract younger buyers to Toyota with a funky design, a modest price and a hopeful degree of hipness in lieu of acceleration or state-of-the art technology.

The 2013 Scion FR-S is the first sports car for the brand, co-developed by Subaru and thus directly and unmistakably related to its close relative, the Subaru BRZ.

Scion FR-S, 2013. All images © James Raia/2012″/>

The Scion FR-S, like its family members, is still value priced. But as a lightweight, low-center-of-gravity, classic-sports-car-steering, sleek-sport-car-designed machine, the Scion FR-S is a modern-day version of Toyota’s original “Z” cars.

The Weekly Driver Test Drive

It’s never been my favorite color in cars, but few vehicles attract more attention than red sports cars. My Scion FR-S technically had a Firestorm (Read: Bright Red) exterior matched with a black interior. That’s enough to attract plenty of attention, which the FR-S did.The FR-S lettering stands for Front-engine, Rear-wheel-drive Sport, which places it in rare company among modestly priced sports cars and provides further reason for the car’s easy-to-like status.

My weekly driver featured a 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder, 16-valve transmission, which produced 200 horsepower, and a six-speed automatic transmission with paddle shifters.The numbers don’t equate to a particularly powerful engine. But the FR-S has an advantage — it’s lightweight (2,759 pounds), steers true and tight and it’s low to the ground.

As such, while it’s not particularly quick, the FR-S gives the impression it’s faster than its rating of 0-60 mph in 6.6 seconds. The result: it’s appreciably fun to drive.Beyond acceleration, the Scion FR-S has a substantial list of standard features, the full spectrum of Bluetooth technology to remote keyless entry and aluminum sport and scuff pedals to Halogen headlamps.

Likes:

Responsive handling

Beautifully designed exterior.

Comfortable front seats.

Impressive list of standard features.

Dislikes:

Just not quite as fast as it looks.

Premium fuel required.

Severe blind spot for a 6-foot driver to the left rear.

Limited trunk space.

Back seat good for groceries, other small cargo, but not big enough for anyone bigger than a small child.

Difficult to read radio dials.

Facts & Figures: 2013 Scion FR-S

Specification	Details
Engine	4-cylinder, 2.0L
Horsepower	200
Transmission	Automatic (S6)
Drivetrain	Rear-Wheel Drive
Fuel Economy	24 city / 33 hwy / 28 combined mpg
Fuel Type	Premium Gasoline
Warranty	Bumper to bumper, 3 years/36,000 miles; Powertrain, 5 years/60,000 miles; Roadside Assistance, 2 years/25,000 miles; Roadside assistance, 2 years/25,000 miles
Acceleration	0-60 mph, 6.6 seconds
Fuel economy	25 mpg (city), 34 mpg (highway), 28 mpg (combined) six-speed automatic transmission
Government Safety Ratings	Not tested
Manufacturer’s Suggested Retail Price	$25,300.00
Manufacturer’s Web site	www.scion.com
Price As tested	$26,097.00