BRZ VS FR- S

It’s a classic Battle of the Brands as Andrew McCredie pits the all- new Subaru against the all- new Scion.

The very notion of a head- to- head comparison between a Subaru and a Scion a year ago seemed the epitome of automotive apples to oranges.

True, they are both auto manufacturer compatriots from Japan, but from there the comparisons ended. Subaru built nothing but mid- range priced all- wheel drive vehicles known for reliability, practicality and a somewhat staid image ( apart from the rally ready WRX); Scion was positioned as Toyota’s youth brand, with entry- level pricing, out- of- the box designs and a flare for the unusual.

All of which makes the recent marriage between the two seem a little unholy. Until you drive their love children.

A half- decade ago Toyota approached Subaru with a proposal to combine their technological forces to build a rear- wheel sports car priced under $ 30K. Toyota, a minority shareholder in Subaru, had designs on Subaru bringing its proven expertise in fourcylinder boxer engines to the table, and at first that’s the only involvement Subaru wanted in the scheme – to simply supply boxer engines to Toyota who would in turn produce the car themselves.

Subaru wasn’t keen on breaking their mould of producing only allwheel drive vehicles, and there was also some insider buzz that it felt Toyota wasn’t up to the task of delivering a first- rate sports car.

That changed when Subaru executives were invited to the Toyota test facility to check out the prototype. What they saw obviously impressed them, as shortly thereafter the two manufacturers’ engineers and designers joined forces to turn that prototype into a full- fledged production model, dubbed the FT- 86.

That was back in late 2009, and today there are three versions for sale globally: the Toyota 86 in Japan and Australia, and the Subaru BRZ and Scion FR- S here in North America.

I had the chance to drive both North American models for a week earlier this month, and with my test models each sporting black exteriors, at times I didn’t know which one I had the key for until the lights flashed when I pushed the unlock button on the key fob.

Apart from brand badging and trim elements on the front fender, the only differing exterior feature between the two is the front end: the Subaru’s grill is a hexagonal shape while the Scion’s is an inverted trapezoid. Also, as my Subaru was the high- end Sport Tech Package version, a rear trunk spoiler also set the two cars apart.

Inside the race- inspired cockpits, the differences are just as subtle. Each manufacturer has gone with its own choice of sound system — both centremounted touch screens — and despite having the exact same cabin form to work with, each has brought its own sense of style to reflect their respective clientele.

That’s mostly reflected in the front seats: the FR- S’s are less- padded, race- inspired buckets, while the BRZ’s are designed more for comfort than speed. That said, they still provide good bolstering that keeps you firmly in place when you put this fun little car through its paces.

Unfortunately, each use chunky, plastic climate controls that are no doubt from the Subaru parts warehouse, and despite having two seats in the back, no one under the age of five can use them without a background in Cirque du Soleil. Apart from that, everything from the gauges to the steering wheel to the gear shift is the same in the two models, and without the steering wheel- mounted manufacturer’s badge, you’d be hard- pressed to tell which one you’re sitting in.

In terms of packaging, the FR- S comes as just one model, while the BRZ is available in base trim and with the aforementioned Sport Tech Package, which adds keyless access and push- button start, Anthracite black leather with black Alcantara and red stitching, automatic dual- zone climate control, low- profile rear spoiler, multi- reflector halogen fog lights. and heated front seats.

Both offer the choice of a standard 6- speed manual ( hurrah!) and optional 6- speed automatic. My testers each sported the former, so I didn’t get a chance to try out the automatic with its steering wheel- mounted paddle shifters.

Not that I’m complaining as these cars were designed with one intent purpose — to bring back that smallcar, rear- wheel drive experience at an affordable price — and a manual gearbox goes hand- in- hand with that philosophy. What doesn’t is computer assisted traction control — the socalled ‘ nanny system’ — but in the case of both cars, a predominant button on the centre console puts the nanny to bed. That’s when the fun begins.

As mentioned, a Subaru 2.0- litre boxer engine powers these cars, producing 200 horsepower and 151 lbs.ft of torque.

And thanks to Toyota bringing its excellent fuel injection technology to the party, the fuel economy is very respectable given this powerplant’s rarefied position in the 100- horsepowerper- litre pantheon. On that note, both the Subaru and Scion require premium unleaded fuel.

Combined with the short- throw 6- speed gearbox, lightweight construction and rear- wheel drivetrain, these cars are quite simply a blast to drive. Put another way, they each do exactly what they are designed to do. And that is provide a fun- todrive experience at an almost entry level price tag.

Which brings us to the crux. Which one is better, the Subaru or the Scion?

From a driving perspective, I really couldn’t tell much of a difference at all. It did seem the Scion’s engine was a tad bit buzzier at highway speeds, and the Subaru didn’t get out of the gate as quickly ( though we’re talking milliseconds here).

I liked the Subaru’s sound system interface better, but that’s not a huge compliment as I still found it unwieldy and not very intuitive at all.

I liked the Scion’s sport seats but ask me that after driving to Calgary from Vancouver and I’d surely swap keys for the Subaru. So when it comes to comparing the Subaru BRZ with the