Now matter how hard you search the web, we’ll bet that can’t find a bad review on the Scion FR-S. The truth is this: no other car on the market today, except perhaps for the Mazda MX-5, delivers as much performance and fun for the dollar. Let’s be clear about one thing, though: performance doesn’t always mean straight line speed, and if the FR-S is lacking anywhere, it’s in the horsepower department.
Sure, there’s enough horsepower to provide reasonable entertainment (especially if you like to carry speed into corners), but you’ll never beat a car like the Nissan 370Z in a drag race. Does that make the slightly-more-expensive Nissan worth shopping over the Scion? As Chris Harris points out, the answer is, “not necessarily.”
Also, don’t forget that you can get discounted new car pricing with a free quote through qualified local dealer partners.
In his latest video, Chris Harris compares the Scion FR-S to the Nissan 370Z and a used Porsche Cayman S. By his reasoning, all are sports cars and all are roughly in the same price bracket, so driving the cars back to back should yield a winner, right?
We won’t spoil the outcome of the video, but we don’t really agree that the cars are comparable. The Scion FR-S comes in one trim in the United States, and that model carries a list price of $24,955 with the six-speed manual transmission. The Nissan Z, on the other hand, starts at $33,900 without any options, which is a spread of nearly $9,000. If you’re buying a Rolls-Royce, perhaps $9k is inconsequential; at the lower end of the market, however, $9k is the difference between living on ramen to make your car payment and having to eat from dumpsters to make your car payment.
As for the Cayman S, a quick check of eBay Motors shows that even six-year-old examples are selling for over $35k, which puts them more on par with the Nissan 370Z than with the Scion FR-S. We suspect the Cayman S will only look like a bargain until something goes wrong or the car needs service, and then you’re back to dumpster-diving for sustenance (when you’re not enjoying a nutritious meal of dog kibble, that is).
Kurt Ernst has been passionate about automobiles and driving nearly his entire life. His early years were shaped working in the family service station, though his real passion was auto racing. After graduating from the University of Colorado, Kurt spent a year club racing with the Sports Car Club of America, before focusing on a business career in marketing and project management. Later, his passion for writing and the automotive hobby found him freelancing for a variety of automotive news sites, including Automotive Addicts and Motor Authority, where his work was syndicated and appeared in several national publications. Recognized as an expert in the automotive field, Kurt joined Hemmings Motor News as an Associate Editor in 2013, and in the years since has progressed to Editor, Hemmings Daily; Managing Editor for Hemmings Motor News, Hemmings Classic Car, Hemmings Muscle Machines, and the Hemmings Daily; and now, Managing Editor, Hemmings Auctions. Kurt was instrumental in organizing the Hemmings Motor News Concours d’Elegance from 2013-2019, and has served as a judge at this event and The Vintage Racing Stable Concours d’Elegance. A Skip Barber Racing School graduate and prolific writer, Ernst is also skilled in copyediting, project management, brand development, and public relations.
