Used Scion FR-S Buying Guide: Years, Recalls and What to Inspect

A used Scion FR-S is a rear-drive coupe with a 200-hp 2.0-liter flat-four and a stick or automatic, built with Subaru and sold here for 2013-16 before Toyota folded the Scion brand. Car and Driver called out the driving dynamics and the single-engine lineup. Shop cars with service records and a clean title, not the cheapest tracked example with no paperwork.

I read Car and Driver's Scion FR-S overview and MotorTrend's Scion FR-S page on Nov. 5, 2026, and pulled NHTSA recall data for a 2013 FR-S the same day. Consumer Guide did not return a live used FR-S review URL when I checked, so model facts lean on those pages plus NHTSA. Used price bands on review sites move; treat any dollar range as a freshness snapshot for early November 2026.

What you are buying

The FR-S shared its platform with the Subaru BRZ. Scion sold it as a bare-bones sports coupe: one engine, rear-wheel drive, manual or automatic. Car and Driver's overview lists a 200-hp 2.0-liter boxer and a used price band roughly $8,900 to $18,200 on the day I checked. After Scion shut down, later twins wore Toyota 86 badges. Parts and recall work still route through Toyota dealers.

Interior plastics and cabin noise are economy-coupe grade. People who want heated leather and a quiet highway ride should look elsewhere. People who want a light chassis and a shift lever will find more of that here than in most used cars under $15,000. Stock wheels and tires matter because aftermarket setups often hide alignment abuse from autocross or canyon runs.

If a listing calls the car a "rare Scion collectible," check the mileage and the service binder before you pay a premium. Volume sports coupes are common in the private market; documented maintenance is what is scarce.

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Field guides, red flags, and the occasional discount.

What to inspect

Look for clutch chatter, synchro grind into second and third, and fluid that smells burnt on manuals. Automatics need a clean park-to-drive engagement and no flare on upshifts. Check for track-day clues: tow hooks left on, aftermarket oil coolers, mismatched tires, and a seller who shrugs when you ask for alignment printouts.

Oil consumption and valve-cover leaks show up on high-mileage boxers. Ask for oil-change receipts and a cold compression test. Body-wise, inspect rear quarter seams and the soft undertray for scrapes from lowered springs. Honestly, a $150 pre-purchase inspection that includes a lift and a road test beats arguing after the car starts burning oil on the drive home.

Recalls still worth clearing

NHTSA's recallsByVehicle feed for a 2013 Scion FR-S returned campaigns including 18V772000, 16V075000, 12V255000 and 13V123000 when queried Nov. 5, 2026. Campaign 16V075000 involves the automatic transmission park/neutral start interlock on certain 2013-16 cars. Campaign 18V772000 is an engine-related Subaru/Toyota filing that also names the FR-S. Applicability is VIN-specific.

Use our Scion recall check by VIN and Scion VIN decoder, then compare the build against the badge. Open recall rows on a history report are covered in open recalls on CARFAX. Related reading: the used Scion tC buying guide.

Before you buy

Confirm the title on NMVTIS and pull your own report. Seller PDFs get cropped. We're a licensed CARFAX and AutoCheck reseller, not affiliated with CARFAX, AutoCheck, Experian, Scion or Toyota. As of early November 2026, guest reports run about $5.50, member reports about $4.50, and the two-report bundle about $6.75, against retail near $39.99 to $44.99. Confirm at checkout.

Budget for tires and a fluid service even on a "good" example. At FR-S prices, deferred maintenance can erase the bargain fast.

Title brands, odometer gaps and salvage rebuilds show up on a report you buy yourself, even when the paint looks straight. Cross-check the VIN plate, door sticker and dashboard stamp so the car matches the paper before you wire a deposit.