If you’re looking for a compact sports coupe on the used market, we don’t think you can do much better than a Scion FR-S. Designed with the enthusiast at the forefront of everything, few cars can match the excitement-per-buck as the little Toyota-Subaru co-developed car can.Although the FR-S never really changed dramatically throughout its three years on the market, it did get a few special editions during that time, and there’s one in particular that stands above the rest. That’s the Scion FR-S Release Series 1.0. A Bold Exterior Toyota It’s really, really easy to spot the Scion FR-S Release Series 1.0 from any other FR-S. Introduced for the 2015 model year, it came in just one color – the exceptionally bright Yuzu Yellow, which has become a cult favorite among fans of the FR-S, BRZ, and 86 platform. This wasn’t a shade you could order on any car, either, with it limited in the United States to just the Release Series 1.0.Along with the paintwork, it also gained a full body kit taken from the TRD catalog. That included the extended front bumper with gloss-black highlights, the new side skirts, and a reworked rear bumper with the TRD logo stamped onto it.It also dropped the 86 fender badges found on the base car in favor of black-and-yellow inserts, while curiously sticking with the FR-S-standard 17-inch alloy wheels. Other markets had this body kit available on TRD editions of the Toyota 86, complete with a set of 18-inch wheels as standard, not found here.That said, you could pay the dealer a little extra to get a set of 10-spoke black TRD-badged wheels to complete the package if you so wished. Subtle Interior Changes Toyota Along with the look-at-me exterior, the Scion FR-S Release Series 1.0 got a handful of interior tweaks to set it apart from the rest of the model line-up. These were pretty subtle by comparison, though.The most obvious revision was the new leather-wrapped TRD steering wheel with a red center stripe, plus the addition of a TRD-branded gear stick. Sitting just below the shifter boot was a numbered plaque signaling which number each car was in the 1.0’s production run.Rounding out those cabin changes was a new set of T-pattered fabric seats, complete with Yuzu Yellow stitching to match the exterior. A TRD-branded mat could also be found in the trunk. Extra Equipment Toyota Although the Scion FR-S wasn't a car you’d call heavily loaded with equipment, as the brand preferred to focus the model on accessible, affordable performance, the Release Series 1.0 did get some extra tech as standard.Most notable was the introduction of a push-button start and keyless entry, along with dual-zone climate control. HID headlamps with daytime running lights came for no extra cost, too.Worth noting, there were still no heated seats, as could be ordered on the Subaru BRZ, so it wasn’t the highest specification of the platform you could have at the time. Some Performance Tweaks, But Not Where You Wanted Them ToyotaFitting with the sportier bodywork, the Release Series 1.0 did get a couple of performance-focused changes. Those came in the form of lowering springs, which added to the coupe's look and improved its handling, plus a quad-tip TRD exhaust that gave it a little more sound.However, the age-old question from enthusiasts and auto journalists during the production run of the Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ was, “When is it getting more power?”The Release Series 1.0 did nothing to answer those cries. It was powered by the same 2.0-liter naturally aspirated boxer-four found in the base FR-S, producing 200 horsepower and 151 pound-feet of torque. As a result, performance figures for both the six-speed manual and automatic versions of the FR-S were identical for the 1.0.On the plus side, it still had a limited-slip differential and weighed just 2,758 pounds with a manual transmission (and 2,806 pounds with the automatic gearbox), so the car drove just as well as ever. How Much Is A Scion FR-S Release Series 1.0 Worth? ToyotaWhen it arrived at dealers late in 2014, the Scion FR-S Release Series 1.0 retailed for $29,990 for the manual, with the automatic at $31,090. That was a pretty significant jump over the base FR-S, which started from $24,700.With all its extras and just 1,500 made, though, the values of the Release Series 1.0 have remained quite strong. Expect to pay an average price of just under $15,000, about $2,000 more than a regular 2015 FR-S. The CarBuzz Marketplace (below) shows the range of current values. It Had A Sequel ToyotaAlthough the one we’d have, the Release Series 1.0, wasn’t the only special edition FR-S. A year later, the Release Series 2.0 arrived, albeit with a much more subtle exterior spec by comparison.Scion offered 1,000 examples of the 2.0, all painted in Lunar Storm and with a unique set of 17-inch forged alloy wheels as standard. It had a body kit too, with a subtle front lip and rear wing on the trunk lid. The look wasn't as aggressive as the TRD package found on the 1.0, and the 2.0 didn't have the TRD exhaust, either.Toyota As for the interior, the 2.0 was a pretty wild departure from any FR-S that came before it. Camel trim came to the door armrests, the upper panel, and the steering wheel inserts. Those were matched by part-leather, part-Alcantara heated seats.As with the Release Series 1.0, each RS 2.0 had its production number embroidered on the dash. Despite having heated seats, the 2.0 came in a little cheaper than the 1.0, starting at $29,510. Worth noting it didn’t get a power hike, either. And A Remaster ToyotaAlthough Yuzu Yellow would be a one-and-done for the first generation of the Scion FR-S/Toyota 86/Subaru BRZ, it remained a fan favorite from the moment of its introduction. Toyota finally relented on its one-model exclusivity with the release of the GR86 Yuzu Edition in 2025, explicitly paying tribute to the FR-S Release Series 1.0.Along with the paintwork, this version of the GR86 comes with a reworked front bumper, extended side skirts, and a new rear fascia with a quad-exit exhaust, just like the original car. However, this GR86 also comes standard with 18-inch black alloy wheels.ToyotaInside, the GR86 Yuzu Edition features Ultrasuede seats with yellow perforated accents and yellow stitching throughout the cabin. No extra power, though, the Yuzu utilizes the GR86’s 2.4-liter boxer-four, offering 228 hp and 184 lb-ft of torque. Uprated Brembo brakes and a Sachs suspension system do improve the driving dynamics, at least.As with the Release Series 1.0, the Toyota GR86 Yuzu Edition does command more money than the rest of the model range, with an MSRP starting at $36,365 compared to $33,400 for the Premium trim it’s based on.Having arrived in dealers in Fall 2025, just 860 Yuzu Editions were destined for North America. We suspect most will be accounted for by now, but there’s still a decent amount of supply in dealers.
